Minji’s fingers tap once against the table. “The shared drive, William. Same place as yesterday. And the day before. Though if you’d prefer to return my caseloads, I’m happy to take them back. The way you’re handling them is…” She pauses, selecting her words carefully, “Concerning.”
William’s eye twitches; it’s obvious he wants to say more, but his eyes drift to the small gap between our chairs. “You know, it’s interesting how much time you two have been spending together lately.”
“It’s called shadowing, William. It’s research.” Minji sighs. I can hear the annoyance in her voice. “Some of us actually prepare thoroughly for our work, so they don’t look incompetent to others.”
William’s jaw muscle pulses beneath his skin. I shift my weight, ready to step in, and this time, Minji won’t be able to stop me if this dickhead gets disrespectful again.
“I’ve been fortunate that Ms. Lee has been so generous with her expertise,” I chime in. “My readers appreciate authenticity, and Minji’s insights have been invaluable.”
William’s eyes narrow, his lips curve into something that resembles a smile only in the technical sense. “Yes, I’m sure she’s been very?—.”
“Was there anything else you needed?” She stands.
“No. That’s all.” He turns to leave but pauses at the door. “Oh, by the way, the partners’ dinner is tomorrow night. Eight o’clock at Le Ami. I can pick you up, and we can drive there together.”
“I’d rather you not know where I live. I can get myself there.” She rolls her eyes in annoyance.
“You moved? I thought you loved that apartment in Washington Heights.”
“William, I moved out two weeks after you did.”
His eyes nearly pop out of his sockets. “Hold on. Minji, what about my golf clubs?”
“Do you really think I kept anything of yours when we broke up?” She lets out a laugh of disbelief. “Hell, I didn’t keep anything of mine. Whatever was in that apartment, besides the things I had before you came into my life, stayed there when I broke the lease. All the furniture…everything. I wanted nothing to do with you and I still don’t.”
“Are you crazy? Those golf clubs cost me thousands of dollars.”
“Then you should have taken them when you left. Why did you think I was going to hold on to anything pertaining to you? If I did keep the apartment, did you think I would keep your things there?”
“Because… Fucking hell, Minji. Those were my good golf clubs. You gotta be kidding.”
“No, I don’t think she was kidding,” I interject, standing up and positioning myself in front of Minji. She may not want this, but I’m getting sick of this shit with him. Exes who never get the fucking hint are pathetic. Especially when he was the one who cheated on her. “This conversation is done. You’re interrupting us.”
“She can speak for herself. This has nothing to do with you.”
“I’m aware she can speak. But whatI’mtelling you is that this conversation is done. So, you can either walk out of that door on your own accord or have the paramedics roll you out.” I tilt my head. “You choose, and you have five seconds before I choose for you.”
“Are you going to allow him to speak to me like that, Minji? I thought?—”
“Three seconds left.” I step forward, and he gets the picture I’m not fucking around and steps out the door, slamming it behind him. I turn around to see Minji still standing, her fingers pressed against the conference table.
“You, okay?”
“You didn’t have to go all knight and shining armor. I can handle myself. I’ve been taking care of myself since I arrived in America fourteen years ago.”
“While I’m fucking you, I’ll be the one taking care of you.”
She clears her throat, and the tips of her ears turn red. “I forgot about the partners’ dinner. It’s an annual thing, very important for associates with partnership aspirations.”
“Which you certainly have.”
“I was hoping to spend tomorrow evening with you.” Her eyes meet mine, apologetic.
I want to pull her into my arms, but I’m aware of the glass walls surrounding us. “If you want to spend the night with me, you can?” I pull out my phone to see how far the restaurant is from my apartment. “It’s only a twenty-minute drive from my place. I can pick you up after it’s done.”
“Would that be overstepping our arrangement?”
“Minji, I want you to overstep as much as possible. This is new for you. I’ll take it at your pace. So, please, overstep if you want to.”
