Winnie shook her head. “I’m going to tell Hunter we elicited some great admissions in the deposition so he has a counter-narrative in case she says we were doormats. Remember, you need to stand up to Colette. That’s the only way to handle her.”

Audrey glanced out the window at the slick, shiny skyscrapers crowding out the sun and then looked back at Winnie. She breathed in the hazelnut coffee smell from Winnie’s mug. She associated the smell of coffee with Kevin. He was always drinking coffee. But never hazelnut. I do have to stand up to her. “You’re right. In fact, we should write a short summary outlining all the good things we learned of plaintiff’s strategy from the deposition and send it to the team and our client.”

“Yes.” Winnie high-fived her. “Exactly.”

“I’ve worked too hard to establish my reputation to let a few well-placed comments by Colette besmirch it.”

“She’s not going to succeed.” Winnie put her hands on her hips.

Audrey was glad Winnie was on her side. Winnie looked sweet, but she was tough.

“Let’s write the first draft together now. I’ll get my notes from my office.” Winnie walked out.

Women working together is a great thing—a force for good. Then she texted Jake that she wouldn’t be home for dinner. Again.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Eight

As Jake fiddled with his iPhone playlist, Audrey came up her stairs, newly changed into jeans and a t-shirt. She was looking forward to a night at home with Jake. The reply brief with Malaburn was filed, so his texts had stopped.

“Should we order in?” Audrey asked. “Or I could make hamburgers.”

“I can pull together a ground beef vegetable dish.”

Biscuit’s ears perked up.

“Is this how you seduce all the girls?” Audrey asked, teasing.

Jake smiled ruefully. “Somehow, I was never cooking home-cooked meals with the other girls. They were more interested in going out and being a part of the music scene. I like cooking with you.”

She hugged him. “I like cooking with you too.”

Jake rolled up his sleeves. Audrey didn’t think she could ever get enough of looking at Jake’s forearms and slender hands. She hugged him.

“And you, have you been seducing men with your hamburgers?”

She laughed. “I haven’t dated anyone in a few years.” Three years.

“That’s a long time. And before that?”

“I dated a law firm colleague, but it didn’t work out. And before that, I dated someone in law school.”

“Why’d you guys break up?”

“He fell in love with someone else.”

“Tough.”