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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.

He smiled warmly. “Not easily.” Her gaze met his and held. Her stomach fluttered.

“She Works Hard for the Money!” sang her phone’s ringtone.

She picked up the phone. He turned off the music.

“Hi Lawrence, yes, excuse me, okay, not in front of me, no, yes …” She grabbed a pad and started writing.

Malaburn was speaking fast. She scribbled down notes. Jake took the dishes to the kitchen. Out of sight. She hung up the phone. She stared at the legal pad, tears welling. She hated Malaburn with a visceral intensity right now. She took a deep breath, blinking back the tears and wiping them away before Jake could see.

She joined him in the kitchen and wrung her hands. “I’m sorry—that was this partner, Malaburn. He has changes to this client memo, and he also asked for more research. I have to go into the office to put the changes through now.”

“You’re serious? Now? On a Saturday night?”

“Yes, well, unfortunately, Malaburn has criticized me for not having what it takes to make partner. This memo is due Monday to the client. I can edit it and give the changes to the overnight secretarial staff, but I also have to research some additional points now, and I’m not sure how long it will take me. I’m sorry. I was really having fun. So maybe a raincheck on the ice cream?” She looked beseechingly at Jake. I’m not your dad. I have to prove Malaburn wrong.

“Raincheck it is. Come on, Biscuit, let’s head home and go for your walk.” He didn’t look at her, and he said it in a tone as if he’d expected this to happen. He zipped down the spiral staircase, Biscuit behind him.

She locked the door behind him and watched him cross the garden, stoop to go through the hole in the fence with Biscuit, and disappear. He didn’t look back. Her stomach sank.

Picking up her bag, she left to hail a taxi to take her to the office. She didn’t have a choice. Eyes on the prize. Don’t let doubts deter you.

But what if this was the wrong prize?

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Audrey finished the client memo late on Sunday and emailed it to Malaburn for final approval. The whirring of a vacuum cleaner interrupted the evening office silence as the cleaning staff neatened the vacant offices, emptying out bins of paper and small wastebaskets of Diet Coke cans, coffee cups, food wrappers—the discards of small bursts of energy used to power the lawyers through the day. She slumped down in her chair and looked out her office window at the bright twinkling lights of a New York City night.