Warm On a Cold Night ★ JENLISA

Chapter 3

“You ready for this trial, Kim?” Jackson pushes her door open and peeks inside the office.

“You know it.” Jennie looks up from her paperwork. “How'd the pre-trial hearing go?”

He walks inside and slumps into the chair “How do you think? They're not backing down on anything.”

“Yeah, that's Manoban for you.” Jennie returns her focus back to the pages in front of her. She hasn't seen Lisa since the last time she had her laid out on the old leather couch in the corner. Hasn’t been able to get the taste of her out of her mind since that night.

“Thanks for the warning on that one, by the way.”

“Dude, I totally told you.”

“No, you did not.”

He at least has the decency to look properly chagrined for a moment, before groaning loudly. “She's such a hardass.”

Heat begins to creep up the back of her neck- Jackson has no idea how right he is.

“Are you ready for trial?” Jennie asks, needing a quick subject change.

“No. Yes. Who knows. It's a crap shoot.”

“You sure know how to inspire confidence.” Her office phone rings and she reads the caller ID. “I have to take this, can you shut the door behind you?”

Xx

It’s been a long week of pre-trial prep and digging through discovery with Jackson, and Jennie is almost at her wit's end. He is less prepared than she would have thought, considering he’s had the case for months.

It’s probably why he asked Jennie to co-chair if she’s being honest with herself.

Hyeri notices the exhaustion and drags her out for dinner before she can fight it.

“I have the night off and I need to make sure you’re eating. You look malnourished, Jennie. If you starve to death on this trial, I will never live it down.”

“You know, your dramatics have significantly increased since you started law school.”

Hyeri just grins, “We’re a special people, Jennie.”

After a burger and a beer, Hyeri excuses herself to run to the bathroom and Jennie glances at her phone. Two missed calls and a voicemail. She hesitates before listening, knowing it will bug her all night if she doesn’t just listen now.

The number shows up with the familiar digits of the DA’s office and she sighs loudly before pressing play and lifting the phone up to her ear.

It’s Lisa. Of course it’s Lisa.

Her professional voice coolly asking for a piece of discovery for the upcoming trial.

Of course she’s slightly arrogant as she asks for it, making a comment about it not being delivered with the rest of the files. Of course Jennie’s frustration with her and the case comes swirling back after it had finally eased up.

Hyeri returns and notices the shift in Jennie’s mood, grabbing the phone away from her ear. “Okay, no, no. No work, Jennie.”

“I know, but it was going to bug me.”

“Dude, you have been working yourself to the bone, you can take a few hours to get some sleep. Also- what is with your face right now?”

“Ugh, fucking Manoban! She’s missing something she requested for discovery and of course she calls and acts all high and mighty about it, making a dig about how it wasn’t included in the prepared materials.” Jennie grumbles and tugs at her hair.