Waiting For August

Part 35 ~ Pre-party Jitters

With only two days remaining before the gala, the office had become busy. I had never seen so many people working late into the evening. The meeting rooms were full, they trampled through the halls together in small noisy herds and the secretaries, pushed to their limits, hurriedly ushered clients back to their appointments. The staff was making up for the two days that the office was to be closed by extending their work day far into the evening. Although human court stopped at 4:30, it didn't stop them from working cases and meeting with clients.

For Hannah and me it was business as usual. There was only one appointment that had truly garnered my interest. I was going over our schedule when a M. Tremblay slotted in for our 7:40 appointment time caught my attention.

"Uh, Hannah?"

"Yes, August?" She responded without looking up from the notes she had been transcribing.

"The M. Tremblay that's scheduled for later tonight, is that Miranda Tremblay, the coven leader we dealt with during the Bishop case?"

"What?" That seemed to get her attention. She quickly crossed the room to peer over my shoulder, before taking control of my mouse. The smell of her perfume, a light floral fragrance reached my nose as she leaned down over me.

"Huh. Well, I guess so. I didn't schedule this in. See here," She right clicked on the appointment where she pointed at a set of initials. "This appointment was set up by one of the day secretaries." She leaned in further to bring up an address book. "It's the same contact number however, so I imagine it is." She shook her head, frowning slightly as she did. "It is strange though, weren't they represented by Miller and Dencroft?"

I turned to look up at her and found her face exceptionally close. Her blue eyes were locked on my own. "Actually, she dropped them just as we concluded that case."

"Well, well well... it looks like you must have dazzled her with your charm." She was smiling at me knowingly as she teased.

I chuckled. "What charm?"

She smirked at me. "Like you don't know."

She held my eyes for a moment, and I swallowed, before she abruptly straightened and headed back to her desk. Lately, it was like I was seeing her, perhaps noticing things about her in ways I never had before... her perfume, her eyes, the heat of her skin...it left me strangely teetering off balance. Ever since our argument about the Fraser appointment, we'd been getting along a whole lot better. Her snarky attitude had all but disappeared, and I no longer found her annoying as I had in the past.

She checked the watch on her slim wrist. It was gold and looked more like jewelry than an actual timepiece. "Well, I guess we'll soon find out."

Miranda Tremblay came into the office looking business chic in a black, high-waist pencil skirt that fell well past her knees, and a white blousy top with long sleeves and a deep V in the front. As usual, her outfit highlighted her tall stature and slim silhouette.

Her daughter Stella was dressed in a simple fitted pinafore dress in a grey plaid with a black long-sleeved top underneath.

I showed them to a chair in front of my desk, and once they were seated, I dropped down into my own chair.

"I have to admit, I'm a little surprised to see you, Miranda. After all the last time we met we were on opposite sides of the table." She was staring at me intently. Like she was analysing me, and I have to admit, her gaze was intimidating.

"I am quite sure that I made my position clear at our last meeting. I am currently without council, and I would now like to retain your services as my lawyer."