Page 73 of Love Is an Art
“You dated Tessa? Ourlawyer?”
“Yes.”
She tilts her head, her brow furrowed. “How did you meet? Wait. Did you take her out for a private dinner to congratulate her? I didn’t mean to suggest you date her. I know you have women throwing themselves at you, but I wouldn’t have thought … I thought you didn’t date lawyers.” Brooke moves a pile of papers to the side of her desk—the better to pin me with her icy, lawyer glare.
“So, it’s a conflict of interest and we can’t hire her?”
Brooke’s eyes narrow. “Are you still dating her?”
“No.”
“No conflict of interest.” Brooke leans back and crosses her arms.
“I don’t think we can work cooperatively together now that we’ve broken up.” It sounds lame, but it’s also true. I could never have worked with Paisley after we broke up.
“You didn’t sleep with our lawyer and then ghost her? I didn’t thinkyouwould do that.”
“No. What kind of guy do you take me for?” I’m offended.
“I don’t take you for that kind of guy. You’re Ben’s best friend.” Her voice softens. “Who told Ben not to date me because I’m a lawyer.” She glares at me.
Guy friends. It’s amazing any CIA agents are men.
“How did you guys meet?” she asks.
“I picked her up at an art gallery.”
“So, you’re saying you can’t work with Tessa because you dated for … How many dates did you have?”
“Three.” Brooke is going full-cross-examination on me.Great.
“You’re saying that after three dates, you can no longer work cooperatively with our outside lawyer? Are you in kindergarten? Did she dump you?”
“No. I ended it.”
She throws her hands up in the air. “I finally find some cost-conscious, brilliant outside counsel, and you screw it up. I’m not sympathetic. I’m not happy. For future reference, outside counsel are off-limits to you.”
“I’m sorry. I definitely won’t date any other outside counsel. I’ve learned my lesson.” I don’t say Tessa lied to me. I don’t want to trash her to Brooke. Brooke should feel free to hire her for her other cases. Just not mine.
“Given how hard a time you gave Ben, I can’t believe you dated a lawyer—and our outside counsel to boot.”
“Can I tell Ben my ‘no lawyers’ dating rule now has your seal of approval?” I ask.
“No.” Brooke glares at me.
“I didn’t realize she was our outside counsel at first. We met at an art reception, purely coincidentally.”
“Oh.” Brooke’s tone is somewhat mollified. “But it didn’t work out, and now you definitely think you can’t work together?”
“I’d prefer not to.” My phone rings. It’s Tessa. My finger shifts to press off. But I hesitate. I don’t want to ever talk to her again.But I do.I still want to hear her voice. Her laugh. That look of glee when she shot that billiard shot right in the pocket.
She definitely isn’t your typical lawyer.
“It’s Tessa. I’ll discuss it with her.” I leave Brooke’s office.
“Hi,” Tessa says.
“Can I call you back? I need to get to somewhere more private.” I walk down the hallway past the open office doors and take the elevator to the roof terrace.
