Legally Yours

Chapter One

It started like most things in the law firm: with a memo.

Julie Streeter and her fellow paralegals had gone out after work to their favorite bar, Charlie's, where, as usual, they couldn't stop talking about the thing that bound them together.

Work.

Ugh. Cissy Turner, who was beautiful enough to spark envy, but sweet enough to make you feel guilty about it, winced from her position on the inside of their booth. Did you see Clay trying to make small talk with Alyssa? It was so pathetic. He's got a wife and two little girls at home and he's trying to get into the corporate counsel's pants. If he weren't from one of the richest families in the state he wouldn't even have a job, much less be a partner in the firm.

I'm just glad I can respect my boss, Monica Ballard, the eldest of the group, said taking a sip of her Appletini, David's a good guy and he'd never cheat on his wife. Not that he has one, but if he did, I know he wouldn't do it.

You're not saying much tonight, Theresa Godwin nudged Julie with her shoulder. Cat got your tongue?

More like Matt's got her tongue, Cissy quipped. Those two have been thick as thieves this week.

Julie felt a blush rising from her chest to her cheeks. We've been working, Cissy, she denied. That's all.

Since her law school crush had arrived in Birmingham last week as part of RFG Enterprises corporate counsel team, Julie had been trying and failing not to remember just how gaga she'd been over Matthew Ellis. He'd been the top of their class in everything. He had a mind that leapt three steps ahead of everyone else and he could formulate a legal argument while the rest of the class was still struggling to assimilate the basic facts of the case.

When she'd had to drop out of law school to take care of her younger sister, Julie hadn't had a chance to think about the things she'd miss. And certainly her crush on her hotshot classmate had seemed trivial when she was busy trying to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.

Now, five years later, her sister, Lily, was enrolled in one of the most prestigious colleges in the country, and had a full ride scholarship to boot. And Julie was still working as a paralegal. She even made a pretty good living. It wasn't what she'd be earning as a partner, or even an associate, but she was okay with that. Being a paralegal meant that she could do what she did best. Organize the information. Sort through documents and scan them for pertinent information. And she didn't have to get up in front of a courtroom full of people and argue the case.

Since Lily had left for school three months ago, she'd even begun to date a little. But then, they'd gotten the RFG Enterprises case and Matthew Ellis had sauntered back into her life.

His polished good looks still had the power to stop a woman in her tracks. He must put out some heavy duty pheromone that stupefied any woman in winking distance. Within seconds of being re-introduced to him, her heart was beating faster and her tongue was tied in knots.

Yep, same old Matt.

And, unfortunately, same old Julie.

She'd run into other classmates over the years. Had learned to respond pleasantly to the questions about why she'd dropped out and what she'd been doing with herself since then.

It wasn't that she was embarrassed by her choices. Taking on the responsibility of raising her sister after their parents' death was the right thing to do. But there was something about those nods of understanding that grated. Like they thought she'd used Lily as an excuse because she just couldn't cut it in law school.

Which was why seeing Matt again had been such a jolt.

Hey, Jules, Matthew had smiled down at her, the single dimple in his right cheek sending a tingle of awareness down her spine—and other places. I didn't know you were here. How are things going?

Julie swallowed, grateful that she'd decided to wash her hair that morning after all. Since they were mostly a corporate firm, they didn't have very many clients come into the office, and she had a tendency to dress more casually for work on non-court day. Hi, Matt, she took his proffered hand as his long lashed blue eyes surveyed her from head to toe. Things are good. Thanks for asking.

Matt, Clay Parchman, Julie's least favorite partner in the firm, interrupted them, I'll take you back to the conference room so we can go over the Furman deposition. He turned to Julie with a raised brow, as if he knew Matt had assumed she was a member of the firm instead of a lowly paralegal. Julie, will you bring us some coffee?

Without a backward glance for her, he ushered Matt down the hall and toward the larger of their two conference rooms. It was against firm policy for attorneys to request their paralegals to wait on them in any way. Not necessarily because it was degrading for the paralegals, but the secretaries didn't like the idea of paralegals treading on their turf.

In the heat of a big case, of course, they'd all work together, doing whatever it took to get the job done. But for Clay to put Julie in her place like that—clearly making sure that Matthew knew that she wasn't at the top of the food chain with them, was humiliating. It wasn't unusual for Clay to be such a tool, but for him to do it in front of corporate counsel was a deliberate move on his part to preen in front of Matt, whom he wanted to impress.

She'd braced herself for Matt's condescension when she arrived with the requested coffee, but he'd been gracious in his thanks, and had proceeded to get down to business. For the rest of the week, their interaction had been cordial if distant. With the first in a series of trials against RFG coming up next week, everyone on the RFG team, both at the firm and those visiting from the corporate legal department were focused on getting the job done. But as she'd watched him laugh and joke, and flex the brilliant legal muscles that had only improved in his years since law school, Julie felt her old crush returning.

Which meant that she needed to nip her colleague's speculation in the bud.

Yes, we've been working together, she told the other women at the bar, finishing her gin and tonic, but it's strictly business.

Yeah, sexy business, Monica chirped. At Julie's glare, however, she scaled it back. Okay, okay, we're just teasing Julie, lighten up. It's not like you to be so defensive.

Probably has something to do with that birthday you've got coming up, Jules. Cissy grinned. Are we going to do a spa weekend like we planned?

Julie was relieved at the change of subject and joined in with their discussion of her birthday plans. Once they'd all finished their drinks, they paid their tab and called it a night. She was grateful to have such loyal friends. It was sometimes hard for degreed and non-degreed paralegals to get along in a firm. Those who'd made the jump from legal secretary to paralegal