Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
“Right now, we have an opening that would be perfect for you, Pax.”
Someone gently bumped me from behind.
I turned and saw Natalie Granger, a second-year associate I was friendly with. I had gone out with her and others from work a few times. Her inelegant snort of laughter made me smile. “Something you want to say, Nat?”
One of the things I liked about our firm was how much all the assistants, paralegals, legal secretaries, typists, mailroom personnel, human-resources staff, and IT support were valued. At other firms I’d visited, an attorney, even a new attorney like Natalie, would talk down to Libby. It didn’t happen with us.
“I’m simply wondering why, again, for the fifth time in—what is it?” she asked me.
“Three months,” I muttered, not daring to look at Libby.
“Three months,” she continued cheerfully, “there’s another opening for an assistant in Brize’s department.” She tapped her cheek like she was thinking.
“He expects a lot of his support staff,” Libby replied irritably.
“Is that what you’re calling it?”
Libby growled, which was fun because seeing her—the fifty-two-year-old mother of three and one of the most stylish dressers in our office—get ruffled was ridiculous. I had no idea why she let others get under her skin. But I did appreciate her loyalty to Mr. Redmond, even though, by all accounts, the man could sometimes be an ass. But that could be said of everyone, really. And Mr. Redmond was a senior partner, the head of family law, and the biggest moneymaker for the firm. High-profile divorces, prenups, and estate planning brought in the most revenue. Even litigation wasn’t as large a cash cow, coming in second. That division was headed by Pilar Mata, who had also sent her assistant, Ruby Hernandez, to feel me out on the subject of moving.
Apparently, I was a better assistant than my boss gave me credit for, which really, was not a surprise. Getting any kind of compliment out of the man was like pulling blood from a stone. But in the five years I’d been his assistant—three at the ASA office and two at Mayhew, Burgess, and Somerset—I learned to basically read the man’s mind, so changing, learning someone else, was out of the question. Plus, there was his great heart to consider. There was no better man, period. I was where I was supposed to be. I had never had the sense of peace I did now, and that was worth more than anything.
This all went back to being bounced from place to place as a foster child, being resented and beaten up in every home I’d been placed in. Once I was older, I’d gone from the frying pan into the fire…so now safety was not something I took for granted.
At twenty-eight, my life finally made sense, and most importantly, I was safe. I was safe at work, safe at home, and safe with my friends. I couldn’t ask for anything better. Never again would I have to choose between keeping the electricity on or eating. No part of me would ever be for sale again, not my time, my smile, or my body. Now there was a safety net between me and the grasp of strangers, and especially…people who professed their love. Because yes, friends were good, but it would be a cold day in hell before I was stupid enough to love again.
But that wasn’t quite right. Because the truth was, I loved Colton Gates. So I could, in fact, give my heart to another. It would be impossible not to love him when I knew precisely who he was. The man had no secrets from me. What I could not do was trust anyone, ever, with my body. I would be celibate until I died. It was good to have things straight in my head. Lying to myself was not something I engaged in.
“Most people can’t keep up with the pace in our department,” Libby said snidely to Natalie, bringing me out of my thoughts.
“I heard they’re moving Taylor Kwan to litigation,” I said to offer something to the conversation. When I talked to Taylor yesterday, helping her move desks, carrying a box for her, she told me how happy she was to get away from Mr. Redmond to work for Ms. Mata.
“Well, I hope she likes the pace better there, as she couldn’t handle how fast we move in family law,” Libby snapped, sounding snotty.
I squinted at Libby, because really, her statement made no sense. Yes, family law made more coin, but litigation was much faster and far more furious.
“I think she could have handled it easily,” Natalie defended her friend. “But Brize expects too much, and he has the communication skills of a mime in a body cast.”
Libby and I stared at her.
“What?” she asked me.
“What does that even mean?” Libby was as confused as I was.