The Research Project

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Lainey was taking her time getting the jus. He had been talking with Jillian and Patrick reminiscing about their college days. But as the minutes passed he started to wonder where she was. Byron excused himself from his conversation and disappeared down the long hallway, the sounds of his guests' chatter and laughter dimming as he entered the quiet of his bedroom thinking Lainey might've come in here to use his en suite. But she wasn't there. He walked into his guest bathroom but again she eluded him. He walked back out into the kitchen and it was there he found her seated at his kitchen bench eating her dinner- alone.

"What are you doing?" he asked and she turned in surprise at the sound of his voice.

"Eating my dinner."

"I can see that. But why are you eating it in here, all by yourself?"

"So that you can team build with the lawyers."

"I can do that better if you're out there with me."

"I think it's best if I stay in here."

He frowned at her, gaining the distinct impression that she wasn't telling him something. But he didn't have time to pursue it now, particularly since Lainey didn't appear to want to talk, so he simply grabbed her plate from under her nose, took her hand and led her out to the dining room where all of the guests had begun to eat.

"There you are," Mila said. "I was about to send out a search party."

Beside him, Lainey ducked her head and he could sense she didn't want to be the centre of attention.

"How is the wine everyone?" Byron asked taking his seat again.

A round of 'wonderful's' and 'the food is delicious' resounded from everyone and the conversation flowed around them once more.

"So, I'll bet you're all glad the Finley Finn case is all closed up?" Georgia asked, giving a knowing laugh.

"It was a ball breaker, that's for sure," Theo said.

"The video footage of him and Jade made me want to vomit," Morgan said and everyone laughed in agreement.

"It made me want to scratch my eyes out," Murray added making everyone laugh some more.

"We could've always let the guy go to jail," Morgan said, shrugging. "I mean, he did think that was a better option to begin with."

"Unfortunately no amount of money can buy brains," Byron said. Everyone laughed again.

"It's stories like this that make me glad I don't work for a law firm anymore," Georgia said.

"You were a lawyer?" Lainey said.

"No, I was Murray's personal assistant."

"It was how we met," Murray added.

"I remember when you took me to the Lawyers' Ball," Georgia said. "It was the first time we went public with our relationship. Didn't we start some conversations that night."

"The Lawyers' Ball?" Lainey asked.

"Yes, it's for lawyers," Morgan said and Byron saw her roll her eyes at Lainey.

"Just make sure you wear blue this year, Morgan," Theo said and laughed at her.

"Yeah, well, I didn't get the memo last year. I wasn't even going to go until the last minute and the only colour I had was green."

"You certainly stood out," Theo said.

"There was someone there in a red dress," Morgan said. "And if I remember correctly, Theo, didn't you wear a purple bow tie?"