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“I did, and you can too.”
Easy for you to say.Fingers turn black with mascara when I rub my eyes. Just one more indignity. “I have to go wash all this stuff off.” I hustle away, but Rebecca is right behind me.
The ladies’ room has a lounge-like atmosphere with two comfortable love seats. Rebecca plops down on one while I grab paper towels to clean my face. The mirror shows ruined makeup, so washing it off is the best course.
Meanwhile, Rebecca raises her voice over the rushing water. “You need to show how good you are, Micki. You’re a much better lawyer than Hayden, and his uncle being a partner should not be the deciding factor. Neither should his golf game—or yours.”
“Don’t play golf.” My sullen mutter is too soft for her to hear.
Her brisk voice makes me want to claw the walls. “Send Tom over to Simon’s office and home for the computer files. Eventually, we can have Blaine camp out with the paper files.”
“Why is Greenberg being such a jerk? If someone really framed him, wouldn’t he want us to turn over everything to find out who, and how?”
“You’d think so, but perhaps he has something else to hide.”
I snuffle back the tears when I see the pity in her eyes.
“Anyway, take the rest of the day off and start planning the next step. I’ll meet you at Lou Mitchell’s for breakfast. My train gets in at seven thirty.”
If I ever come back.
When Liam comes to find out where we’re meeting JL, I panic. Stomach in turmoil, lunch isn’t an option. A white lie rises to my lips.
“We canceled. I’m leaving for the rest of the day and working from home.”
After an incredulous look, he puts on the jacket hanging from one finger and escorts me to the SUV.
Back in my temporary home, the guest bedroom suite is big enough for me to pace. I need to decide, act. Should I settle for a permanent position as senior associate now that the handwriting is on the wall? Or figure out how to maneuver past any roadblocks Hayden might cook up? Can I convince Greenberg to come around?
I’m sick of hiding in my room, debating whether I can face food—and JL. Rebecca told me to ignore what happened with Simon Greenberg and Hayden. If only forgetting was that easy. Not a handwringer by nature, if I squeeze my fingers together much more, they’ll turn into misshapen lumps.
When my phone rings, I startle, fumbling with the device. “Hi, Cress. What’s up?” The words come out in a shaky treble rather than the upbeat tone I reach for.
She gets right to the point. “Okay, I take it the client did not greet you with ‘well done’ or ‘brilliant ideas’ or ‘we’ll get right on that.’”
How did she know? Probably JL told Max. Instead of grumbling about gossip mongers, I admit, “No one bandied those phrases about.”
“Well, fuck them.” Cress’ bluntness makes my heart lift briefly. “One reason I like to work for myself.”
“But you don’t.”
Her tinkling laughter drowns my protest. “If I don’t like what a publisher is proposing, I can tell my agent to renegotiate or try another house.” Her smug tone makes me wince. “And I can self-publish. That’s gaining some traction these days.”
My snort clones itself as feedback. “Being a bestselling author doesn’t hurt. Anyway, you’ve convinced me working for yourself works for you. I don’t have the funds for a startup and the clients I work with would be too high powered to come with me. Starting over at forty-six is an unattractive option.”
My exasperation must show because instead of arguing, she’s silent for a beat. “I’m sorry. I wish things had gone your way.” She pauses and I hear her deep breaths. “Face it. You work for a big, stuffy, conservative law firm that would rather have a man as a partner than a woman.”
My stomach suddenly gurgles. It sounds like a noisy drain.
“What the hell was that?” Cress shouts from the other end.
“All I’ve had today is that croissant from this morning. Guess my body insists I find some food.”
“Well, that’s a relief. I thought your plumbing had suddenly gone kablooey.”
Her word choice makes me smile for the first time in hours.
She goes on. “I called to see if you want some distraction this evening. You might enjoy helping with my tutoring session in the literacy program. Give you that sense of doing good in the world. Then I’m meeting Max for dinner.”
