Page 45 of Partner Pursuit

Page List

Font Size:

I should probably buy this coloring book forLunatoo.

And you might like this book for your collection.

Cheers,

Jake

She smiled.Yes! The flirtation is on!She hadn’t completely messed up. She was sorelieved.

She looked at the coloring book.I’m not an “outside the lines” person. I’ve always stayed in the lines. Probably too much so—at least in my personal life.But she was flying counter to her usual approach now, pursuing this flirtation with Jake, and it was giving her more energyforwork.

She read the book summary—she couldn’t wait to read it.Love in the Cookie Bakeryeven had cookie recipes. She’d bake Jake some cookies using the recipes in the book. That’s what she’dsendback.

Chapter Seventeen

Audrey moved around, trying to get comfortable in her office chair. The cushion seemed to have lost some supportive oomph with hernon-stopsitting on it.Could you ask for seat cushions to bereplaced?

She opened up the yellowinter-officefolder. A note on vellum paper with flowery handwriting from Mrs. Whitaker greeted her. Mrs. Whitaker wanted to help plan the party. She had also written that the Whitakers were nowgluten-free(andsalt-freeto lower Gene’s high blood pressure). Okay, hopefully Mrs. Whitaker could recommend agluten-free,salt-freecaterer, but she was concerned that Mrs. Whitaker seeking to help was going to add to the amount ofwork.

Winnie:You didn’t tell me aboutbus-devconference event at Marriott tonight. Colette and Tim outside my door—excitedabout it.

Audrey:I wasn’t invited. Otherwise, I’d have told u.

Winne:Odd.?

Sad face indeed. If both Colette and Tim came back with potential clients, that’d be a real plus in their partnership bid and a real negative in hers. She didn’t understand why Hunter had not invited her—he could have just sent her alone as his guest if he had another commitment.

Winnie:Colette’s going as Hunter’s guest!?! What’s up with that? They just passedtogether.

That answered her question as to why he hadn’t invited her. But not in agoodway.

It was time for some office gossip due diligence, so she decided to pop by Mary’s desk. Mary was Hunter’sassistant.

As she approached, Mary said, “Audrey, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at the Marriott event.” Then Mary’s eyes widened as she realized she’d said something wrong, and her face flushed.

Audrey decided to take the upfront approach. “What happened with that? Why did he take Colette instead of me?”

“Oh, honey, he intended to invite you. I kept sending him emails reminding him to ask you and get it on your calendar. But then he said that Colette asked him straight out to take her, saying it would be a good opportunity for them to get to know each other, and he couldn’t argue withthat.”

“Thanks, Mary. I feel better knowing that.” She did. She should’ve followed Tim’s advice to be aggressive and ask Hunter. But, had Tim told Colette that Hunter hadn’t invited her? She shook her head.I need to be more assertive, especially if I’m being puthead-to-headwith Colette.

Chapter Eighteen

Malaburn’s office was devoid of any hint of personality, aside from the legal tomes that lined the bookshelves. As Malaburn skimmed her letter to opposing counsel and her brief to dismiss the case, she looked to see if he had any personal pictures or even keepsakes.None.

“You’re too nice in this letter,” Malaburnsaid.

Audrey stared at him, swallowing, her brain fixated onYou’re too nice.She heard Kevin saying that again, as if he was in the room. And Malaburn had known Kevin, obviously, when Kevin had been up for partner. She shook her head. Malaburn couldn’t know that Kevin had said that toher.

She had missed whatever Malaburn had just said. But he was still talking. “You need to add a sentence here, right at the top of the second page: ‘If not, we’ll see you in court.’ That’s the kicker.”

She had to focus on rebutting his assertion. “Isn’t that obvious? I wrote, ‘Here are the reasons you shouldsettle.’”

“You need to be aggressive and say it.” He laughed. But it wasn’t a joyful laugh. “Litigation is not about beingnice.”

That’s what Kevin had said. Her mom’s “Be Nice” mantra whispered in her head. But she could be aggressive.She could.

Malaburn looked back down at the brief. “Interesting first point here. Potentially risky. I’ll thinkabout it.”