Page 82 of Partner Pursuit
“What?”
“Why should I waste my time defending my actions and explaining how it’s good for us?” She wanted to get home to Jake. She hadn’t seen him at all this week. She’d been working so late. He hadn’t said anything, but he didn’t need to.
“Because otherwise she is going to walk around and tell Hunter and others that you were a total wimp in the deposition,” Winniesaid.
“The record speaks for itself. I’m not, and those ‘others’ should know that based on my past successes.”
“You need to control what she says about you. I don’t think you can rely on the past. You need to be talking yourself up.”
“I don’t have time.” Audrey sighed. “I need to have good reasons for what I am doing and make sure I win this case too. I don’t want to get distracted by her. And this deposition transcript also speaks for itself. If I tell her why I think it’s good for us, maybe she’ll twistthat.”
Winnie shook her head. “I’m going to tell Hunter we elicited some great admissions in the deposition so he has acounter-narrativein case she says we were doormats. Remember, you need to stand up to Colette. That’s the only way to handleher.”
Audrey glanced out the window at the slick, shiny skyscrapers crowding out the sun and then looked back at Winnie. She breathed in the hazelnut coffee smell from Winnie’s mug. She associated the smell of coffee with Kevin. He was always drinking coffee. But never hazelnut.I do have to stand up to her.“You’re right. In fact, we should write a short summary outlining all the good things we learned of plaintiff’s strategy from the deposition and send it to the team and our client.”
“Yes.” Winniehigh-fivedher.“Exactly.”
“I’ve worked too hard to establish my reputation to let a fewwell-placedcomments by Colette besmirch it.”
“She’s not going to succeed.” Winnie put her hands onherhips.
Audrey was glad Winnie was on her side. Winnie looked sweet, but shewas tough.
“Let’s write the first draft together now. I’ll get my notes from my office.” Winnie walkedout.
Women working together is a great thing—a force for good.Then she texted Jake that she wouldn’t be home for dinner. Again.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
As Jake fiddled with his iPhone playlist, Audrey came up her stairs, newly changed into jeans and at-shirt. She was looking forward to a night at home with Jake. The reply brief with Malaburn was filed, so his texts had stopped.
“Should we order in?” Audrey asked. “Or I could make hamburgers.”
“I can pull together a ground beef vegetabledish.”
Biscuit’s earsperked up.
“Is this how you seduce all the girls?” Audrey asked, teasing.
Jake smiled ruefully. “Somehow, I was never cookinghome-cookedmeals with the other girls. They were more interested in going out and being a part of the music scene. I like cookingwithyou.”
She hugged him. “I like cooking withyoutoo.”
Jake rolled up his sleeves. Audrey didn’t think she could ever get enough of looking at Jake’s forearms and slender hands. She huggedhim.
“And you, have you been seducing men with your hamburgers?”
She laughed. “I haven’t dated anyone in a few years.” Three years.
“That’s a long time. And beforethat?”
“I dated a law firm colleague, but it didn’t work out. And before that, I dated someone in law school.”
“Why’d you guysbreak up?”
“He fell in love with someoneelse.”
“Tough.”
