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“I’ll take as long as it needs to,” Garfield said flatly. Then, with another chuckle: “And don’t worry about your trip.”
Don’t worry about my—
“Because if you miss your plane?” the man added. “I’ll fly you out myself.”
Fifty-Eight
LAUREN
The Moonstruck Diner was already overflowing by the time I got there, filled with dozens of New Yorkers hunched over their breakfasts in hard metal chairs. Light streaming in through its big front windows gave the place a cheerful glow, even in the subdued, early morning light.
It was easy to pick Jack Garfield out among the crowd. True to his photos the man was larger than life, towering at least six-foot five, his square-jawed face topped with the thickest, shiniest mop of luxuriously dark hair I’d ever seen.
His smile was straight and perfect, as he raised one arm and waved me over. I was only three feet away from his booth however, when I realized he wasn’t alone.
“Ah, Ms. Adamo!” he boomed, gesturing to the empty bench across from him. “Please, have a seat.”
I was halfway to dropping my ass into the booth when I recognized the woman seated next to him. She looked shorter, and a lot more haggard than the last time I’d seen her. It also looked like Garfield had literally dragged her straight out of bed.
“You didn’t tell me you were bringing Lilith,” I growled. The way I said the last word made her name sound like a curse.
“Yes, well…” he said, sipping on his coffee. He slid a large plastic carafe my way. “I felt it necessary to—”
“And if you’re here to ‘mediate’, or somehow help us ladies hash things out,” I laughed merrily as I reached for the coffee. “Well, we’re in for a very short breakfast.”
I poured my mug as the man across from me smirked. A week ago, I’d be sitting up straight, hands in my lap. Addressing him as Mr. Garfield, and trying not to stutter.
Right now, he was just one last obstacle between me and my flight out of here.
“I’m not here to arbitrate anything between the two of you,” Garfield said. “You’re both grown women, and you’re both too stubborn for that.”
I finally forced myself to look at Lilith. She was staring down into her own lap, looking wholly defeated. All the triumph and haughtiness of a few days ago was utterly and completely gone.
“In fact, it would be fruitless anyway,” Garfield went on. “Mostly because of the other thing the two of you have in common: neither of you work for me anymore.”
I gasped — literally gasped. There was no way I could hide my surprise.
“And now,” said Garfield. “Ms. Boellinger has something important to say to you.” He turned in his seat, to glare at his companion. “Don’t you, Lilith?”
I sat there stunned, holding my breath. Wondering what could possibly be coming next. For a few seconds, Lilith remained absolutely motionless. Then, very slowly, she raised her head.
“I’m very sorry,” she said, looking more at my neck than my face. I realized it was because she couldn’t look me in the eye. “I— I was…”
She stumbled, sniffed, and then stopped for a moment. In the meantime, Garfield sat there patiently. Sipping his coffee as if nothing big were going on.
“What I did was wrong,” Lilith continued. “I shouldn’t have… I mean…”
“She shouldn’t have fired you,” Garfield finished for her. “When she told me what happened, I was absolutely furious. Everything she’d done, everything she’d submitted regarding your termination…” He glanced at her angrily. “Well, it was a bunch of flimsy evidence and made-up allegations of job abandonment.”
My brows crossed. “Job abandonment?” Now I was furious.
“All baseless claims of course,” said Garfield, holding up a placating hand. “Lilith here has underplayed your role in the company for years now. She’s taken credit for your successes. Claimed your victories as her own. And not just you, Ms. Adamo, but others in the firm as well. Only nobody’s come forth, because she’s made everyone afraid of her.”
Lilith’s head sunk even lower. Of course I knew she was guilty of everything he was saying, but to hear it all laid out like this! Actually recognized…
“A lot of this is my fault of course,” Jack Garfield sighed, leaning back against the booth. “I’ve been way too complacent. Overall the board hasn’t been hands-on enough either, to keep up with the people in our corporation who really matter.” He smiled at me. “People like you, Lauren.”
I felt a sudden surge of happiness. An elation at being recognized that I’d somehow gone way too long without.
