Page 55 of Partner Pursuit
“That’ll befun.”
“If we manage not to burn the food, ourselves, or theteacher.”
The door of the neighboring office was locked shut. It was already past seven. As she scribbled some notes in the margin of a document, Tim popped his head into her office.
“What are you working on?”he asked.
“I’m writing my outline for direct questions and the cross for my trial witnesses—and I am finishing up a strategy memo for Hunter. I’ll be here late.” Audrey sighed and rested her head onherhand.
“Feel like talking your strategy out? Sometimes that helps me.” He leaned against her doorway.
“Thanks for the offer, but right now, I just want to finish up my direct and cross. Talking about it will just add to my stress that I haven’t finished ityet.”
“Okay, but I’m here if you want. I can read it over when you’re done and give you mythoughts.”
“I have a feeling I’ll be working on it until I hand it in,” Audreysaid.
“Well, could you look over one of my briefs? I’d really appreciate your insights. Whenever you look over my stuff, you add so much. I feel like you’re my good luck charm.”
She frowned. That’s what Kevin had called her. He’d always wanted her to look over his briefs. She had been doing a lot of his work, too, as she had researched additional angles and improved his arguments. She had forgotten that. In the end, she hadn’t been much of a good luck charm forhim.
Tim’s gaze lingered. She hadn’t been hanging out with Tim much lately. She felt differently towards him and was wary given Winnie’s observations about him and Colette. But she and Tim had spent a lot of late nights these past two years bouncing ideas and strategies off each other. She didn’t want to cut that off, although she didn’t need the additional work of looking over his brief. But politically, she wanted to keep him onherside.
He said, “Frankly, I’m worried about my partnership chances because of the failed pitch.”
“I think you’ll still make it.” She wanted to console him, but she didn’t know what else to say. She was the one who might not make it because she didn’t fit the mold. She couldn’t express how she didn’t fit—other than not being particularly preppy—she just felt it. “Sure, I’ll look over your brief, but nottonight.”
“Great. What’s happening with the Rothman case? Are you getting along with Colette?”Tim asked.
That was a weird question to ask, given that he was friends with both of them. “As well as can be expected,” Audreysaid.
Tim held her gaze, then he nodded and left.Hmm, those intense looks.Like he was attracted to her. But he was also getting closer to Colette. Keeping all options open. Which made her sad if he thought that either one of them would do. Or if it was just for making partner purposes.I’ll drive myself crazy trying to figure it out instead of getting my work done.Audrey turned back towork.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Audrey closed her apartment door and dropped her bag on the floor. Ten p.m. She shouldn’t have worked so late on a Sunday—now she’d be tired the rest of the week. But she’d wanted to accomplish as much as she could so she had more flexibility to be available if Jake called.
She should try that face mask cream—before it expired—and watch some TV to unwind before going to bed. She walked down the stairs to her bathroom. She splashed her face and opened the mirrored cabinet to find that cream. She hated that she felt compelled to buy products she would never use after listening to the facialist sales pitch.Shit!Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a black scurrying movement.Ugh!A huge water bug in the tub. And Pete and Eve were away this week for vacation. Okay, she could handle this. She just had to get the vacuum cleaner. She hurriedly backed out of the bathroom and closed the door, stuffing a towel under the door so that the sucker couldn’t crawl out into her bedroom.
Water bugs were at the top of the short list of things she hated about summer in New York. She grabbed the vacuum cleaner and rubber gloves from the closet. She pulled her socks up over her work pants so the bug couldn’t crawl up her legs. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and wrapped a scarf around her hair. She didn’t want it flying into her hair. She pulled on the rubber gloves.Ugh.Okay, she was going back in. She removed the towel. Holding the vacuum cleaner hose like a weapon, she gently opened the door and scanned the bathroom. It was still in the bathtub, its antennas moving backand forth.
She turned on the vacuum cleaner and lunged for it. And missed.AAAGH.She inadvertently closed her eyes as it zoomed at her and she waved the vacuum hose in front of her face.Perfect.It was one of the flying ones. It now taunted her from the corner of the ceiling. Great. She needed to call in reinforcements. And this was a good excuse to see Jake—although not the most romantic occasion. There are times in life when you have to acknowledge your weak points. She backed out again, closed the bathroom door, andre-positionedthe towel underthedoor.
She carried the vacuum cleaner across the bedroom to the sliding door and put it down. She wanted her weapon at hand should the bug escape into the bedroom. She went outside into her garden and peeked over the fence. The light was on. Jake was up. She slipped through the hole in the fence and, with the dim light peeking through the curtained windows, carefully followed the path to his sliding door. She banged loudly on the glass. Biscuit barked.
Jake, pulling back the curtain and opening the sliding door, looked shocked. Jake wasbare-chested. All hard muscle. She flushed.
“Wow, is this like a 1960s cleaning visit fantasy?” he asked. “Not that I ever had that dream, but you know, I do like the James Bonds from that period—especially the headscarves. I’m not sure about the socks over the pants though.”
“Very funny. A giant water bug has invaded my bathroom, and I need you tokill it.”
“You look pretty equipped to do the jobyourself.”
“Yes, well it’s up in a corner I can’t reach.”
“Okay. But I’m not particularly fond of them myself.”
“It’s tough being a boy,”shesaid.
