Ruthless In A Suit(5)

“Forgive Oliver,” she says, waving at him to hush the growl. “That’s just how he talks.”

I don’t know what makes me do it, but I drop down to my knee and offer my hand. The pup, maybe a year old and still a little spindly-legged from puppyhood, sniffs at it. After a pause, he leans forward gives my entire hand an enormous lick before leaping into my arms and smothering my cheeks.

“He likes you,” the woman observes.

His entire body becomes one giant tail wag as he wiggles in my lap, despite being about two times too big to be a lap dog.

“He’s cute, no doubt about it,” I say, as he looks up at me with his giant brown eyes.

“He’s up for adoption,” she says. “He was found wandering around Southie as a puppy. Never claimed, so we took him in, got him fixed, and have been fostering him for the last six months. I honestly can’t believe no one’s adopted him. He’s a dream dog. Do you run?”

“Yeah,” I say, finally figuring out that if I wrap Oliver in a bear hug, it both immobilizes him and soothes him. He eventually rests his head on my shoulder and sighs.

“He’s a great running buddy,” she says, her smile growing pointed. She nods at him, now nearly drifting off in my lap. “I think he’s picked his person.”



“I’m taking Oliver for walk,” I say to Logan, who’s on the phone. He just nods at me before returning to his conversation with someone at the city clerk’s office, trying to wrangle over some court papers that were supposed to have been filed on behalf of a client by his previous council.

“Yes, Mr. Diaz, if you could just send over the documentation you provided to that other lawyer – if you could call him that – then we’ll get started on your case.” He hangs up and runs his hands through his hair in frustration. “Every time I get one of these, where the ‘immigration lawyer’ sets them up on a payment plan and then does nothing, I just want to punch the wall.”

“How about you put that energy into the work instead of damaging the property,” I say. I take Oliver’s leather leash from the hook on the wall, and he comes skidding up next to me, his tail wagging. “I’ll be back in a few.”

It’s been four months since that fateful lunch with Logan and Julia. Four months since I adopted Oliver and we agreed to start the firm.

We completed the construction on the Back Bay mansion in just a few weeks. Now the stairs leading to the third floor ended in an apartment door, with the bottom two floors now offices, a file room, and a conference room.

We’ve taken on several clients, mostly local or state-wide nonprofits, along with a slew of smaller cases. I’ve been working insane hours, which is okay, because a) I literally live at the office and b) I have nothing else to do other than take my daily runs and walks with Oliver.

The distraction of the work suits me just fine.

I sold all the properties save for this one, and took the profits – along with the rest of the inheritance – and put it into a trust to support the new firm.

I also cashed out my stocks in Maxon law and used the profits to create a scholarship for underrepresented students to attend law school. I’d left myself only enough to live off of, which isn’t much relative to what I had in the past.

For the first time in my life I have nothing and want for nothing – except for her.

I’d hoped that perhaps, after a little while, the pain of losing Cadence would dissipate. That I wouldn’t be reminded of her almost hourly.

Wouldn’t constantly find myself remembering when she was still in my life. When I had everything.

But time has not healed all wounds.

I’m still constantly reminded of what a fucking asshole I’ve been, and how it was one hundred percent my fault that she left and never wanted to see or hear from me again.

At my side, Oliver lets out a little yelp, and I know he won’t wait much longer before he starts tugging at the leash.

“Take that beast out, would ya?” Julia says, dropping down to ruffle his ears and let him plant a million kisses on her cheek.

“Yeah, yeah, we’re going,” I reply. I give the leash a little tug. “C’mon, buddy.”

The October evening is cool, but not yet cold.

The sidewalks are covered in orange and yellow and red leaves, and pumpkins have begun appearing on stoops around the neighborhood. Halloween will be here before we know it, and then it’s on to the downward slide into the holidays.

Something about ordering pizza and watching movies on the couch with Oliver while everyone else celebrates with their loved ones feels like an appropriate way to spend the holidays this year.