“You need to make that time. You need to consider it part of the job.” He straightened in his chair.

“And how do you go about doing that?”

“I stop in partners’ offices and I let them know what I’m doing—maybe even in the guise of asking their advice on what I’m thinking about in terms of a legal argument.”

She sighed. “I feel like that conversation is not going to go in my favor. Remember the time in the elevator that Stromen regarded me like I was an alien from another planet because I tried to make conversation by noting that the merger of those two airlines would not be good for people.”

“That airline was one of our biggest clients.”

“I resolved never to make conversation in the elevator again.”

“As I remember, Stromen couldn’t stop asking you about it.”

“Yes,” she said. “Apparently I represented the view of the ‘common people.’”

“But as I recall, the opposition made some of your arguments, and Stromen was grateful for your input.”

“Yes, but I don’t think his image of me ever improved.” What if Stromen didn’t support her for partner? The knot in her stomach was tightening.

He covered her hand with his. It was comforting, but there was no zip of energy. He said, “You’re a rockstar lawyer. You just need to get out there and do some politicking.”

“Aren’t rockstar and lawyer contradictory?”

“That’s what I mean—no self-deprecating remarks.” Tim’s phone beeped, and he stood. “I’ve got to go. Think about what I’ve said.”

He closed the door behind him. Click. How could she not think about what he said? She wasn’t good at promoting herself. She knew she should, but she felt pushy and exposed when she tried it. And then Tim’s warning about Colette—what was she supposed to do about that? And saying yes to others was so much easier than saying yes to herself. She’d been brought up to “be nice.” Before she’d found her current cleaning service, she’d hired a one-time cleaning service from the internet, and as she was working on her laptop in her bedroom to supervise, the cleaning guy had said, “I don’t have to clean in here, right?” And she’d agreed, even though she’d paid for the whole apartment to be cleaned, including her bedroom. Then she’d berated herself for being taken advantage of.