Page 60 of Contention

Clearly taking her answer as an excuse to talk more about it, because Bob loves to talk, the older man starts telling his rendition of it. “You should have seen the look on his face!” Bob slaps his thigh with a sharp laugh. “He was sitting at his desk, a pen in hand, mouth wide open in shock. It was a good laugh. I would have gone through with it too if Yates hadn’t barged in, wondering why I was undoing my belt buckle. Yates was all, ‘Do you guys need a private moment?’Gah. It was priceless.”

Kara envisions the scene with a slight grin. “I imagine it was.” She holds up the folders, nodding to Derrick. “I’ll go drop these off now. Let me know if you need help with anything later today to lighten your load.”

He smiles, sleepiness about his gaze. “Thanks, Kara. I’ll let you know if there’s something you can assist on.”

Kara beams, pleased.

Bob walks out of Derrick’s office, saying fondly, “Associate my ass, she’s an ass kisser.”

Following behind him, out of Derrick’s hearing, Kara snaps, “I fucking heard that, Bob.”

The senior associate just laughs at her, which does wonders for her ego. Or not.

Apparently, she reminds him of a mad kitten anyway.

The building that Calais, Vickers, & Yates resides in overlooks one of the most coveted stretches of road in the downtown, giving glorious sights of the bustling city. People shopping, racing around with their overpriced name brand bags. Kara eyeballs the people shopping and thinks it must be nice to be able to shop in the middle of the day, buying shit you don’t actually need.

After going through security at the front, she moves up to the law firm’s floor, stepping into their luxurious lobby. It feels like walking into enemy territory, or worse; the emotion you feel when you think you might run into your ex at the least opportune moment. Kara likens it to that. However, the girl at the front desk smiles at her kindly and asks Kara to sign in, putting her somewhat at ease. As she’s doing so, a familiar voice calls out her name.

Looking up, even as pen touches paper, Kara smiles genuinely as she sees Gale Clarke walking her way, coming from the main floor with all the desks and offices. She’s wearing a perfect power suit, light in color with snappy dark heels, clicking on the hard floors. Her blonde hair is perfectly done, pulled back in a pristine French bun. “Well, look at you!” Gale grins widely. “Have you come to work here after all?”

“’Fraid not, Gale.” Kara scribbles her name down, nodding sharply to the girl behind the desk. She holds up the folders in her hand. “You Know Who is keeping me busy.”

You Know Who. Derrick Benson. Gale winces only slightly, but seems glad that his name isn’t referenced out loud. No doubt she doesn’t want it talked about, her scandal with him. Naturally, word travels fast amongst their professional circle.

Everyone will think, oh, Derrick Benson and Gale Clarke, did you hear about that mess? Kara knows how cruel gossip can be. She knows very well.

She knows how much it hurts when the gossip is actually true and has legs to stand on.

Keeping her poise, Gale pulls Kara into an elegant one-armed embrace, a coffee mug in her free hand. She smells of lavender and rose, light and fresh. “Long time no see, friend,” Gale quips in her cashmere tone.

Indeed. And here Kara is just hoping Gale doesn’t bring up Calais, considering Gale saved Kara’s ass with him the other week. Who knows what he’s told Gale? At least, nothing unforgivable in Gale’s eyes, if her warm welcome is anything to go by.

Gale smiles as she pulls back, her soft coral lipstick on point. “I’ve been meaning to text you about lunch, but things have been so busy. I’ve been moving my stuff over. A nightmare, I tell you. If you aren’t joining the dark side, whatareyou doing here?”

Kara sighs. “Stuff for cases, our fax machine is broke.”

Gale makes a tittering noise, shaking her head with a faraway look in her eyes. “I told him to replace that darn thing. It never works when you need something important faxed. Go figure, he never did listen to me anyway.”

Blinking with discomfort, Kara realizes that Gale is talking about Derrick. She tries to think of something else to say to detract from that line of conversation. “How has it been, moving your clients over? Or is it no different than before?”

Cocking her hip, Gale gestures vaguely, gemstone rings glittering on her elegantly manicured hand. “Mostly a smooth affair, though some didn’t want to move away fromhisgrasp entirely. Frankly, the client that brings me the most billing is with me no matter where I go, so it’s all good. He’s always been mine, so there was no issue. That client is worth more than the majority of the others combined, so I won’t quibble over smaller fish with ‘You Know Who’, as you so charmingly put it.”

Before Kara can ask who the client is, considering she knows the majority of Gale’s clients, the older woman snaps her fingers. “Look at me, chatting away and distracting you from getting your mission complete. Who are you looking for? I can point you in the right direction.”

Chuckling, because Gale is always easily distracted by conversation, Kara says, “I have something for Havenwood-Calais and something for…Jackson?”

Jackson is ‘Rugby’ in Kara’s mind. He and Sunshine remain representing Max Dotaire while Calais moved over to Paxton Brooker only. The rumor that the opposition is winning the Debra Mills case certainly stings.

Although, they aren’t winning due to anything special, aside from the fact that Debbie hid a few things from Kara and the rest of the team, leaving a few crucial details out. Like, her many consensual sexual relations with Dotaire. Kara knows that Derrick wishes they had vetted Debra Mills more deeply before going to trial.

“Nick’s office is over there. Behave; he and I had some choice words about you last week.” Gale gives her a stern glance, lips pursed. “Try to stay on his good side going forward. I’d really like to bring you over here in the future, but right now he’s a little sour about you. With good reason.”

Shifting on her feet, feeling awkward, Kara gives Gale a watery grin. “I meant to thank you for talking to him…and convincing him to not go to Judge Canry about my snooping around. My friend wanted to check the club out. It was a huge mistake; I should have fought a little harder against following her in.”

“It’s an interesting club, or so I hear. I don’t blame you for wanting to take an ‘educated’ peek.” Gale winks at her. “What are lady friends for if not to watch your back? Just…be careful next time.” Her lively eyes flash for a second and Kara can literally see an idea pop into her thoughts. “Lunch! Before I forget, let’s plan on next Wednesday. It’ll be fun. Somewhere by the river! Outside, if it’s nice.”

Kara nods, bringing out her phone to make a note on her calendar. “Let me know where by text. Wednesday works just fine.”

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