“Khaz Kendrix. Nice to put a face to the name.” His handshake was firm, assessing. “Mind if I sit for a minute?”
Julian gestured to the empty chair. “Khaz is our cousin. My Aunt Lorraine's oldest.”
“I just left my mother's house. I met your son, actually. Think he and Zhaire were plotting world domination the way they had their heads together.”
I nodded. That explained the matching energy, the easy way they moved around each other.
“I was gonna call you this week, actually.” Khaz dropped into the empty chair, glancing between us with a smirk he wasn’t trying hard to hide. “Got an employee going through it at her son’s school. Kid’s smart. Honor roll. But he’s got lupus. Flare-ups mean a lot of missed days, and the principal’s trying to hold him back over the absences. Won’t look at the medical documentation. I was wondering if you had any contacts at the district. Board of Ed or anything like that.”
I felt my attention lock onto the conversation. “That’s a clean ADA violation. Schools have to accommodate documented disabilities. Lupus absolutely qualifies, especially for attendance policies.”
Khaz’s brows went up, and he shot Julian another look. “You sound like you know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m a lawyer. I’ve handled quite a few education discrimination cases at legal aid. This kind of ignorance is more common than you’d think.”
“Would you be willing to talk to her? Maybe meet with the principal?” Khaz asked. “I can pay whatever your rate is.”
“I'm still waiting on my North Carolina bar results,” I said automatically. “But I could consult. Help her understand her rights.”
“How about lunch Monday?” Julian offered. “I can clear my schedule, meet you both at the school.”
He looked at Khaz. “If the principal doesn't budge, I know people at the district who will.”
Khaz grinned wider. “Mondaylunch works perfectly.”
“Have your employee call me tomorrow,” I said. “I'll want to review all the documentation before we meet with the principal.”
“Appreciated,” Khaz said, standing. He clapped Julian on the shoulder. “Still on for the gym Thursday?”
“Yep,” Julian confirmed.
“Good. Both of you take care.” He shook my hand and shot Julian one final look before heading toward the exit.
Our food came, salmon for me, a ribeye for him, and the glances from the other tables kept up.
“Either I’m imagining it,” I said, “or people keep looking over here.”
Julian glanced around the restaurant, then back at me. “You're a new face. And I don't usually go out with women unless it's family or business. People are probably just curious.”
I looked at him surprised. “What do you mean you don't date? Are you... celibate?”
Julian laughed, a genuine sound that made my stomach flutter. “I didn't say I was celibate. I said I don't date. I don't do relationships like that.”
I held his eyes, considered it, then nodded. “Fair. Neither do I.”
“No?”
“No. Been there. Done that. Hated it. I’m not in that market anymore.”
“Hmm,” he said, nodding like he was filing it away.
“Hmm,” I mimicked back.
He didn't ask me to explain myself. I didn’t ask him to explain himself either. The facts had been put on the table and left there.
“So they think we’re dating,” I said, tipping my head at the room.
“Maybe. Possibly. It’s a small town. People gossip for entertainment. Don't worry about it.”