Whatever You Say_A Highland Springs Romance Read online

  Table of Contents

  Whatever You Say

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Also by Leigh Fleming

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Acknowledgements

  Thank You For Reading

  About the Author

  Whatever You Say

  Leigh Fleming

  Published by Envisage Press, LLC

  Copyright © 2017 Envisage Press, LLC

  Cover by www.spikyshooz.com

  ISBN: 978-0-9977351-3-0

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of a brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected].

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  For Tom and Liza

  Also by Leigh Fleming

  Precious Words

  Whatever You Call Me

  ONE

  The moment her boss threw down the gauntlet, challenging the junior associates at Bell, Goldman, and Greenburg to “show me what you’re made of,” Kate knew she’d have everything she ever wanted, ever worked for. Patrick Stone had made them a promise: one of them would get fast-tracked to senior associate, with the possibility of early partnership. All they had to do was prove they deserved it.

  Dropping into her leather desk chair, Kate had rushed from the meeting and logged in to get a jump on the competition. She glanced over at the framed photo of the young sailor—her dad—when he was but eighteen. She tapped a kiss on her index finger and touched it to the glass.

  “We got this, Dad.” He’d always told her to do her best or be the best—she could never remember his exact words—but being the best was something she’d always strived for. She knew she was a shoe-in for the promotion and liked to think her peers knew it too; even so, she vowed to step up her game and increase her billable hours.

  Her team had just won a guilty verdict in a high-profile hospital negligence suit—a case she had worked endless hours on, had even questioned a few witnesses in court. Now she was assisting in a medical malpractice case sure to bring in the same verdict, all but locking down her promotion. Just another hour reviewing the doctor’s deposition followed by a concise summary placed neatly on Patrick’s desk, and she could be home by midnight, in time to catch a few hours sleep before coming back at seven.

  Two hours later, Kate clicked her laptop off and shoved some loose documents back into their folders. Before heading out her office door, she stuffed a handful of nuts in her mouth to quell her grumbling stomach while tapping a car service app on her phone for a ride back to her DuPont Circle apartment. Tomorrow’s agenda was already scrolling through her mind.

  The next morning Kate arrived at her office at ten minutes to seven. As soon as she hung her coat on the back of the door, one of the paralegals popped her head in. “Getting an early start, aren’t you?”

  “I could say the same about you.”

  “Well, considering you piled several files on my desk yesterday evening, I thought I’d better get at them.”

  “Thanks, Rebecca. I appreciate you staying on top of things.”

  Kate walked to the break room and filled her mug with black coffee. A small smile played across her lips as she thought about yesterday’s verdict. Partnership might be closer than you think. When she returned to her office, Grant Goldman—grandson of the Mr. Goldman for which the firm was named—was studying the diplomas displayed behind her desk.

  “Good morning, sir.”

  “Good morning, Kate.” He gestured at the frames. “Impressive.”

  “Thank you.”

  Mr. Goldman took a seat across from her and brushed an imaginary fleck from his sleeve.

  “The partners had a meeting late yesterday afternoon. You and Patrick, the whole team, should be very proud of yourselves for the work you did.”

  “Thank you. I’m just happy the jury got it right.”

  “They wouldn’t have if it weren’t for your due diligence and determination. I hear you’re quite a pit bull on cross.” He cocked a crooked grin and settled back in his chair.

  A pit bull? She squared her shoulders and forced herself to remain stoic, fighting the urge to pat herself on the back. “I appreciated Patrick letting me have a crack at that hospital administrator who tried to turn the blame on our client.”

  “Obviously, you were effective.” He stood and walked behind the chair before he continued. “It isn’t often an associate dedicates herself to a case the way you did. Your efforts were instrumental in bringing in a very large award for our client. Twenty million for the negligence and fifty million in punitive damages—that’s impressive. Thanks to you and your team, BGG brought in nearly twenty-five million. We want to reward you for that.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Because of your hard work, we’re giving you a substantial raise.”

  “I appreciate that. It was an—”

  “Look, Kate, I think we can be frank with one another.” After straightening his tie, he looked down at her and clasped his hands. “Patrick announced the…competition, if you will, but we both know who the shining stars are around here.”

  “Oh?”

  “All the associates on your team are in the running, but I believe there are only two viable candidates.” She held her breath, hoping he would acknowledge her as a front-runner. “If this malpractice case goes the way of the last one, and you prove yourself again, it won’t be a contest.”

  With a heavy sigh, Kate settled into her chair and folded her hands in her lap. “I’m determined to get our verdict.”

  He gripped the back of the chair and leaned forward, his dark eyes smiling. “I’m counting on it.” He patted the upholstered chair and turned to go. “I won’t keep you.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Goldman,” Kate said as he strode out the door. She pressed her head against the back of her chair and spun around, lifting her feet off the floor. Only one nay-saying thought managed to creep up from her subconscious: He practically told her the promotion was hers—so why not give it to her now? She dropped her feet to the floor, stopping the chair’s rotation, woke up her laptop, and got to work.

  Several hours later, Kate threw open her door. “Rebecca, I’ve got to go out for a few minutes.” She swept past the paralegal’s desk, dropping a stack of files in her wake. She needed to get out of the office and get some air—and a venti caramel macchiato with an extra espresso shot—for a
much-needed mid-day energy boost. Hard at it since seven, she still had several items on her to-do list before the sun went down.

  As soon as she stepped onto the sidewalk, a massive black cloud swallowed the late afternoon sun and a sharp breeze blew open her jacket. She pulled the wool around her and leaned into the strong wind attempting to hold her back from the coffee she so desperately needed. Once inside, she tucked into in a dimly lit corner and scrolled through her cell phone log.

  There were two calls from a number she didn’t recognize with a West Virginia area code. Maybe her grandmother had finally purchased a new cell phone, something Kate had encouraged her to do. Gram was seventy-nine years old, living on her own, still driving her old Buick, and Kate worried she’d break down and get stranded somewhere with no way to call for help. She would call her when she got home this evening.

  Once fully caffeinated, she walked back to the office, mentally reviewing her checklist of items still to be completed. It was Thursday trivia night, the only day she allowed herself to leave the office at five to join her friends. If she wanted to get out on time, she had better pick up her pace back to the office. She waited on the corner for the light to change, but before she could step around the puddle of stagnant water gathered in front of the crosswalk, a taxi came along and sent a plume of it in her direction, soaking her pants and shoes. She cursed—loudly—and wondered less audibly if cab drivers did that sort of thing for sport. She shook off the notion and continued toward the office. Not even a good drenching could ruin her day.

  Back in her office, Kate used a clump of paper towels she’d nabbed from the bathroom to soak up as much water from her pants as possible and changed into another pair of shoes she kept stashed in her office. When her cell phone vibrated, she looked down to see the unknown West Virginia number and decided she’d better take the call.

  “This is Kate McNamara.”

  “Hi Kate, this is Riley Smith. I live next door to your grandmother and—”

  “What’s wrong? What happened to Gram?”

  “She, um, had a fall this morning on her porch steps and she’s been taken to the hospital. I’m not family so they wouldn’t tell me what her condition is. I found your number on the little bulletin board she has hanging in her kitchen.”

  She could barely squeeze out the words around the terror clogging her throat. “Oh my god, which hospital?”

  “St. Barts, here in Highland Springs. I can give you the phone number.”

  She grabbed a pen and scribbled the number on a Post-It, her shaking hand making the digits almost illegible. As soon as she hung up, she called the hospital only to be told her grandmother was in surgery for a fractured femur. Tears threatened as she thought of her sweet Gram all alone, in pain, and most likely frightened. She looked at the legal memo on her computer screen and sighed heavily. Damn it, this couldn’t have come at a worse time.

  She rushed out the door toward Patrick’s office, rehearsing what she’d tell him. She probably only needed a week or two off and there was no reason she couldn’t work from Highland Springs. Rebecca could email her any necessary documents and Kate could access the legal database with Wi-Fi. Thank god for technology.

  “Excuse me, Patrick?” She rapped her knuckles on his door and stepped into his office. “Could I speak with you for a moment?”

  “Absolutely.” He waved toward an empty chair across from his desk and she perched on the edge.

  “I had a call a few minutes ago that my grandmother fell and broke her leg.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Thanks, but you see…” She fingered a stray hair behind her ear and cleared her throat. “The thing is, I’m my grandmother’s only relative. My dad was an only child and I’m an only child. She lives in West Virginia and has no one to take care of her.”

  “And you need to go be with her.” He stood and tucked his hands in his pants pockets. “Any idea how long you’ll be gone?”

  “I’m not sure—but not long.” She popped to her feet and leaned across the desk. “I know I can keep up with my billables from there. That won’t be a problem. I’ll keep my same schedule as here, stay in close contact. You won’t even know I’m gone.”

  He chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t doubt it for a minute. Go take care of your grandmother. We can handle things while you’re away.”

  She strolled slowly down the hall toward her office, echoes of we can handle things ricocheting through her mind. He meant the rest of the team, the other associates—and particularly Jason, the other “shining star” Mr. Goldman had referred to this morning. More than anything, Jason would love to have Kate out of the way so he could get that promotion—her promotion. There was no way she’d let him win. Whether in DC or West Virginia, she wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away.

  Grabbing one more sweater and a pair of black jeans, Kate had finished packing for Highland Springs. She wasn’t sure how long she’d be there, but had enough for ten days, including some winter clothes. Today’s sudden temperature drop was a good indication winter would be here soon; if it was this cold in Washington in late October, it had to be below freezing in West Virginia. Annie was jiggling her key in the lock as Kate wheeled her luggage to the door.

  “Hey, you’re home early,” Annie said. “Going somewhere?”

  “I have to go to Highland Springs. Gram fell and broke her femur.” Kate turned toward her bedroom, but Annie grabbed her arm and spun her around.

  “What? Is she in the hospital?”

  “Yes. Had surgery today. I’m taking the train to Pittsburgh then catching a bus to Highland Springs.”

  Annie shook her head and grabbed both of Kate’s arms, rendering her unable to move. “Stop. Wait. No.”

  “Annie—”

  “You’re not taking a train and a bus to Highland Springs. That will take forever. I’ll drive you. Just give me a few minutes to pack an overnight bag.” Annie released her and nearly jogged to her bedroom. Kate followed close behind.

  “Annie, no. I appreciate it, but that’s too much to ask.”

  “You didn’t ask.”

  “But what about Kip? Your job?” Annie was the new chief of staff for her boyfriend, Maryland Congressman Kip Porter.

  “Kip will understand and the office can run without me for a couple days. It won’t be a problem.” Annie wrenched open her closet doors and studied her wardrobe, organized by color and season. “He’s going across the bay tonight and has meetings over there all day tomorrow. He’s not back at his congressional office until Monday. He can hang out with his brother over the weekend. So it’s no big deal.”

  “Really, you don’t have to do this.”

  “Hush up, sister—we’re going on a road trip to see Gram. Now go in the kitchen and warm up that flatbread I made yesterday. We better eat before we hit the road.”

  Kate looked down at Annie, who was at least six inches shorter than her. Her dear friend had more energy packed inside her diminutive body than people twice her size, and had a big heart to match. They made an odd pair standing side-by-side: Kate, tall and slender, and Annie, petite and curvy in all the right places. Opposites in nearly every way, they’d been close since college and had moved to DC where they now lived in a two-bedroom apartment in DuPont Circle.

  Kate laid the leftover pizza on a cookie sheet and popped it in the oven. She poured two glasses of pinot grigio and carried them to Annie’s room.

  “You pack fast,” Kate said, handing Annie a glass of wine. She waved it away as she finished zipping her suitcase.

  “I’m driving, remember? I packed enough for a few days and will come back on Sunday. I can drive back down to get you once your grandmother is settled.” Annie lifted the suitcase to the floor then snapped her fingers. “Oh, we need to call Derek and tell him we won’t be at trivia tonight.” As they walked back into the kitchen, Annie tapped out a quick text to their friend. “Let’s eat so we can get going. It’ll be midnight before we get there as it is.
”

  TWO

  A crystalline white blanket covered the idle wheat field, as a fine mist shrouded the colorless vista. Even in its bleakness, the cloud-laden sky hanging over the rolling hills was a comforting sight to Brody. Eight white-tailed deer lumbered single-file across the lower meadow, disappearing into the woods along the river. It was a typical autumn morning in central West Virginia, but the sight never failed to bring him a sense of calm. It had taken ten years and two cities to bring him back to Highland Springs, the only place he felt truly at home.

  “Let’s go, Loretta,” he shouted to his German shorthaired pointer, who was snuffling around the rabbit warrens along the edge of the yard. “Rabbits are gone ‘til spring.” He patted the side of his thigh and walked the length of the porch that wrapped around the side of his house—the house he’d grown up in, as had several generations before him. He had bought the farmhouse from his parents two years ago when he returned to Highland Springs, which helped them realize their dream of retiring to Florida.

  The old farmhouse had been in the Brody family—his mother’s maiden name—since the late 1800s. Brodys had farmed the four hundred acres bordered by the Highland River to the south and east and Cash’s Holler on the west practically since Highland Springs was founded. To the north, behind his house, was a steep hill with a sheer rock face topped by a flat ledge. As a boy, he and his friends would climb up the side of the hill and set up a fort on the outcropping, pretending to scout Indians off in the distance.

  Since moving back home, he’d been clearing tall oaks and hickories to create a wide path that would eventually lead to a deck and pergola covering the cliff. He’d always loved the view of the valley from high atop the bluff and thought it would make a great place to watch July Fourth fireworks, or the green trees turning golden along the river. If nothing else, it would be a sanctuary to think, meditate…and forget.