Starting Now (18 page)

Libby groaned inwardly and glanced at the wall clock. She was fifteen minutes late. “I apologize for being late.”

“Take a seat, Ms. Morgan, and I’ll call you when Ms. Rabe is free.” The receptionist disappeared.

Despite the receptionist’s instructions, Libby remained standing at the desk, too nervous to sit down. She turned expectantly when the other woman returned a few minutes later.

“Ms. Rabe will see you now.” She led Libby down a hallway and into an interview room.

The deputy district attorney stood with her back to Libby when she entered the room.

“Thank you so much for seeing me,” she said, doing her best to sound calm and professional, although her heart rate felt like it was racing at double time.

“You’re not exactly starting off on the right foot, are you?”

“No, and I apologize. The fault is entirely mine.” Libby was willing to accept responsibility; she had no one to blame but herself. She couldn’t even attribute the multiple births to a full moon. One thing was crystal clear: Ms. Rabe didn’t want to hear excuses.

Unfortunately, the interview didn’t go well. Libby wasn’t able to regain the ground she’d lost by showing up late. She did her best to impress the deputy DA but it was clear that she’d blown it from the moment she walked into the room. She had as much chance of getting this job as a donkey did of winning the Kentucky Derby.

With her head filled with self-recrimination, Libby left the building. Her cell phone rang a few minutes later. When Libby glanced at caller ID she groaned.

Robin Hamlin.

“Hello.” She was tempted not to answer, but she might as well get this over with now and be done with it.

“So,” Robin asked, her voice bright and excited, “how’d the interview go?”

“Not so good.”

Robin sucked in a deep breath, or that was what it sounded like to Libby.

“Why not?” her friend demanded. “You’re a perfect fit. I talked you up and so did Roy—”

“I was a little late.”

“You?” Robin cried. “You’re never late. What happened?”

“I was at the hospital.”

“The emergency room? Are you okay?” Her voice softened considerably.

For just an instant Libby was tempted to make up a wild story that would excuse her and at the same time garner Robin’s sympathy. If she were a better liar she might have attempted it. Anything not to have to listen to Robin’s irritation … not that she blamed her.

“I was with the babies and they had three sets of twins born this morning. Time got away from me and—”

“Hold on,” Robin said, cutting in. “Are you telling me that you were late for the interview because”—she paused as if she found it so unbelievable that she couldn’t even say the words—“because you were rocking babies?”

No way to deny it. “Yes.”

A shocked silence followed and then just as Libby was about to speak, Robin said, “I don’t know you anymore, Libby. I don’t know what happened to the woman I once knew, but that person isn’t you. Listen, I have to go, and frankly it’s a good thing.” Having said that, the line was disconnected.

Libby stared down at her cell phone and wanted to crawl into the nearest gutter and disappear. Not only had she let her friend down, she was deeply disappointed in herself.

Libby decided to walk home. It was well over a mile, but the physical exertion was bound to help. If ever she needed endorphins it was now. Unfortunately, the only thing the walk did was give her a blister on the heel of her left foot.

Limping into her condo she headed for the kitchen and poured
herself a glass of iced tea. She called Phillip, and when he didn’t answer, she left a message on his voice mail.

“I … I didn’t get the job. I lost track of the time and arrived late for the interview. Robin is furious with me but no more so than I am with myself.”

The day she’d run into Joe had been traumatic, but losing the opportunity of this job was almost as harrowing. Her once orderly life felt unfamiliar and completely out of control.

She wanted to cry and shout at the walls. Stamping her feet was out of the question with that blister. Her throat felt parched and her head throbbed. Her friends were few and she feared she was about to lose one she really needed.

Her knitting sat on the coffee table but Libby was too agitated even for that.

What she needed, what she wanted, Libby realized, was … her mother.

Robin paced the confines of her compact office with such determination that she nearly walked straight into the wall. In all her years as a prosecutor she’d never asked for favors from anyone, but she had gone out on a limb in order to help Libby. And now her friend had squandered the opportunity.

Libby had lost track of the time because she was rocking babies? Unbelievable. She’d noticed the subtle changes in her friend over the last several months. It was as though Libby’s priorities had gone askew, as if she had lost sight of what was important. Although they hadn’t spoken of it, Robin feared Libby’s finances weren’t in the best shape. Now this. Nothing added up.

Then there was Libby’s budding relationship with Dr. Stone. Perhaps the root cause for these subtle changes had nothing to do with the hospital, after all. Perhaps this was what romance did to a person. Romance … oh, the two of them were such dorks when it came to men. Libby’s prospects were certainly looking up, while her own were
stalled. With her arms folded around her middle, Robin looked for a way to vent her frustration.

Roy had been wonderfully helpful in connecting Libby with his contact, but she hadn’t heard from him since and wasn’t sure what her next move should be, especially given what had just happened.

Because she was due in court in a few minutes, Robin did her best to concentrate on the case before her. It should be a slam dunk but she needed to stay focused and let go of her irritation with herself and with Libby. Otherwise, she might easily make a mistake, and in her job, a mistake could mean a defendant got off scot-free.

On her way to the courtroom, she passed Judge Bollinger. His face lit up in a smile when they walked by each other in the hallway. He appeared to be leaving for the day. She longed for an excuse to speak to him, but she couldn’t think of a solitary thing to say. Thankfully, he didn’t stop to ask how the job interview had gone for Libby. Robin wouldn’t have known what to tell him. The fact was, she didn’t know how to let Roy know she was interested in him, and she feared any attempt would only embarrass them both.

It didn’t help that every time he was close she grew so tongue-tied she could barely speak. Put her in a courtroom and she was never at a loss for words, but with Roy, she felt like a schoolgirl all over again.

Like Libby, Robin had dedicated her entire life to the law, so much so that she had little experience with men. Over the years there had been an affair or two, one in college and another following her divorce. But both had ended badly and left her determined not to repeat her mistakes. With Roy it was different. She’d admired him from afar for a long time, fearful of making a move.

Robin had joined the gym, hoping to lose a few pounds and make herself as attractive as possible. She thanked Libby for that. Without her fellow attorney spurring her on, Robin would have dropped out long ago. When they first started exercising together they’d been casual friends. Gradually Robin had grown closer to Libby, but not so much that she felt comfortable sharing her feelings about the judge. Still, she could tell Libby had guessed there was a man behind Robin’s interest in losing weight.

Over the last two months, Robin had come to think of Libby as a close friend. Friend enough that she’d been willing to help Libby find employment. It’d been grossly unfair for Libby to be laid off in the first place. Despite the generous severance package, being unemployed had been hard on Libby in a number of different ways. Her ego had been badly bruised—and after so many months without work, her confidence was wounded, too.

Robin had sympathized and wanted to help. She saw much of herself in Libby. Both were hardworking, determined, goal-oriented, and focused. Robin couldn’t imagine what she’d do if she were to lose her job. No doubt, like Libby, she’d assume she’d find another one without a problem. But would she?

Back in her office after the hearing, Robin sat down at her desk and braced her head in her hands. Embarrassing as it was, she felt she needed to connect with Alice Rabe and apologize for bringing Libby to her attention. She’d given Libby a glowing personal recommendation and apparently Roy had as well. By showing up late, Libby had made not only herself look irresponsible, but Robin, too.

Reluctantly she reached for her phone and was connected with the deputy district attorney in short order.

“I take it the interview with Elizabeth Morgan didn’t go well.”

Alice snorted.

So it’d been that bad.

“That’s putting it mildly. Your
friend
,” Alice said with heavy emphasis placed on the word
friend
, “arrived in jeans.”

Robin squeezed her eyes closed. Could this get any worse? “Although this isn’t an excuse, I believe she was at the hospital.”

“I didn’t give her a chance to explain. To her credit she did apologize.”

Alice could be brusque, but Robin knew her to be fair.

“Not only did she arrive almost fifteen minutes late but she seemed completely unprepared for the interview, flustered, unfocused, and overly nervous.”

“Let me assure you that Libby isn’t normally like that.”

“So you’ve talked to her?”

“I have,” Robin admitted.

Alice hesitated. “You said she was at the hospital?”

Robin regretted mentioning it. “It wasn’t an emergency … she volunteers there.”

“Oh?” This appeared to interest the deputy district attorney.

Robin squared her shoulders as she realized she might as well say it. “Libby is generous and caring.”

“What does she do at the hospital?”

Robin tucked her arm around her middle. “She rocks the newborns.”

“That was why she was late?”

“Apparently they got terribly busy this morning.” Talk about weak excuses.

“So she didn’t have time to change her clothes?”

“Apparently not.” She wanted to ask Alice how Libby’s résumé read. Robin had gone over it herself, helped Libby fine-tune it, hoping a fresh pair of eyes would help.

“It goes without saying that I won’t be hiring your friend.”

“I understand,” Robin murmured, and then because she felt obligated, she added, “I wanted to call and apologize. I feel terrible that this happened.”

“It isn’t your fault,” Alice was kind enough to say. “Anyway, I appreciate the call,” she continued, “but I believe I’ve already made my choice.”

“I understand perfectly.” Robin disconnected the line and then exhaled deeply.

A couple of days later Robin planned to work late, like she did most nights. It was Friday and she didn’t have a single plan. That said a lot about her life—her job was her life. Seeing what had happened to Libby made Robin decide she was in no frame of mind to remain at the office. Grabbing her briefcase, she headed out of the courthouse. Her pace was hurried, although she didn’t have anyplace special to go or anyone to meet.

She was heading toward the parking lot when she heard someone call her name. When she turned to see who it might be, she saw Roy … Judge Bollinger. Instantly she felt her pulse accelerate. Her mouth went dry.

“Robin, my goodness, you move like a speed walker.” He was breathless and his round face appeared flushed.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize you were behind me.” If she had she would have slowed to a snail’s pace. They hadn’t spoken in several days and she’d despaired that they ever would again.

“I understand the interviews were held the other day for the position I mentioned. How did your friend do?”

Robin immediately looked down. “Not well, I’m afraid.” When she glanced up again she found that his eyes had warmed with sympathy.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I am, too.” Thankfully he didn’t know the details, and she wasn’t about to tell him.

“I know you’ve probably got plans this evening—”

“I don’t,” she blurted out, interrupting him.

He smiled briefly. “Would you care to join me? I generally have a glass of wine on Friday evenings. My wife and I …” He hesitated at the mention of his wife.

“I’d enjoy that very much.” The dear man had no idea how she’d been hoping for such an invitation.

“There’s a nice bar in the Four Seasons,” he suggested. “Shall I meet you there?”

“Sure.” He could have suggested they rendezvous on the moon and she would have found a way to get there.

“Shall we say,” he paused and glanced at his watch. “Thirty minutes?”

“Perfect.”

He turned away then, and Robin waited until he was out of sight before she broke into a dance, thrusting her arms into the air and turning around in a complete circle.