Casanova At Law (excerpt only)

Chapter 1

KARINA MONROE

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RING

RING

RING

I slowly open my eyes and look at my alarm clock.

4:30 a.m.

Who the hell is calling me at 4:30 in the morning? I look at my phone and see my best friend's name on the caller ID. When I'm fully awake I'm going to kill her.

"Nitti?" I ask as I yawn at the same time. "Whas wong?"

"What? Nothing's wrong?" She says calmly.

"Then why the hell are you calling me at 4:30 in the morning? My alarm clock isn't even awake yet." I say to her.

"Do you know how sexy your voice sounds when you first wake up?" She giggles.

"Shut up!" I groan.

"It's even sexier when you groan like that. I don't understand how you're still single." She laughs.

"Nikki, if you love me and value your life you'll stop telling me how sexy my voice is and tell me why you're waking me up this early in the morning." I tell her.

"Uh...we have to go to work today...duh!" She says sarcastically.

"We don't need to be at work for another three and half hours!" I say as I sit up in bed and let out another yawn.

"Don't you remember what's happening this morning?" She asks. I can practically hear her bouncing up and down on her bed with excitement.

"Nothing that warrants you being this perky at 4:30am and expecting me to be as well." I say before I yawn for the umpteenth time.

"Mr. Matthews is officially welcoming Connor and Zack to the firm this morning remember?!" She beams.

"And?"

"And we need to be there early."

"What for?"

"So we can talk to them before the piranhas do." She sighs.

"They've been here for two weeks. Haven't you had a chance to talk to them already? Besides, this is my last day remember? I've talked enough with them."

"Pleeeeeeease Karina?" She begs. "You may have talked with them but I haven't. And yes, this may be your last day here but it's not mine and I want to make an impression on them before anyone else has a chance to."

She's right. This is my last day as an intern here then it's back to school and focusing on finals, graduation, and passing the bar exam for me. She's still going to be working here and if getting some extra time with Connor and Zack will help her career, then what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help her?

"Alright! Alright!" I relent. "What time are you coming to pick me up?"

"I'll be there in two hours." She says triumphantly.

"With coffee." I command.

"Of course." She says. "I love you!"

"I love you too you nut!" I giggle. "I'll see you soon." I hang up my phone and slowly drag myself to the bathroom and start my shower. This is going to be a long day.

Nicole and I have been friends since high school. She was my rock when my parents divorced during our Junior year and my mom moved to Chicago. I stayed back in Los Angeles with my not so loving dad to finish out my last two years. But, after we graduated, Nicole and I moved to Chicago to attend college. While she was able to finish right away, I had to take a break after my third year to care for my mother after her car accident, which left her paralyzed from the neck down.