Chapter 41: I Just Hate Feeling StupidIn the following weeks and months, with Dan as their third, they found their groove again, working cases, searching for precedents, poring over documents, interviewing clients and witnesses. In court they worked together flawlessly, winning most of their cases, occasionally losing, but always ready for appeal.Maggie went out with Joe several times over the next few months, sometimes to a movie or to dinner, but it always seemed to Maggie that it was just an excuse for them to get together to have sex. She knew she didn't love him, wasn't really attracted to him beyond the physical if she was perfectly honest, but she rationalized it to herself. If it's good enough for Michael… It was mid-April when she realized that it had been a while since Joe had called. I haven't heard from him in about a month, she mused. She didn't waste time or energy worrying about it. He's probably busy with school.One Saturday morning, she and Michael met at th

Chapter 43: House CallWhen they reached his apartment, Michael sank onto the living room couch, resting his head on an overstuffed throw pillow and automatically clicking on television sports. Maggie stood uncertainly. Now that he'd made it home, she could probably leave him to himself. He'd refused to go to an urgent care doctor, instead calling his own physician, who made house calls. "Would you like a blanket while you're waiting, Michael?" she asked him."That'd be great, Mags," he said. "There's a linen closet down the hall past my bedroom." He pointed vaguely without sitting up. Maggie looked to her left. She'd seen a hallway when they first entered the apartment. She moved in that direction, passing a huge bedroom, and found the linen closet a bit further down the hall. Choosing a white cotton blanket from the shelf, she couldn't resist peeking in the other rooms before returning to the living room. She counted three large bedrooms, each with its own ensuite bathroo

Chapter 45: Feeling SketchyMichael sat back and watched as Maggie interviewed the alleged victim in the LeRoi case. They'd decided that this particular deposition required a gentle touch. Seated at a conference table in the offices of the District Attorney, Maggie smiled kindly at Rebecca Savage, a slight young woman with dark hair and brown eyes. "I'm Maggie Flynn. Michael and I represent Jean-Luc LeRoi. I need to ask a few questions. May I call you Rebecca?"The young woman blinked and looked to Rance Stockwell who was representing the citizens of the city in the high-profile case. Rance patted her hand and she nodded slightly, crossing her arms to hold herself around the middle. Maggie quietly continued. "Tell me how you came to meet Jean-Luc, Rebecca."Rebecca cleared her throat. "I went to a hockey game with some friends. I don't really follow sports, it was just something to do." Maggie nodded encouragingly. "After the game, we went down to the ice. One of my fri

Chapter 47: A Really Bad IdeaThis is probably a bad idea. Maggie stood on the terrace of Michael's apartment looking out over the city. It looked magical after dark, all dotted with twinkling lights. Even the traffic sounds were muted from this height. Lost in thought as she was, Michael's voice startled her. "That's better. Can I get you something?"She turned to see that he'd exchanged his suit for jeans and a faded forest green t-shirt. His feet were bare. "Come on in, I'll pour you something." Wordlessly, she followed him back inside the apartment. Baseball was playing on the huge flat-screen television; the sound was low. Michael turned to her. "Relax," he said, eyes sparkling with amusement. "We're not at work anymore." He continued on to the bar. Maggie stopped by the kitchen counter where she'd dropped her purse, stepping out of her black pumps and removing the jacket of her black skirt suit, folding it carefully and laying it over the back of the couch.She

Chapter 49: Cold RealizationMichael eased out of bed, pausing to slip into his jeans before he headed to the living room to refill their empty glasses. "Be right back," he said over his shoulder.Maggie grinned and rolled onto her back, gazing up at the modern silver chandelier hanging over the bed. Unbelievable. After all this time… Of course, he's leaving tomorrow. She grimaced slightly. He'll be in the Maldives for two weeks. With Vivian. She sighed deeply, wondering if she remembered exactly which one was Vivian. They were all fairly interchangeable. Stop analyzing it. Just enjoy the moment. We're adults here. She could hear him putting ice in the glasses. The cold clink of ice cubes was replaced by the ringing of the doorbell. Frowning, she glanced at the bedside clock and saw that it was 11:30. Then she heard voices."What are you doing here?" she heard Michael ask. "It's nearly midnight.""You called me, remember?" replied a female voice."That was hours ago.