The Magic Within Teaser

“When is this Bella person supposed to be here?” I asked, my fingers flying over my computer keyboard. “I’ve got the Larson case in the courthouse in an hour.”

“Marcus! Can you take the Larson case?” Carmen asked, taking my files from my desk.

“Sure, Carmen,” Marcus yelled from his overflowing cubicle. “I just need to find my car keys.”

“Carm, the Larson’s trust me,” I argued. “Can’t you take Bella’s case? You’ve built a rapport with her.”

“The Larson’s will trust anyone who prevents them from being kicked out of their house,” Carmen snorted indelicately. “I think the case with Bella will be good for you, Edward. You’re a great lawyer and I need you to take this.”

“But, how is Marcus going to get the courthouse without his keys? He may not find them on his desk,” I asked, arching a brow. I felt a cool breeze and I shivered. Feeling my pockets, I tugged out a set of car keys. “What the …?”

“Thank you, Edward,” Marcus breathed, darting toward me from his office and taking the keys from my hands. “Dude, your hands are like fucking icicles. Were you holding them over the blower?”

“Um,” I stammered, shocked that his keys magically appeared in my pocket. What the hell? “I just run colder than everyone else?”

“Whatever,” he chuckled. “I’ll get the Larson’s to eat out of the palm of my hand. See you later, Carm!”

“Thanks, Marcus!” she bellowed from her office.

I stood up, shrugging off the feeling of unease. How in the hell did I get Marcus’s keys? I was nowhere near his cube. I avoided it like the plague. Marcus was a stellar attorney, but organizationally he was a fucking mess. He had piles upon piles upon piles of paperwork, files, and books. It spilled out into the hallway and adjacent counters. I think he even had some of his shit in one of the conference rooms. We all teased him for him. Carmen indulged him, allowing him to keep his piles. But, once a year, we do have a bonfire. Marcus’s reams of paper act like the kindling.

“You never answered my question, Carm. When is Bella coming?” I asked, stalking into her office. I was still shaken up by the almost magical appearance of Marcus’s keys, but I couldn’t dwell on that. “Well?” Carmen looked up at me over her thick glasses. “You said she’d be here by mid-morning. It’s almost one.”

With a smirk, Carmen pointed to Heidi, our receptionist. She was hovering behind me, wringing her hands. “Mr. Cullen, there’s a woman here to see you. Bella?”