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I hold the picture in my hand and watch the smile on my dad’s face. He wasn’t looking at the camera but at my mother. Fuck, how my dad loved that woman. I reflect on him for a second longer, as my focus has been on this sizable overseas contract Rex Helms and I are working on together.
“Hey, Farmer.” Speak of the devil, the man I’ve been teamed with since starting at the firm three years ago stands in my doorway.
“Rex, hey? I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to touch base with you about tomorrow.” Tomorrow is our yearly retreat. I’m not sure why they choose January in the mountains of Minnesota, but it’s our destination. “What time are we leaving?”
He helps himself into my office, shutting the door behind him. “You didn’t get the email?”
I roll my chair over to the part of the desk that houses my laptop.
“Nah, I’ve been working on briefs all morning. What did it say?”
I’ve worked with Rex Helms more than anyone else at the firm. I’ve spent more time with him than Jennifer. Of course, that could be why she’s now my ex.
A shot of laughter explodes from his mouth as the email he’d spoken about appears on my screen.
“Fucking son of a bitch!” I read the newest change to the retreat logistics. This year’s theme is getting to know your neighbor. How fucking lame. They’ve rearranged everyone’s travel changes last minute, and though my eyes have moved to the bottom of the page to see who I’ve been partnered with, I read the email for both of us.
Dear Junior Staffers,
It has been brought to my attention that we still need to adhere to the theme of this year’s retreat. We want to design this time where you can learn to work with various peers. As you work day in and day out with your paired partner, traveling with said partner isn’t creating an environment where you can become comfortable with other junior lawyers in the firm. This may push some of you out of your comfort zone, but we’re lawyers. As such, our communication skills with others must continue to sharpen, as our goal is to make you the best lawyers at Turner, Nash, and Soren. With that being said, I’ll not entertain any requests for reassignment. Unless your partner for the weekend was convicted of killing a family member, there is absolutely no reason to be reassigned. And that would be impossible since you’re all lawyers.
I look up at Rex. “Does he think that’s funny?”
“I actually laughed,” he admits.
You’ll coordinate logistics with your partner for the weekend concerning how you’ll travel to the lodge. The retreat schedule will continue as is. Below is your assigned partner, along with the new room assignments. We look forward to learning more about our junior staffers, who are the heart of Turner, Nash, and Soren.
With high regards,
Jim Soren
“You find this funny, don’t you?” I ask, peering at my new partner’s name, hoping I had first read it wrong. Xander Lynol. “This has to be a joke?”
He leans up against the back of the door. “It’s no secret that you two hate each other, Clark. I don’t hate my partner for the weekend, but he’s not my pick.”
Unsurprisingly, he’s paired with Micah Jonas, who happens to be Xander’s partner.
“Micah Jonas didn’t declare war on you when you were in third grade, Rex.”
“Nah, but we both dated the same girl. She was his ex when she figured out I was the better choice. So, I can’t believe he’s happy about it.”
Rex is an odd duck. He’s fucking funny and the one person I can count on with this job, but he’s odd, still the same. He’s not the type of person one would categorize as hot. He wears black-rimmed glasses and can’t see from the tip of his nose without them. His hair is curly like he was just given a perm. He has what is considered a dad bod, though he’s not a dad, but has the most beautiful women falling at his feet. Again, the man is funny, and his humor attracts every female and, most likely, some men, too.
“And in typical Rex Helms fashion, you dated her for what two weeks and then let her loose?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “Yeah, now that I think about it, Micah really liked Shayna. So, while you’re with Mr. Money Bags, I’m with a man who may want to stab me in my sleep.”
Rex’s plight doesn’t make me feel much better.
“But, if it gets me to the New York office, I’ll take a chance at my life.” He walks over to my desk, making himself comfortable in one of the chairs facing me. “What about you? Your goal has been New York since the second I met you at orientation.”
“You’re not wrong. I need to get through the next four days. I heard from HR they have two spots available.” And the best part of New York is Xander Lynol has no desire to leave Minneapolis. “But, I worry about leaving Ma and JJ. I try to help out on the weekends. If I take this, it will seem like I’m abandoning them.” But, honestly, if I gave up this opportunity, my mother would kick my ass all the way to New York.
“Fuck, man. I never thought about that.” Rex has been one reason I can put one foot in front of the other. In the early days, he would appear at my apartment with Starbucks, only to ensure I showed up at work. “But, about this weekend. Are you all right with the change?” He pushes back, moving to the exit, most likely trying to get away before I throw my stapler at him. He knows my answer with the snicker he lets loose from his lips.
“Fuck, no. But if I can get to New York, like you, I’ll take a chance with the fucking tool of the century.”
“Later, man,” Rex says. “I need to finish the other part of the brief before I leave. So, the sooner I get there, the sooner I’ll be at the hotel bar. And apparently, Jonas wants to leave in the morning before the storm is due to hit.”
