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Chapters (68)
  1. Partner Pursuit
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Contents
  5. Chapter One
  6. Chapter Two
  7. Chapter Three
  8. Chapter Four
  9. Chapter Five
  10. Chapter Six
  11. Chapter Seven
  12. Re: Whitaker retirement party
  13. Chapter Nine
  14. Chapter Ten
  15. Chapter Eleven
  16. Chapter Twelve
  17. Chapter Thirteen
  18. Chapter Fourteen
  19. Chapter Fifteen
  20. Chapter Sixteen
  21. Chapter Seventeen
  22. Chapter Eighteen
  23. Chapter Nineteen
  24. Chapter Twenty
  25. Friday, New York City
  26. Chapter Twenty-Two
  27. Chapter Twenty-Three
  28. Chapter Twenty-Four
  29. Chapter Twenty-Five
  30. Chapter Twenty-Six
  31. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  32. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  33. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  34. Chapter Thirty
  35. Chapter Thirty-One
  36. Chapter Thirty-Two
  37. Chapter Thirty-Three
  38. Chapter Thirty-Four
  39. Chapter Thirty-Five
  40. Chapter Thirty-Six
  41. Subject: Deposition of Plaintiff in James case
  42. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  43. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  44. Subject: Mentors Found
  45. Chapter Forty-One
  46. Chapter Forty-Two
  47. Chapter Forty-Three
  48. Chapter Forty-Four
  49. Jake: While you’re stuck at work, think about this: I thought you might want to do a yoga session while I’m surfing in Santa Teresa. Should I book?
  50. Chapter Forty-Six
  51. Chapter Forty-Seven
  52. Chapter Forty-Eight
  53. Chapter Forty-Nine
  54. Chapter Fifty
  55. Chapter Fifty-One
  56. Chapter Fifty-Two
  57. Chapter Fifty-Three
  58. Chapter Fifty-Four
  59. Chapter Fifty-Five
  60. Chapter Fifty-Six
  61. Chapter Fifty-Seven
  62. Chapter Fifty-Eight
  63. Chapter Fifty-Nine
  64. Chapter Sixty
  65. Chapter Sixty-One
  66. About the Author
  67. Acknowledgements
  68. On any top-ten list of best Sunday plans, today’s brunch with my former crush and his new girlfriend would rank number eleven … hundred. Times five. But I couldn’t say no. We’re still friends.

“Audrey, are you serious? The client requested you. They’ve just been hit with a lawsuit. You can’t tell them to wait a week while you fly down to Costa Rica to be with your boyfriend! Just go to Costa Rica next week—or during Christmas. We’ll pick up any cancellation fees. You’re up for partnership now, and as far as I can tell, you’ve got it in the bag, but don’t get cocky and assume that. Not being there for this client would be one sure way to jeopardize your chances.”

Her eyes widened. He was staring at her. She knew what she had to say. She just had to say it. Out loud. “You can count on me. I’ll make the necessary arrangements to go to London tomorrow.”

Chapter Fifty-Four

Chapter Fifty-Four

No, No, No. What am I going to do?

She had to go to London—they had made that clear. Why? Just when it finally looks like I might have it all—partnership and this amazing guy—it’s all going to fall apart. How can I tell him? More importantly, how is he going to react? He hadn’t wanted to date a lawyer because lawyers always had to work and prioritized work above everything. Maybe she could promise Christmas and another weekend—like Jazz Fest in New Orleans—that was several months away. Promise would not be a good word to use since she couldn’t, apparently—she had promised this week that she would be free. And she’d thought she would be—she should have been. The case was done. This was like some sort of final partnership test—willing to put career above all else.

The phone rang. It was Jake. Oh no. Maybe she shouldn’t pick up.

She answered the phone and said softly: “Jake.” Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Audrey! Are you packed? I just got off the phone with one of my friends down there, and he’ll pick us up and take us to this treetop restaurant. How’s that for a romantic start to our getaway?”

“Jake,” her voice was like a croak, she felt like her throat had been stuffed with cotton, “I can’t go.”

“What!?”

“I have to fly to London for another case tomorrow night,” she whispered. There was dead quiet on the phone.

“Are you joking? Because I’m not finding this funny.”

“No, I wish, the senior partner called me into his office and said that I needed to go to London to figure out the strategy and do some witness interviews. The client requested me. It’s a client I worked for about two years ago. They just got hit with a lawsuit.”

“Really? You’re like an indentured servant, and you can’t say you already have plans? Or just push it back?”