After about a half hour, the door opened and Sebastian walked in. Mid-forties, he seemed to radiate energy. He shook her hand firmly and asked her a few questions about herself. He then took a seat across from Audrey, leaning back. He listened carefully to her succinct presentation of the current case status and the planned approach to the trial. It felt surprisingly informal for a meeting with a CEO. As Betty had foretold, he loved the chart. He asked several thoughtful questions, and she had to think fast to answer them in an invigorating give-and-take discussion.

His assistant poked his head through the door and called him to his next meeting. Joking about how his assistant kept him on a tight leash so he could make his daughter’s soccer games, he left the room. Audrey could see how he’d managed to persuade people to invest in his start-up. He came across as really smart but also charismatic and congenial.

“Well, that went well,” Betty said, smiling, after checking an email on her phone. “I’m going to a professional development event in January at the Marriott in Times Square about developing the next generation of women leaders. Perhaps you’d like to join me as my guest?”

“I’d love to.”

“Excellent. I’ll have my assistant send you the details.” Betty typed on her phone. “Why don’t I give you a tour of the offices before you head back? But whatever you do, don’t agree to a ping-pong match with the account executive Chris.”

“Ping-pong?” Audrey asked, doubting she’d be playing ping-pong in front of a client.

“He’ll decimate you. Do you play?”

“I haven’t played ping-pong in years—not since before law school,” Audrey said, packing up her stuff.

“Better wait until you’ve brushed up your skills before taking him on.”

Audrey wasn’t sure when she was going to brush up on her ping pong skills or be at a Popflicks office event, but she nodded obligingly. She loved the atmosphere of Popflicks, so welcoming and lively compared to the formality of Howard, Parker & Smith. This must be what Jake’s workplace felt like.

And she had to admit, she had a little work crush on Betty.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Chapter Forty-Seven

Audrey sat next to Winnie at the firm-wide meeting. The faces of the various partners attending were somber and reserved, the atmosphere in the room subdued.

The managing partner of the firm, Michael, gave a brief overview of the state of affairs. Litigation was not doing well. Michael didn’t say it, but he implied that making litigation partner was going to be difficult this year because the firm had fewer litigation clients. Michael said that that the firm wanted to start an associate mentoring committee and was looking for associates to head it under partner supervision. Hunter entered the room.