"I'm sure," Arthur said with what he hoped was a general smile. Inwardly, however, he wondered what that "never mind" had been about. He swallowed. "I'm sorry to come back to it, but it seems strange to me that, considering what she wants, she gave this to you before she formally filed for divorce."
Jones's eyebrows drew down in an expression of innocent puzzlement. "I know, right? Huh."
There must be something else going on that Jones was forgetting to mention, Arthur thought. Or, considering the note, neglecting to mention out of a sense of guilt. Well, he, Arthur, would uncover it. If he took that case, that was. He opened the document to the last page, the signature page, to see who the attorney for the petitioner was. It was Ludwig Schmidt. Arthur couldn't stand the man. He began to see why Bonnefoy had sent him this case. It seemed tailor-made for him.
If Arthur could get past the fact that Jones was an obvious, if good-looking, idiot who had probably inherited his money, and past any interest his own gonads had despite that fact, this case would be a very satisfying challenge. And he was totally going to take it, wasn't he? Arthur sighed. He was such a jelly, sometimes.
“Well, if you truly want to end your marriage, the first thing I would recommend would be a cross-petition for dissolution. That way, if she does not pursue her case, you will have a filing of your own and will not need to re-file in the future, dragging out your divorce and paying more court fees.”
“Sounds good.”
That was all he had to say about his own strategy. He needed a bloody keeper, for Christ’s sake.
"May I have this copy of the document for further review?" Arthur asked.
"Absolutely, Arthur," Jones said. He smiled. He smiled like a cat would smile, if cats could. It dampened the innocence of his expression. He unfurled from his chair and stood. He placed his palms on Arthur's desk and leaned forward, so far forward that Arthur could smell his cologne. Arthur perforce stood as well and for a moment it seemed almost as if Jones meant to kiss him, so much had he invaded Arthur's space. But then he stuck out his open palm, thumb up. "Great to have you on my team."
Before Arthur could protest or indeed even have second thoughts, he found himself clasping hands with Jones once more. "I will --- ah -- be in touch," he managed to say.
"Fantastic." Jones released his hand and strode, long-legged, for the door, rushing out as quickly as he'd blown in. Arthur practically jogged to reach the door first and open it; it was his office, after all. Jones paused in the open doorway, and it seemed as if he looked Arthur up and down for a bold moment. "Nice suit, by the way," he said.
To his mortification, Arthur felt his cheeks heat. He hated, hated, hated that he blushed so easily. "Thank you," he said and turned away quickly, but not quickly enough to miss Jones's grin.
Behind him, Monaca giggled. "Bye-bye!" she called at Jones as he left.
When he was sure Jones was gone, Arthur turned and gave Monaca a Look. "Bye-bye?"
Her face crinkled with amusement. "Sorry, Mr. Kirkland."
He sighed. "If Ms. Haverstick is available, please let her know that I am free for a few minutes."
He'd have a short department review-- Lili Haverstick was a tiny blonde who ran his office like a Swiss watch-- and then he'd set himself and his paralegals to reviewing the Jones file until lunch.
In fact, the official court filing appeared online at eleven-thirty; it was the same as their copy, just as Jones had said it would be. So he wasn't one-hundred-percent deluded, anyway. Arthur took the file home with him that night. He did force himself to set work aside long enough to go to the gym, but he put off dinner with Portia until the next evening.
All Right, Tonight (Part 7/?)
Jones's eyebrows drew down in an expression of innocent puzzlement. "I know, right? Huh."
There must be something else going on that Jones was forgetting to mention, Arthur thought. Or, considering the note, neglecting to mention out of a sense of guilt. Well, he, Arthur, would uncover it. If he took that case, that was. He opened the document to the last page, the signature page, to see who the attorney for the petitioner was. It was Ludwig Schmidt. Arthur couldn't stand the man. He began to see why Bonnefoy had sent him this case. It seemed tailor-made for him.
If Arthur could get past the fact that Jones was an obvious, if good-looking, idiot who had probably inherited his money, and past any interest his own gonads had despite that fact, this case would be a very satisfying challenge. And he was totally going to take it, wasn't he? Arthur sighed. He was such a jelly, sometimes.
“Well, if you truly want to end your marriage, the first thing I would recommend would be a cross-petition for dissolution. That way, if she does not pursue her case, you will have a filing of your own and will not need to re-file in the future, dragging out your divorce and paying more court fees.”
“Sounds good.”
That was all he had to say about his own strategy. He needed a bloody keeper, for Christ’s sake.
"May I have this copy of the document for further review?" Arthur asked.
"Absolutely, Arthur," Jones said. He smiled. He smiled like a cat would smile, if cats could. It dampened the innocence of his expression. He unfurled from his chair and stood. He placed his palms on Arthur's desk and leaned forward, so far forward that Arthur could smell his cologne. Arthur perforce stood as well and for a moment it seemed almost as if Jones meant to kiss him, so much had he invaded Arthur's space. But then he stuck out his open palm, thumb up. "Great to have you on my team."
Before Arthur could protest or indeed even have second thoughts, he found himself clasping hands with Jones once more. "I will --- ah -- be in touch," he managed to say.
"Fantastic." Jones released his hand and strode, long-legged, for the door, rushing out as quickly as he'd blown in. Arthur practically jogged to reach the door first and open it; it was his office, after all. Jones paused in the open doorway, and it seemed as if he looked Arthur up and down for a bold moment. "Nice suit, by the way," he said.
To his mortification, Arthur felt his cheeks heat. He hated, hated, hated that he blushed so easily. "Thank you," he said and turned away quickly, but not quickly enough to miss Jones's grin.
Behind him, Monaca giggled. "Bye-bye!" she called at Jones as he left.
When he was sure Jones was gone, Arthur turned and gave Monaca a Look. "Bye-bye?"
Her face crinkled with amusement. "Sorry, Mr. Kirkland."
He sighed. "If Ms. Haverstick is available, please let her know that I am free for a few minutes."
He'd have a short department review-- Lili Haverstick was a tiny blonde who ran his office like a Swiss watch-- and then he'd set himself and his paralegals to reviewing the Jones file until lunch.
In fact, the official court filing appeared online at eleven-thirty; it was the same as their copy, just as Jones had said it would be. So he wasn't one-hundred-percent deluded, anyway. Arthur took the file home with him that night. He did force himself to set work aside long enough to go to the gym, but he put off dinner with Portia until the next evening.