My brows rose. “Wow, well, okay, then.” I wasn’t quite sure what to think of this type of treatment. I was lucky to get my order correct the first time at McDonald’s or even somewhere fancier, like Chili’s. However, tonight, these were drinks and dinner I knew I couldn’t afford.
Water would be on my bill tonight. Assuming, of course, they didn’t charge for tap.
I was led inside, and the bar ambiance was soft and the lights dim. The temperature was on the chilly side. Upon entry, a large planter of cactus greens greeted us. Behind it was an open atmosphere of tables filled with people talking and drinking. On the far side of the room was the bar. It was filled with all sorts of alcohol, and the shelving looked like it was made of iron pipes. Each tabletop had a different arrangement, from pressure gauges to candelabra that had a steampunk feel to them.
“This way, Miss Speire,” the attendant said.
As I followed him through the bar, I noticed there were corners blocked off with red velvet ropes. Small, quaint tables were inside the roped-off areas, with two chairs on either side of the table and a love seat along the wall.
“Wow,” I whispered.
“Here we are,” the attendant said as we came to a stop. We stood before a roped-off area that had closed red velvet curtains. He pulled one of the curtains to the side, and sitting on the love seat was Chase Newstrom.
He stood immediately. His dark-brown hair had been styled, and he wore a black suit and tie. He sipped his drink and set the glass down. Taking a few steps to where I stood, he smiled. His beautiful white teeth, kissable lips, and his eyes—his gorgeous, full-of-life blue eyes—stared directly into mine.
I was so fucked.
“Ainsley,” Chase said and offered me his hand.
I accepted it, and the velvet rope was opened for me to pass through and then closed off again. The curtain was also pulled back into place, blocking us from the crowd of people just feet from where we stood.
His cologne invaded my nose, and I wanted to close my eyes and inhale, memorize his scent. I knew tonight would only last so long, and if we never did this again, I wanted to remember this for as long as I could.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
I opened my eyes and met his stare. I nodded. “Yes, and if we’re going to be honest with each other tonight, I’m a little nervous.”
He chuckled and led me toward the love seat. “There’s nothing to be nervous about.”
I blinked, and then a laugh burst from me. “You’re kidding, right? You’re the Chase Newstrom. You barely gave me a second glance before…well…just before. Yet now we’re here having drinks at a high-class establishment I could not afford even on my best day. So yes, I’m a little nervous.”
He grinned. “I worked very hard to get where I am today. I see the same persistence and perseverance in you. You’re going to make an incredible attorney, Ainsley.”
I smiled and lowered my gaze to the table. “Thank you,” I told him and meant it. With a sigh, I looked at him again. “Can we talk about that letter?”
He picked up his glass and took a sip. “What are you drinking tonight?”
“You can’t answer a question with a question.”
“Well, I can. And I did.” He chuckled. “Now seriously, what are you drinking?”
“Dirty martini, extra olives.”
He repeated my drink request to the bartender and then turned back to me. “So that letter.”
My stomach flipped again, and my heart sped up. I nodded. “Yes. Look, I was drunk. I’m so sorry.”
“Drunk on my Scotch,” he added.
I felt my face heat up from blushing, and I nodded. “Yes, your Scotch. I’ll replace it soon.”
“Don’t even worry about that,” he said and turned toward me on the chaise. “I didn’t realize you felt the way you did.”
Now I knew my face was red because it was burning hot. I wanted to look away, get up and run, but I couldn’t. I needed to face this, talk to him about why I wrote what I did…and maybe get us past it.
“You’re a beautiful man, Chase,” I told him. “I see the women who swoon over you. It’s hard to not be intimidated by your presence.”
His brow rose. “Are you intimidated now?”
I shrugged my shoulder slightly. “Maybe?”
He chuckled. “Let me tell you my story, Ainsley. There’s more to me than this pretty face and the women you say swoon over me.”
I smiled and appreciated this moment. He wanted to let me in—at least on a part of himself, anyway.
“When I was a kid, twelve years old, my father was arrested for murder.”
I widened my eyes. “Oh, my God!” I wasn’t expecting that.
“Obviously he didn’t do it. He was set up. Our family couldn’t afford the legal fees that came with a murder case, so he was appointed an attorney through the court system. He was awful. He was there for his buck, and it didn’t matter to this man if my dad was innocent or not.
“The case was over pretty quick. Dad pleaded not guilty, but the court didn’t agree. He was found guilty and was sentenced to life without parole. A few years later, he died in his cell, stabbed to death.”
“Oh, Chase,” I whispered and reached for his hand.
He let me hold him as he continued. “About two years later, new evidence came forward that would have released my father from any accusations. But since he was already dead, there wasn’t much they could do. The person whose DNA was found, though, was arrested for another murder. They had enough evidence to prove the man was guilty without using my father’s case.
“A pardon was issued for my father. Although it was too late for my father, it cleared our family’s name. Since that moment, I knew I wanted to be a defense attorney. I wanted to be able to help those who were falsely accused of crimes. The innocent. It’s been a tough road but one I would do over and over again.”
My heart bled for this man. I wanted to hold him in my arms and tell him I was sorry for his loss. He had to carry that on his shoulders, day in and day out.
“I’m sure your father is looking down on you now, proud of the man you’ve become,” I told him.
“Maybe,” he said. “Wow, that was heavy.” He chuckled. “Tell me about you.”
I blinked a few times. “Well, I haven’t lived an exciting life, and I haven’t experienced anything as you have. My life is pretty dull in comparison.”
“Maybe I like dull. Go ahead.”
I smiled and nodded. “One of my best friends in our school lost her father. He was murdered. The man who did it was found and tried and then put away. When it was time for his parole, it was denied. My friend fell into a life of depression, drugs, and prostitution. I tried many times to intervene, but it never helped. Eventually, I had to walk away. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he told me.
“Thank you.” I continued on. “Since I was a little girl, I wanted to be an attorney. I wanted to help those who needed it. I wanted to represent women who had been through hell and back and to protect their children.”
“Because of what your friend went through?”