Page 14 of Partner Pursuit
“Yeah,” Audreysaid.
“I don’t need him.” Colette shrugged. “But I do need to find a new partner to work for. My case just settled. Maybe I can get your thoughts on which one over lunch, Tim.” She gazed up at him. “It has to be someone whom I haven’t worked with before. But someone influential who will advocate for me forpartner.”
“I’d be glad to help.” Tim patted her hand on his arm. “Will you be in the office tomorrow, Audrey?”
“Yes, after lunch,” Audrey said. Their body language was certainly giving an impression of being more than office colleagues.
“I thought you were taking Saturday off?” Winnie asked.
“Not if I’m going to work on that pitch with Malaburn,” Audrey said wryly.
“Another pitch?” Colette asked sharply. “You’re really rackingthem up.”
Audrey glanced at Colette warily. She didn’t want to compete against her. A passing pedestrian bumped shoulders with Audrey, and rubbing her shoulder, Audrey moved closerto Winnie.
“Audrey gave our whole team the weekend off,” Winniesaid.
“Is that the Rothman case? I thought that was busy,” Colette said, narrowinghereyes.
“It is,” Audrey said firmly. The last thing she needed was a rumor that the case wasn’t busy. “But the team needsa break.”
“Junior associates shouldn’t be tired yet.” Colette gave a short laugh. “I hear Hunter is a sweetheart to work for.” Hunter was the partner in charge of the Rothmancase.
“It wasn’t Hunter who gave us the weekend off. It was Audrey,” Winniesaid.
“But Hunter agreed to it,” Colettesaid.
“I said I’d cover any issues,” Audreysaid.
Colette shrugged and pulled Tim away. “Come, Tim, we should get lunch.”
They walked away, and Winnie said, “Well, if he’s interested in both of you, at least, it’s a clear choice.”
“I think so,” Audrey said dryly, but she wasn’t sure that the choice was in her favor for a preppy guy like Tim. They waited for the light to changeto green.
“Anyway, it sounds like they’ll be discussing work,” Winniesaid.
“Partnership plotting—but which type of partnership?” Audrey asked, making light of it. She didn’t want Winnie to see that she was shaken. She hadn’t realized that Tim was so friendly with Colette.
“I wouldn’t put anything pastColette.”
“I discuss work all the timewithTim.”
“And that should tell you something right there.”
Audrey nodded, her shoulders slumping. Hence the reason Eve called him Preppy Boy—Eve had said, “You want a man who likes you so much, he has to ask you out—not someone who can wait around for two years.”
Eve was right. And her mom had also always said that at least she’d had a great love with her father. She should be looking for the same, not trying to read tea leaves to decipherTim.
They passed the Juice Java, and the smell of citrus and lime lured them inside. As they waited in line to order and pay for their strawberry smoothies, Audrey said, “I’m certainly not competing with Colette for Tim. Two professional women fighting over a man—no way.” Sheshuddered.
“On the positive side, if they fall madly in love, maybe they won’t be able to concentrate on work, and you’ll have a clear path topartner.”
Audrey laughed. “I don’t see either as that type.” She held the door for Winnie as they left Juice Java to walk the final block to the salad place. “It’s bad enough if it’s four of us competing for two spots.” Her stomach churned. She couldn’t lose hope. “I hope she’s not thinking of asking Hunter for work. I guess it’d be okay. We could #leanintogether.”
“Colette’s definitely leaning in.”
“But I don’t think she got the memo on leaning intogether.”
