Page 60 of Tiny's Law

“I dated Ben for about a year when I was in law school. His brother, Matt, was a partner at this firm, and Ben convinced me that he could get me a job there, even though I really wanted to do defense like my dad. At the time, it sounded like a good idea. Anyways. I truly did like my job. I was good at it. Even when Ben and I broke up, Matt still treated me with respect. Or so I thought. A few months ago, an opening came up for partner, and all that time, Matt truly made me believe that it was mine. I worked even more hours, took on even more cases. Toward the end, Matt would make little remarks about how he could persuade the other partners to pick me. But I needed to ‘show him’ why I deserved it.” She uses finger quotes, and even from my angle, I can see her roll her eyes.

“The first time he hinted at it, I was going to quit. I didn’t need that shit. So, I typed up a resignation letter. But then he laid off the comments, so I never sent it. When he started making them a few weeks after that, though, I told him no. Straight up ‘No.’ A week later, at a Monday morning meeting, the head of the firm announced a promotion; they gave it to a new-grad. Over me.”

She shakes her head. Reaching forward, I swipe the tear away from her cheek, then take her shaking hand in mine, offering what little support I can.

“I didn’t think after that. It’s like I was on auto-pilot. I went directly to my office and sent the resignation letter, and I left. The next morning, apparently, Matt told Stan and the other partner that I offered myself to him for the promotion.”

“The fuck?”

“They told me I wouldn’t be able to practice law in the Phoenix area ever again. So I cussed them out and left.”

I chuckle, wiping her face again. “You seem to be good at storming out, huh?”

She laughs humorlessly. “You could say that. Anyway, that’s what brought me here. I swear I didn’t sleep with him, and I certainly didn’t break up anyone's marriage. But she’s your aunt, so I can understand why you believe her and not me.”

“Woah. Who said I believed her? Besides, I’ve never liked her husband. He’s been a dick since day one.”

“Well, he did cheat on her with women from the office, but it sure as hell wasn’t me.”

“I believe you.”

She turns her red-rimmed eyes on me. “You do?”

I pull her by the neck closer to me and press a kiss to her forehead. “Yeah, honey. I do.”

Closing her eyes, she leans her head down on my chest. I try to comfort her by running my hands along her back. “Why’d you run out? You didn’t answer your phone. I was worried sick.”

“I saw the look on your face. Whether you say you didn’t believe her or not, your face said you did. I didn’t want to see that hate on your face pointed at me. So I ran. Then I was scared of what you were going to say.”

Hearing that she could be scared of me pisses me off. Not pissed at her, but pissed that she could ever be scared of me.

“I never want to make you scared.”

“I won’t lie. I just panicked. I was going to call you eventually,” she smiles softly. “I just needed to get all the facts and figure out a way to get you to believe me.”

Smacking her hand to her face, she winces. I rub the spot and eye her curiously. “Your mom. She probably hates me now, huh?”

“Not exactly.”

She sits up and looks cautiously at me. “No?”

Shaking my head, I answer. “No. She’s been pushing me to talk to you since you left. She hated Matt, too. She only put up with him for my aunt’s sake. Evie really loved him. Who knows what kind of bullshit he always spewed her way, but he had her truly in a chokehold. Either way, my mom was on your side since Evie admitted she didn’t have proof, just the word of one of Matt’s chicks.”

She nods. “I spoke to Emma that night, and she told me everything. He was sleeping with two interns and an assistant to one of the other partners. The assistant got pregnant, and one of the interns was pissed, so she told Evie. Somehow, my name got snuck in among his laundry list of mistresses. Rumor was I got fired for sleeping with him.”

“That’s some shit, babe. I can’t say I’m not happy that you left that place. Cause it led you here.” I smile down at her, and a fist clutches my chest when she turns her wet eyes up to mine and smiles back.

I press a soft kiss to her lips and squeeze her to me. “Trust me, my mom doesn't hate you. And I promise, whenever Evie learns the truth, she won’t hate you either. She’s going to feel like the biggest asshole. I promise, no matter how you feel about her based on how she acted at dinner, Evie is normally very sweet.”

She winces. “It may take me a while to get the image of her venom out of my head.”

“I know, babe.”

“I can’t say I blame her, though. By what Emma says, Evie was convinced that I was one of them.”

I squeeze her again. I get it, but at the same time, I’m finding it hard to forgive the way Evie treated her without even knowing the truth. But if Kourtney is able to forgive her, then I guess I can, too.

Kourtney sits up, patting my stomach. “Do you want to come in?”

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