Page 7 of Love and Order

She needed to be more careful while working with Finn. He was her competition, and she wasn’t interested in men right now, at least not men she worked with. Although she knew it was an old double standard, when a woman in a law office hooked up with or dated a fellow lawyer in that office, lines got blurred and careers were sidelined. The women were viewed as someone’s fling or girlfriend and less like a serious litigator, soon the man’s career would move upward and the woman would find herself stuck with less important cases—or worse, relegated to contracts and paperwork. She’d seen it happen during her internships in college and in their firm. She wasn’t about to blow all her hard work on a hot guy. Even if he was the most alluring man she had ever worked with, or seen.

In an attempt to distract herself, she opened up the folder and found several documents of incorporation of Mrs. Tovar’s business, Pleasure Inc. It wasn’t a smoking gun, but it was instantly clear why they’d gone to so much trouble to hide the documents. After washing her hands, Hailey cleared a space for herself to eat on one side of the conference table and another for Finn across from her. She didn’t like the idea of having to waste time eating, but they’d both need the sustenance to get through the evening.

Digging through her bag, she checked her insulin levels, which were still okay. After dinner, she may need a dose of self-administered insulin, but she tucked the blue bag away just as Finn walked back in. She could smell soap and his own personal scent that was beginning to seem too familiar. Her thighs pressed together under the table.

“You didn’t have to wait for me,” he said, setting two bottles of water down between them.

If he noticed the distance between their seats, he didn’t comment. She watched as he unpacked the food, placing several containers in front of her, then pulled several more out.

“Are you expecting more people for this meal?” she asked. He’d unpacked a total of eight containers and one pretty purple box.

His megawatt smile looked just as impressive close up. It was safer not to look at him.

“I happen to enjoy Thai food also, and I got a few extra items for you to try. Some things they don’t list on the menu.”

“How do you know they make them if they don’t list it?”

“If you know, you know,” he said, shrugging his broad shoulders.

“Hmmm, obviously you’ve spent time in Thailand if you know these off-the-menu items.”

He nodded and started opening containers. “Eat up. I want to read what’s in that folder.”

“I’ll tell you if you tell me what’s in that purple box.”

“If you eat your veggies, you can have one.” His eyes commanded hers. “And if you tell me why you want to make partner so bad, I’ll let you eat all of it.”

“Bribery won’t work on me. But I’ll tell you anyway. I want to be a partner because I deserve it. I have more than double the billable hours than any other junior lawyer, and I handle more cases. I’ve also been here the longest. I was only passed over last year because a senior partner wanted to give the coveted position to their nephew instead.”

“That tells me you like to squash your competition, not why you want to be a partner.”

How honest should she be?

“I want to be partner because Baxter and Stewart is a prestigious firm, the security of a guaranteed retirement, percentage of annual proceeds, and power to select cases I want to work on.”

“Good answer. And you dislike me because you think my connections to another partner will result in you getting the shaft again this year.”

“I don’t dislike you. I’m neutral,” she said.

“So your plan is to knock this case out of the park while keeping your enemies closer.”

“Two birds, one promotion.”

“How do you know I won’t take the credit when we win?”

“I assume you’ll try.”

“You know it’s not my fault they chose me as your competition, and you could have done worse.”

“Because you have integrity, and I can trust you?”

“Yes. But I can understand after last year why you won’t want to believe me. You’ll still lump me into the boys’ club working against you.”

“Probably.” She plopped a dollop of rice into her green curry bowl and ate several bites.

The warm, coconut milk concoction with lemongrass and spices swirled in perfect harmony. She hummed.

“Good, huh? I found this place last year.”

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