Authors: Angela Winters

Almost Doesn't Count (36 page)

BOOK: Almost Doesn't Count

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“He's taking a position with a private company,” Jessica answered. “Money and all that. I'm going with him.”

“Are you now?” Sherise asked, wondering why Walter had never even hinted at a new job during their conversations while she was on leave. “How nice for you.”

“He's not going to be leaving for three months,” Jessica said. “So you'll have that much time.”

“I'm sorry?” Sherise feigned confusion.

“I know you, Sherise. You've been eyeing his position since the first day you started your job.”

Actually it was before that, but Sherise didn't need to share that bit. “Well, I
am
next in line.”

“Technically.”

Sherise knew what she was talking about. “I know this Toni person has been interloping in the department, but there is no way sheâ”

“There is a way for everything,” Jessica interrupted. “And Toni Williams has been working Walter like crazy since you left. It's been six months, Sherise.”

“I told you to let me know who was sidling up to him.”

Sherise's staff had handled most of her work and Walter had taken on what was above their levels. Sherise wasn't at all worried about anyone on her staff outperforming her. But she had found out that, less than a month after she left, another department had half its budget cut and was loaning out its people who had a lot of time on their hands. Toni Williams, deputy communications director for that department, had stepped in, but Sherise had made sure to find out if she was doing too good a job. No one seemed particularly impressed. Sherise felt her job was safe.

“And I did,” Jessica said, “but things have kind of changed.”

“Like how?” Sherise asked. “Is she sleeping with him?”

“Oh God, no,” Jessica said. “But in the last month, he seems to think the world of her. All I know is that same file Walter put on your desk this morning is also on hers.”

Sherise had to admit that she hadn't been on top of things in the last month. She was dealing with weaning Cady off breast milk and the emotional strain of accepting she would be separated from her baby for most of the day. She took her eye off the ball.

“What has changed?”

“That I can't say,” Jessica added. “He's not giving any reasons. I've tried to hint at it and it's not happening. He never takes the bait.”

“Well, I'll get it out of him.” Sherise could play Walter pretty well. He was a sucker for a pretty face and based on his reaction today, he was very happy to see her back. She would stroke his ego a bit and play the awed protÃ©gÃ©e and he would tell her anything she wanted to know.

This was an unexpected turn and Sherise was not happy about it. Her glee at an opportunity to take a step up was dampened by the surprise of some real competition. She'd been gone for six months and in a what-have-you-done-forme-lately industry, Sherise could see where she had a disadvantage. However, her advantages were abundant and as soon as she could get little Miss Toni Williams out of her way, Sherise was going to be one step closer to an office in the West Wing.

“You gonna be okay?” Justin asked.

Billie turned to him with a smile. “This is my office?” Looking around the small, dark, cherrywood office with badly decorated shelves and dark rose red furniture, she noted that the only light seemed to be the single small window that offered a view of the back of another building.

After spending the morning with paperwork and other administrative annoyances, Justin had made his way from the lobbying division just one floor below within the same firm, retrieved Billie, and walked her to her office.

“
Your
office?” Justin laughed. “Used to be three to an office. You're actually lucky. You only share it with one other associate. Layoffs and all.”

Billie shrugged. “I only had half a desk at the public defender's office. So I guess it's a step up.”

“Hey, Billie.” Justin stood in the doorway. “Give it a chance. You'd be surprised at how much you could like this.”

“I intend to give it the best chance I can.” Billie smiled appreciatively. “I know you put yourself out there to get me this job.”

“It wasn't that hard,” he said. “You're good. Besides, Sherise would've divorced me if I didn't help you out. She loves you like a sister.”

“She is my sister,” Billie said, meaning every word of it.

Justin sighed heavily. “Billie, can I just give you a warning?”

“Why do I feel like I'm gonna get a lot of those today?”

He smiled. “Porter.”

“What about him?”

“They love him here.”

Billie let out a sarcastic laugh. “Yes, I figured as much when they kept asking me about him during the interview process.”

“He just got named one of the up-and-coming in commercial transaction law.”

“But he works for the competition,” Billie said. “I thought that made him evil.”

Justin nodded. “Yes, but it also makes him a . . . possibility.”

Billie felt ill in her stomach. “Porter would never consider coming here if I was here.”

“And I'm sure they'd never try to hire him now that you're here,” Justin said. “But you should know that you'll probably get questions about him even though everyone knows you're separated.”

“Divorced,” she corrected.

“You're here!”

Justin quickly stepped aside as a young brunette woman with large eyes, a friendly smile, who was dressed in a sharp gray suit shot into the office with her hand held out.

“I'm Callie Brewer,” she said. “I'm the head paralegal on your team.”

“Yes.” Billie shook her hand. “I was told you would show me the ropes today.”

“We have a pretty tight schedule,” Callie said, turning to Justin. “So if you don't mind, Mr. Robinson.”

“I'm way ahead of you,” Justin said. “I've got to get back to my side of the house.”

“Okay.” Callie waved for Billie to follow her on her way out of the office.

Callie was already reading off the day's schedule when Billie, after waving good-bye to Justin, caught up with her. She named off all the people Billie was going to have to meet and the work they would be assigning to her. About seven people into the list, Billie had to cut her off.

“Wait a second,” she said. “I'm meeting all these people today?”

“Absolutely,” Callie answered.

“I'm meeting everyone at the firm on day one?”

Callie laughed. “You're so silly. Those are just the people in the White Collar Crime practice you didn't meet with during the interview process.”

“This place is huge,” Billie said. “It's easy to be intimidated.”

Billie was surprised when Callie swung around to face her with a very serious, almost warning look on her face.

“But never, ever show it.”

“What?” Billie asked.

“I'm gonna give you some advice,” Callie said. “You didn't earn your ropes here, so the natives are gonna be watching you, waiting to pounce on any weakness. You're an outsider. They usually don't last long here.”

“Is there anyone in particular out to get me?”

“They all are,” Callie said nonchalantly all of sudden. “They think you're easy prey 'cause you came from a bleeding heart liberal public defender's office. This is cut-throat and they eat softies alive. Just so you know.”

“Duly warned,” Billie said. As disheartening as that news was, she had heard worse things about Big Law. She decided to see it as a challenge. As a black woman in the legal industry, she was already rare and knew that there were odds stacked against her, but there were plenty of people here who believed in her and she would pull on their support. As for those who didn't believe in her, they didn't know where she came from. She'd fought worse demons before the age of twelve.

DAFINA BOOKS are published by

Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018

If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

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ISBN: 978-0-7582-7949-1

BOOK: Almost Doesn't Count

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