Chapter 7

The week swiftly passed by and the day to finally meet Anna and Adair for our second meeting has come.

"Are all the documents ready to go Aaliyah?" I ask speaking into the phone. "Okay, awesome. You'll be a part of this meeting as well. See you in ten."

I honestly wasn't looking forward for this meeting and it wasn't because of the Adairs, but rather I was functioning on only three hours of sleep with the amount of work I had to get done for other cases that had court hearings tomorrow.

"Work is definitely not my best friend." I mumble.

Time flys by and next thing I know I'm in a room with Adair and Anna. Anna is dressed from head to toe in Chanel again and I'm starting to think that's her signature brand. On the other hand, Adair is dressed in a silver suit with a black dress shirt. I tell see that his suit is a Tom Ford custom made, thanks to Aaliyah pointing it out in one of his magazines. Although he looks put together with his styled hair and trimmed stubble, the shadows under his eyes tell me he's exhausted.

I guess were buddies on that one.

"Okay, so here are the documents and I know this is fake, but I just need you both to go through it and sign it so I can stick it into a folder only so other lawyers and office members think it's real. Along with digitalized copies, we also produce hard copies just in case things get deleted." I clarify.

I don't know why I had to clarify that we also have digitalized versions. Maybe so they don't think were a fossil firm, but I highly doubt they even care.

Aaliyah slides over the papers to them and they quickly sign it and hand it back to her.

"Normally I would question you both but-" I start.

"-Yes, there is no need for that." Adair cuts in with a boring tone. 

How rude like yes, I know I was going to get to that part.

"Alright, so do you mind discussing your next steps with me?" I ask politely trying to keep my temper in control.

"Me and Alex have thought that we should live apart so it seems that we are actually getting a divorce. I'll be moving back to my old apartment later today." Says Anna glancing at Adair. 

"Yes, Anna that sounds like a brilliant plan." I state deliberately leaving his name out of the conversation and she gives me a smile in response.

The room lingers with silence for a couple seconds, and me being me, I break it by yawning real loud and quickly close my mouth shut as soon as I realize how unprofessional that was of me.

What did I just do.

Adair gives me an incredulous stare while Anna smiles sheepishly.

"I'm sorry but I didn't get a lot of sleep last night." I say trying not to sound that I'm bored with them.

"Oh really? Alex couldn't go to sleep last night either! He was up all night working on a business deal." Anna exclaims.

"That's work always keeping you up when you need sleep the most" I say trying to mask the fact that I kind of already realized he was tired.

"Why were you up all night Ms. Carter?" He asks crossing his arms across his chest and slightly leaning back into the chair.

My name off his tongue sends a ripple of shivers up my spine.

Get a grip Sarah! Maybe it's because I've never heard a voice like that before and I'm intrigued. Yes that is it...intrigued.

"I was working on a couple of other cases that needed to be done by today." I smile sitting up straigher in my seat. 

"Hm. You work quite a lot of hours. I would never be able to." He states his eyes locked onto mine.

Wow did Alexander Adair just complement me? The sudden switch in his demeanor has me in shock. Compared to our first meeting, I wonder if this is the same Adair.

"Oh, but love you do! You work so much and make so much money! Sarah, I tell you this man lives in his office." Anna says with enthusiasm.

His eyes quickly move to her, narrowing at her words. As she continues to talk about Adair and how long he spends in the office, his jaw tightens and his eyes throw daggers at Anna, but she continues to speak, completely oblivious to the silent messages.

"So does Sarah! She's always in her office and working really hard. It's tough for her especially when her mom is home alone." Aaliyah says smiling brightly.

I shoot daggers at her with my own eyes telling her to stop spilling my life story out. I know she means well, but I don't want to get into the discussion as to what happened to my dad.

I feel a pair of eyes on me and I slowly turn my head to his direction. His hazel eyes hold questions but he doesn't say anything. I turn my head away to avoid any conversation that may arise in regards to the topic of family.

"Oh no that must be awful!" Anna says looking rather grimly.

"Yeah, I mean its not too bad at least I get to see her in the morning and sometimes at night." I say trying to get this conversation to end.

"I know a place that offers activities to elderly people where they can go and socialize with others." Suddenly says Adair.

My head snaps to a cool and collected Adair, taken back by his comment.

What he thinks I don't socialize with my mom?

"Do you think I don't take time out for my mom?" I ask slighlty annoyed.

"No, I believe you do. It's just all day she must feel alone wanting to talk to someone." He says nonchalantly.

Oh.

I never thought that my mom probably felt alone. I know she would always occupy herself with knitting, watching tv, cooking, and reading that I thought she was happy just like that. Maybe she did want someone her age to chat to.

"Oh." I say lamely. "Thank you for letting me know. I'll look into it." I feel like I'm the worst daughter in the world right now.

"No problem. I'll text the name of the place to you once I remember it's name again." He says sitting up straighter in his seat.

"Sure thanks, you have my number?" I ask in confusion.

"Yes, Aaliyah gave it to me on my way in today. She said this is how you prefer to be contacted for this case." States Adair looking towards Aaliyah.

I look at her with my mouth open, oh she just didn't. Aaliyah's cheeks flame red like a hot cheeto, but she's smiles madly like she's done the best thing in the world.

"Right." I say with a tight smile.

"I'll go file these right now." Aaliyah smiles and with that she bolts out of the room, leaving me wondering what else she's told him.

As I begin to ask the couple's next steps other than Anna moving out, Anna's phone rings and she excuses herself out leaving only Adair and I in the room.

Trying to avoid conversation, we both look lamely around the room as if my beige colored walls with plaques of my achievements, pictures of my mother, Aaliyah, and I, and my shelves stacked with law books could be exciting.

"So, how's the police search going." I say trying to start a conversation.

I don't think Anna is coming back any time soon.

"It's going dry." He says tersely checking his watch.

"Dry? As in nothing found yet I assume." I state my fingertips tapping the surface of my desk.

"Yeah." And just like that he ends the conversation.

"Would you like some coffee?" I ask trying to be professional.

"No thank you." He says flatly.

Okay so what we sit in here in silence before Anna comes back? It has only been two minutes and it feels like a lifetime.

I small yawn escapes my lips again and my hand goes to my mouth as soon as I realize that I did it again.

Great just great he'll probably think I'm a tired wreck whose unable to stay awake at her job. I'm trying to hold my yawn, but it's so hard especially when it's a big one.

His head slightly tilts to the left and his eyes remained glued on me like he's examining me and I'm under the light for investigation at a police station. "Work will always be there Ms. Carter, you just need to prioritize yourself first."

I laugh. "Doesn't that apply to you too?" I point out. 

"I'm not yawning." He states tersely. 

"No, but your eyes are screaming sleep." I say letting my thought slip out onto my tongue.

Shoot.

"Are they?" He smirks sliding his chair closer to my desk.

I hold my breath. Did I just admit that I've been checking his eyes out?

"No one has ever told me that my eyes are screaming sleep." He says resting his elbows on my desk. The blazer tighly grips around his muscular arms and I'm surprised they haven't ripped the fabric yet.

"But Anna said you were tired and up all night?" I say nervously crossing and crossing my ankles. 

"Yes, I was, and I told her that so I wouldn't have to take her shopping today." He smirks.

"Oh...well I guess it's the lawyer in me then." I chuckle trying to save myself. Me and my big mouth.

"Perhaps." He says amused his eyebrows raised.

"But why would she want to go shopping with you when you two are showing that you guys are getting a divorce?" I ask.

"That's what I said to her." He sighs removing his elbows off the desk.

"What did she say?" 

"She said just this once." He rolls his eyes.

I shake my head in laugher. "She's really into shopping huh."

"Very and I absolutely hate it."

I want to say for someone who hates it has a very nice suit on, but then again he probably has a personal designer for his clothes, and I don't want him thinking that I was also checking his clothes out. We sit in silence and I'm actually becoming fond of it now. It doesn't seem forced anymore but rather natural and comforting.

The sound of a ding rings in the air and Adair pulls a phone out of his pocket. The way his head hangs slightly down as he reads the message in silence has my heart racing.

I think its just the anticipation of the text. What if it's from Mr. Rollins?

Looking back up, his face paints with annoyance and anger. His brows are are creased and his jaw clenches and unclenches as he lets out a deep sigh.

"Is everything okay? I ask carefully. 

"It's Anna. Her friend called and she's going shopping with her. She's here to pick her up and she said to say sorry to you that she suddenly left." He says tightly shoving his phone back into his pocket.

"Oh, um well it's okay you don't need to apologize. I don't think we had anything more to discuss." I say.

I can't believe she actually just left him here and walked off! Who would do something like that? He's making an effort to find her dad's murderer and she leaves him to go shopping?

"I guess I'll be seeing you in our next visit then. Oh and I'll text the name of the place to you."  Adair states getting up from his seat.

"Yes, definitely see you." I say as I stagger to get up. My heels have been killing me all day and all I want to do is kick them off. "And thank you, I'll definitely check the place out!"

Adair nods and makes his way to the door. Instead of walking with him to the door, I quickly sit back down so I can finally take off my heels and just as I'm about to, he turns his head towards me leaving me frozen in my hunched position.

I swear I saw a tiny smile tugging on his lips before being erased with tight lips. 

"Make sure to go to sleep on time tonight Ms. Carter." He says biting his lower lip, and with that he walks out leaving my mouth hanging open in shock.

Was he being...nice?

I think my heart just squeezed again.