“That’s true,” Mr. Archer says, and nods his salt-and-pepper head emphatically. He’s on my side, I realize. He doesn’t want me cornered in here just as much as I don’t want to be.
“That’s not the issue,” Camille replies coolly. “The issue is that your history was not disclosed to the firm, and we are unclear as to whether it is in fact history.”
“Excuse me?”
“Ms. Deveau…”
I stand up so abruptly the chair I was in rolls swiftly across the floor, bumping quietly against the wall. “The firm did a background check when I was hired and found nothing because there is nothing to find. I have never been arrested or charged with any kind of crime. I did not disclose my life as a teenager because, quite frankly, legally I am not required to do so.”
Daniel looks up at me with a cold, hard stare. “You took my pills the other day.”
So that’s why he’s here? That son of a bitch! I cross my arms so no one can see them shake. “Joyce found them in the kitchen and thought they were mine, so she put them on my desk. I forgot about them but returned them to you the first chance I got.”
Camille’s eyes move from me to Dan, and he lifts an eyebrow to signal his disbelief. Now I know what my brother feels like on the ice when someone cross-checks him. I want to climb across this table and put Dan through the goddamn wall. Instead I turn to my only friend, my boss. “Ask Joyce. Also, I have the Post-it she put on them at my desk somewhere.”
“I believe you,” Mr. Archer says, but from the expression on their faces Camille and Dan don’t.
I look squarely at Camille. “Are you firing me?”
“No. No,” she says swiftly, and almost looks shocked I would ask, but the fact is I don’t even know if I want to work here anymore. I don’t know if I can—not if everyone thinks I’m still an addict. She pulls a pamphlet from the paperwork on her clipboard and slides it across the table to me. “I’m required to give you this. In case you are still…if you need any kind of help, we have a program our insurance covers.”
I look at the cover of the pamphlet. It’s a rehab facility. I want to scream so loud I shatter the glass walls, but I simply shove the pamphlet in my purse and ask Mr. Archer if I can go to my desk now. He nods quickly.
As I reach the conference room door, I pause and glare back at them over my shoulder. “Camille, if you have any pamphlets on the fraternization policies here or the sexual harassment guidelines, I suggest you give them to Daniel. I’ll be at my desk if you need me.”
Only I don’t go to my desk. I head straight to the women’s bathroom, lock myself in a stall and spend the next ten minutes hyperventilating and crying.
How did this become my world? I might have been lonely before I let myself entertain the idea of Avery, but I was content. I was secure. I had left my past behind. Then I let the idea of him into my head…then I let him—the actual him—into my heart. And now my world is falling apart. I don’t blame him. I blame me. I knew how this would end and I followed after it blindly anyway. Now every single thing in my life is unraveling and I don’t know what to do to stop it.
After a few minutes I pull myself together, blow my nose, touch up my makeup and force myself to head back to my desk, intent on losing myself in the mountain of email that must have piled up in my inbox. As I start to glance over them, suddenly there’s a coffee on my desk. I look up. Mr. Archer is standing next to it smiling softly at me. “I figured it was my turn to grab you a latte. Hope caramel is okay today.”
“Yes.” I smile gratefully. “Thank you, Mr. Archer.”
“You’re welcome, Stephanie.”
I take a deep breath and am about to dive into my emails, when I realize he hasn’t moved from the side of my desk. I look up and he gives me another tentative smile. “There’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about. Before this all happened.”
My heart sinks, and I honestly don’t think I can take much more of this. He shakes his head. “This is nothing bad. It’s actually something good. Could be something great.”
I just stare up at him blankly and wait for him to continue. It’s hard to believe that something great could be happening to me right now. “You know how Luxe Spas is planning on expanding into the East Coast. How they want to start by placing spas in several major hotels?”
“Yeah. We’ve been working on the first deal for over six months now.” I nod and take a sip of my latte.
“Well, it’s taking so long because we don’t have someone on the ground over there,” Mr. Archer says. “I’ve been heading to New York twice a month, but it’s still not enough.”
“You’re moving to New York?” I squeak, because honestly the idea of losing my boss and having to start fresh with a new lawyer, one who would most likely believe all the stories that people would tell them about my past…ugh. I can’t do it. I just can’t.
“We don’t really need a lawyer on that side, but we do need someone who can get the paperwork through and manage the acquisitions,” he explains. “It would be for about three weeks, four tops. And of course the firm would put you up in an apartment, all expenses paid, and you can come right back to your position here when the contracts are completed.”
“Me? You want me to go?” I put the latte down so firmly on the desk that some of it slops out of the drinking hole in the lid.
“I was going to mention it last week, but we got bogged down with the deposition and I wanted to clear it through the senior staff first,” he explained. “They’re on board. It makes sense. You’re a paralegal, Steph. You’ve been working below your abilities as my legal secretary and we don’t have a paralegal position open here, but this would give you experience to move up when a position opens.”
I can’t believe it. I never would have expected this opportunity—and I never in a million years have considered living in New York City. It seems magical and terrifying all at the same time. Mr. Archer is still looking at me expectantly, and I’m just staring back at him with my mouth hanging open.
“I know it’s a lot to consider, and I don’t need an answer right now. I’m hoping you can let me know by the end of the week,” he tells me, and smiles. “Look, Daniel is an ass, we all know that. And no matter what people are saying, you’re the best assistant I’ve ever had. That’s why I’m offering this opportunity to you. It’s just a few weeks, but it could mean a lot for your career. And maybe you’re looking for some space from things here.”
I nod and try to swallow, but my throat is dry and my pulse is racing. He pats my shoulder and walks past me, saying, “Just think about it.”
