“Is that any way to treat your new fellow partner?”
God, I wanted to smack that smug grin off his face. “Actually, I was thinking about how I need to start doing pro bono work again. I’m sure that’s high on your list, isn’t it? Helping the less fortunate?”
There was no time for him to answer, as Daniel passed by in the hallway, then backtracked and stopped. “Oh, good, just the two I wanted to see.” He joined us. “Saves me the trouble of calling a meeting.”
Puzzled, I glanced at Weston, who seemed as lost as I was. “Is something wrong?”
“Not at all. I’m having HR schedule you, Brenner, for all the usual workplace training. But our director of human resources reminded me that with the influx of new partners and hiring additional associates, now would be the perfect time for team-building exercises.”
To be expected, but I didn’t like where my thoughts were heading, and from Weston’s tight-lipped expression, I surmised he was thinking the same thing.
“Every two years we do a day of team building. The firm rents a hotel in the area solely for the partners. We hire a company to run the exercises during the day where you’re assigned partners, but you can sit with whomever you want for dinner.” He chuckled. “Hopefully by that time, you won’t be sick of each other.”
Weston grimaced, and Daniel frowned.
“Is there a problem, Weston?”
“No, not at all. Sounds like a great idea,” he rushed to assure Daniel, whose troubled face smoothed to an approving one.
“Good. You’ll both be expected to attend.”
“Great,” I said with a nod.
Daniel walked out, and Weston snorted. “Great,” he mimicked. “I’m sure you’re thrilled about these ridiculous scenarios they’ll put us through. You don’t have to suck up to Daniel.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” My temper, always on edge with Weston, flared hotter. “I’m being polite.”
A sneer tugged at a corner of his mouth. “I remember how eagerly you used to raise your hand in class, so anxious to showthe professor how well you briefed the case and knew all the talking points.”
“Oh, give it a rest. You wouldn’t know hard work if it bit you in the ass.”
A thunderous expression darkened his face, and he leaned closer. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Unwilling to be at a disadvantage and have him loom over me, I got to my feet, coming nose to nose with him. “I thought I spoke pretty clearly and simply with no big words to confuse you.” A muscle in his jaw ticked. “Everything you’ve accomplished in life, you got handed to you because of your father.”
Sparks flew from those furious eyes before they narrowed to slits. His nostrils flared. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
It was fun to poke the bear, and obviously mentioning his senator father got under his skin. “Don’t I? Daddy must’ve paid a lot to help you get where you are.”
Weston paled. “Go to hell,” he snarled and stalked away.
A twinge of regret twisted in my chest. Had I gone too far? Or was I too close to the truth? Weston was extremely bright, of course—he’d beaten me in class rank at almost every turn in the three years we spent at school—but I’d heard mutterings from other students about his family connections.
It was probably best to leave for the day. I had an office to pack up at Roman and White, plus a million little things to work on, such as acquiring a new paralegal. When I passed by Weston’s office, he slammed the door in my face.
So much for mutual goodwill.
**
“We’re here by the beautiful Long Island Sound to work on team building.” The speaker, Mitch Carlson, a midfifties man dressed in a polo and khakis, stood at the lectern in the front of the ballroom. About forty people filled the space. Most knew each other, but there were about five or six of us—the new partners I’d met earlier in the month at orientation—who, like me, sat alone without anyone to chat with.
Carlson continued. “All of you will meet tonight at dinner and fill out strengths quizzes, and then tomorrow morning, right after breakfast, we’ll match you up with another person we’ve deemed your opposite and start to work. The purpose will be to gain trust and learn from each other.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Weston slipping in the back and taking a seat in the last row. Grady Allen walked past him and chose the chair next to mine.
“Did I miss anything?”
“Just opening remarks. We fill out a questionnaire at dinner, and tomorrow they pair us up with our opposite to begin trust-building exercises.”
