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“No shovels necessary. People hide the caches but can’t bury them.” I smile, thinking of treasures I’ve found. “If we have time in Paris, we could hunt.”
“In Paris?”
“Caches are everywhere.” But I can’t do it. “I’ll probably be working most of the time, but maybe one of these days...”
“Working most of the time?” He sounds miffed.
“Oh yes, I’ll be doing that. There’s this guy…”
“What guy?” His hyperalert expression gives me goosebumps.
“He’s my competition for the partner position. I’m worried about him undermining me while I’m away.”
“But if you’re the best candidate, they would promote you, right?”
I do my party trick, crossing my eyes and puckering my lips. “He has a couple of partners pushing for his promotion and he’ll schmooze the others and bad mouth me.”
JL’s face reddens. “Will you be totally invisible?”
I can see the supportive façade crumble and almost cry out with the pain.
“Video meetings at least once or twice a day. And Rebecca, the partner who’s my mentor, will advocate for me.”
“Then come with us to London. Max would make the arrangements for you so you could attend his father’s birthday. I’m sure Brian and Viktoria would love to see you at the celebration, then stay with everyone in the Highlands.”
He doesn’t seem to understand the inflexibility in my position, and I try to control my irritation when I answer. “The time I’ve planned is all I’m willing to take. The managing partner sets the tone, and he is like a goddamn concrete post. I don’t have the wherewithal to chip away at him from afar. He hardly tolerates women as anything more than secretaries and legal assistants. Hayden, my rival, is his favorite. If I want any chance to move up, I need to make the best impression possible, which means being in the office where I can be seen.”
“You need most of the partners on your side to scotch his plan.”
“Exactly. That’s why I can’t be out of the office for too long.”
“Or find a firm that will appreciate you.”
I startle myself with the growl that rumbles out of my chest. “Law jobs aren’t a dime a dozen. I’m at one of the most prestigious firms in the Chicago area. Can’t just take my marbles and go home.” I wince at the number of clichés pouring out.
JL puts down his fork and takes my hand, squeezing gently. “We’ll have to make the best of the next few days. Once I leave, I’ll call you every night from wherever we are. And hold my breath until I join you in Paris.”
A cough spurts out. “Hold.. .your…breath. You’ll… be… DOA.” The words are choppy as I try to hold in the bubbling laughter that overtakes me. “DOA,” I wheeze.
“Okay, okay.” He holds up a hand, palm toward me, in a stop gesture. “I won’t be holding it literally, but figuratively, yes. I’ll be counting the hours, maybe even the minutes, the hundredths of each second. You’ve bewitched me, but I don’t want to escape your spells.”
A little warning bell rings. His feelings are stronger than I thought. “Wait a minute, Beau. We’ve only been on one date. Too soon for those kinds of protestations. Can’t we just have fun and see if it leads anywhere?”
“Since I’ve known you for a few months, I suppose I feel we’re already getting close. I’m a sprinter, not a marathoner, but I’ll emulate the tortoise rather than the hare if that makes you more comfortable.”
“After tonight, and all the turmoil over the last few months, I need a breather. And my energy has to go toward promotion. The handwriting is on the wall. If I don’t make it this time around, I won’t make it at all, at least at this firm.”
Back at the building, he walks me into the lobby. It’s 4:00 a.m.
“I’ll be back at seven,” he says. Then kisses me on the cheek. I watch him until he’s swallowed up by the darkness.
ChapterFive
God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless.—Chester W. Nimitz
Micki
Wakingup at 6:00 a.m. when I didn’t arrive home until four is not the best way to prepare for an important client meeting. Even though I took a shower to rinse off all traces of Sam when JL delivered me to the condo, I take another boiling shower to wake up, wrap myself in one of the huge bath sheets I favor, and make a mental note to buy a few more when I have my own place again.
