Page 3
I’m thankful to have a job, and I’ll have to see how these circumstances pan out. But for now, I am extremely late thanks to hitting my snooze button five times in a row this morning. After my meeting with Lorraine, I came back to the apartment and crawled into bed, sleeping the rest of the day and night away. I barely had time this morning to wrap my wet hair in a severe bun and Google the directions to my new place of employment.
As soon as the elevator opens on the twenty-first floor, I practically run into the lobby, causing my heels to skid to an ungraceful stop in front of the receptionist. The platinum-blonde ice princess behind the mahogany desk gives me a snotty once over, and says, “Your shirt is buttoned up wrong. ”
Looking down, I say, “Oh shit,” and hastily refasten my blouse, thankful that no one else is in the lobby.
When I’m presentable, she says, “You must be McKayla Dawson. The meeting is already underway. Mr. Connover is not going to be happy you’re late. He’s a perfectionist when it comes to that stuff. ”
As if to accentuate her message, she snaps her chewing gum in her mouth and flattens her lips in a disdainful grimace.
I don’t have time for this shit, I’m already irritated I’m late, and it’s completely my fault. So, of course, I take it out on her. “Look, Blondie. I’m not one to take shit from anyone, especially not a rude, gum-smacking receptionist. Have a care you don’t cross me. ”
Blondie’s eyes go wide and moisten, a fresh sheen of tears pooling.
Oh, f**k. I made her cry, and now I feel like crap. This day could not get any worse.
“Look… I’m sorry,” I tell her sincerely, because I have never been able to carry off rude and mean before. “I’m having a bad morning, and I took it out on you. I’m really, really sorry. ”
I expect her to dash the tears away and sneer at my regretfulness, but instead, she gives me a small smile. “No, I’m sorry. I was rude and well… I don’t even have an excuse. You called me on it. Good for you. ”
Cocking my head at her in curiosity, I stick out my hand. “What’s your name? You already know I’m McKayla, but my friends call me Mac. ”
She shakes my hand and says, “I’m Bea. Now, hurry down that hall there and take the third door on the right. Oh, and tell Mr. Connover that the train was running late, and you’ll be just fine. ”
Giving her a grin, I head down the hall. “Thanks,” I call out as an afterthought, and she shoots me a wave.
When I reach the door she directed me to, I hitch my briefcase satchel over my shoulder and smooth down my skirt. Taking a deep breath, I give a light knock and then open the conference room door.
My eyes immediately lock with Lorraine’s, who is sitting on one side of the long, oval table. She glares at me in anger due to my tardiness.
“I’m so sorry I’m late,” I apologize. “I—the train was running late this morning. Always seems to happen on Monday. ”
Lorraine’s anger doesn’t diminish, and it is with a clipped tone that she says, “Then may I suggest you leave earlier on Mondays. McKayla… this is your new boss, Matthew Connover. ”
Not needing another second of Lorraine’s vicious gaze, I pull my eyes up to the man sitting at the end of the table.
Brown hair… golden eyes… sensuous lips that deliver orgasms upon contact, now set in a surprised grimace on his face.
Holy f**k!
It’s Number 134.
Matt rises from the conference room table and steps toward me, his hand stretched out. “Miss Dawson… it’s lovely to meet you. Lorraine has told me a lot about you. ”
I’m sure!
Although his words are welcoming, his gaze is frosty as he shakes my hand. He then immediately drops it like I’m diseased.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Connover,” I manage to choke out, my heart beating like the hooves of a Kentucky Derby winner.
“Call me Matt,” he says, and there is no mistaking his tone of extreme displeasure over me being here. I’m really not getting why he’s pissed. It’s not like I planned this out. So I do the only thing I know how to do when I’m being attacked for no apparent reason—I stick my chin out and notch my pride up just a little more.
“You can call me McKayla… or Mac. ”
He inclines his head slightly in acknowledgement and sits back down, indicating the chair to Lorraine’s left is where I should sit.
Matt introduces me to a man on the other side of the table. He’s about fifty, balding, and looks incredibly worn out. “Mac… this is my partner, William Crown. ”
He gives me a wan smile and mumbles, “It’s Bill, actually. Nice to meet you. ”
I shoot him a return smile, feeling sorry for his overall beat-down nature. It must be hell to work here or something, and that makes my stomach roll just a little.
“I wanted to have this meeting with you and Lorraine to welcome you to Connover and Crown this morning. We’re excited to have you both here. ” His lack of enthusiasm couldn’t be more obvious, but Lorraine pays it no mind. I’m sure she’s just happy not to be a struggling business owner now, knowing that she’ll get her full paycheck each month.
Lorraine leans over, exposing her deep cle**age, and lays a well-manicured hand on Matt’s arm, simpering, “Matt… I know I speak for both McKayla and me when I tell you we are just overjoyed to be part of your team. You can count on us to get the job done. ”
I want to roll my eyes over her flirtatious gesture, because Lorraine is nothing short of a man-eater. I’m surprised she’s not humping his leg as we speak. I have to suppress a giggle though, when Matt’s eyes narrow at her overtness and he pulls his arm away.
“Thank you for that sentiment, Lorraine. I’m sure you’ll do just fine here. ”
“More than just fine,” she gushes.
Matt doesn’t respond but hands Lorraine and me each a folder. “Here are the necessary forms you’ll need to fill out for human resources. Lorraine… you’ll be direct reporting to Bill, and McKayla… you’ll be reporting to me. ”
Lorraine issues a small cough, and everyone turns their eyes to her. “I thought McKayla would still report to me. I’m very familiar with her work and have the necessary skills to manage her. ”
Her voice is strong, assured, and I’m betting she thinks Matt will concede. Instead, he just gives her the barest of glances as he stands up from the table. “That’s not how we do things here. Your expertise is in corporate work, which falls squarely under Bill’s department. McKayla does litigation, which is under my authority. But there will be a few cases that you will work on together and, in those instances, you will be her direct supervisor. Now, after you ladies fill those papers out, I’ll have our head of resources, Krystal Anders, come in, get you set up, and introduce you around. ”
Matt gives a nod to Lorraine, but doesn’t spare a glance at me, as he starts to walk out the door. However, I have questions that need answered before I start my career at Connover and Crown.
“Excuse me, Matt… but I have a few questions I need answered. ”
He turns around with surprise on his face and, yes, a flash of irritation. “I’m sure Miss Anders can answer whatever questions you have. ”
Matt turns away again, but I stop him. “Actually, I doubt she can. This question is specifically for you. ”
When he turns back my way, the irritation is still there… but I see something else.
Respect?
Before Matt can answer, Lorraine jumps up from the table. “I apologize, Matt. Our little McKayla here doesn’t understand the etiquette of how a high-powered firm works. I’m sure Miss Anders can help her out. ”
I turn to Lorraine and speak as pleasantly as possible. “And I’m sure Mr. Connover needs to answer this question. ”
Lorraine starts to huff, and I can tell she’s going to lay into me the way she normally does, but I turn away to look at Matt. He gives me a small smile
and says, “By all means… how can I help you?”
“Well, I’m assuming when you ‘acquired’ Lorraine’s firm,” and yes, I made air-quotes with my fingers, “you took on all of her assets as well as her debts?”
Matt nods but doesn’t say anything.
“I’d like to know if you intend to honor the firm’s debt to me of a few missed paychecks I went without when we had some leaner times?”
Matt’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and then his gaze flicks to Lorraine in question. She starts a flurry of apologies for forgetting about that detail, but Matt just holds up his hand to stop her. Returning his stare to me, he says, “While your question was important, Miss Anders could have indeed handled that. Regardless, I’ll ensure your past paychecks are caught up before the end of the day. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting to attend. I’m sure Miss Anders can handle your other questions. ”
Lorraine tries to apologize one more time, but he’s already opening the door and walking through it. Just before he leaves, he turns to me, “McKayla… let’s plan on meeting at 4:30 PM to go over your new duties in the litigation department. ”
He doesn’t even wait for my response before he’s gone, Bill following on his heels.
I stare at the door, lost in thought, my memories of my sex-athon with Matt competing with the cold businessman I just met.
“How could you?” Lorraine hisses at me. “I would have handled those paychecks. You didn’t need to bring Matt into it. He must think I’m an idiot. ”
Or a liar, I think to myself, because I’m sure she left that detail out on purpose, not ever thinking in a million years I’d bring it up.
“Sorry, Lorraine,” I say with as much sincerity I can muster. “I’m sure you would have handled it fine. ”
Turning away from her, I sit back down at the table and prepare to fill out the forms that will now tie me to Matt Connover—extraordinary, one-time lover… and now my boss.
At promptly 4:30 PM, I present myself to Matt’s office. I practically had to have a map drawn to it because his firm is so large. I found out during my initiation tour that Connover and Crown employs thirty-eight lawyers and fifty-two staff persons. Its main practice areas are corporate and civil litigation, although there are also smaller practice areas like elder law, criminal law and the such.
Apparently, Matt built the firm from the ground up, starting it just a mere ten years ago when he had graduated law school. Miss Anders hinted that Matt was the majority owner, and Bill was more or less an original investor, who was sort of just hanging on to a nominal amount of ownership interest at this point.
Knocking, I hear him say, “Come in,” and I steel myself to just about anything. When I open the door, I see he’s still on the phone, but he waves me in and points to a chair across from him. I settle in and gaze around while he talks.
I take in the understated elegance of his office decor. Browns, tans, and grays seem to be his color preference, and his taste in furniture leans toward the contemporary. Spying his degrees on the wall, I see he did his undergraduate at Stanford and got his law degree at Harvard.
Freakin’ smarty pants.
Not that Columbia was anything to sneeze at.
“No, we’re not settling for that amount. Twenty-five is our bottom line. You have until close of business tomorrow to decide and let me remind you… I not only represent Mrs. Sanderson, but I also represent each of her three children, and if you don’t pay the twenty-five, then I’ll be filing Mrs. Sanderson’s suit only. And after I’ve dragged your company through the shit-storm that is our legal system for the next three years, I’ll file the first child’s suit… and I’ll drag your ass through the same shit-storm for the three years after that. Then the next child’s, and then the next. I’ll have you tied up in litigation long after you’re ready to retire from the practice of law, and get this… I could give a f**k if I win even one of those cases. The mere fact I’ll drown you in legal expenses makes me go all tingly inside. So do yourself a favor, pay the twenty-five and save yourself the heartburn. ”