Chapter 14
Rand would have been fine at his place, but he was concerned about the car situation and was relieved to have Coral’s security sweep it for bugs in the morning so he agreed to stay. Not to mention the fact that he could hardly resist a chance to spend more time with Coral. She had captured his attention in ways no other woman had in a long time.
But when he arrived at work right behind her car the next morning, he recognized how complicated things could get for them both at work, their lives being at risk was a totally separate issue.
He parked in his usual spot right near the door. She parked further away in her spot. And the other associates were arriving. So he made his way inside without another glance in her direction.
If she weren’t there, he might have greeted them all. He was going to have to find a way to treat her no better or worse than a typical associate. While trying not to think about how good her lips taste while eating ice cream. He groaned and then shut those thoughts down immediately.
Gladys was back at her desk. “Hello. I hope you’re feeling well?” Rand leaned over the counter to greet her.
“I am, thank you. They have extra safety measures for me now.” She seemed cheerful, even robotic, like they’d told her what to say. He stopped himself. That was unfounded. He had to stop infusing everything with evil intentions.
“Excellent. Hopefully things will go back to normal around here and we won’t have to even think about it again.”
An odd something flickered across her expression but she pasted on a wide Southern Mama grin and nodded. “Oh, I’m sure they will be just fine now. We’ve got nothing more to worry about. Or so they keep telling me.”
“I’m sure you’re right. Now, thank you for collecting my messages for me. That’s a real help.”
“I’m happy to do it. Here’s your good morning calls. Not sure why you get so many first thing in the morning.”
It was because Rand always finished off a day, creating more work for the next. He liked to arrive with the day’s docket half planned and the clients moving in their desks. “Just what I’m hoping to see. Thank you again.”
His phone dinged. Mr. Goldstein wanted him to run the associate orientation meeting that morning. He closed his eyes for about three seconds and then responded by text with a thumbs up.
A firm wide memo went out moments later for all new associates to meet in the smaller conference room in thirty minutes.
The last thing he had time for or wanted to do that morning was run this meeting. But he grabbed the thumb drive with the slides they used for this meeting and made his way into the conference room.
The associates had started to make their way down the hall. They talked with one another. They seemed like a good group. The only one he hadn’t met yet was Trey Cruthers. He seemed cheerful enough. His scores and resume were exemplary. He was arguably the very best associate graduate of that year. And Rand was inclined to like him simply because he’d put on his resume that he was a night shift janitor through all of his undergraduate schooling. But then he stepped closer to Coral and she laughed in his face and the two looked cozy enough that Rand was immediately inclined to hate him.
He clenched his jaw a few times and then attempted to enter the room with something of a professional demeanor.
They had two more associates than they usually hired in a year. Rand had been told that they had an influx of work that merited the hires. And he viewed that as a good sign. A healthy firm needed more associates in his mind.
He stood at the door to shake their hands as they entered. Mel came first and she hugged him which he stiffly received, but then tried to shake Jaden’s hand which turned into an awkward hug with their hands in between. He gave up at that point and reached for Trey who had his hand firmly outstretched but then pounded his shoulder in a bro hug. Which left Coral. She stepped in for the hug and melted into him like she belonged right there with her face on his chest. And then she stepped away as though his whole life had not just flashed before his eyes and suddenly needed her for his happiness. He coughed. “Well, we’re a cozy bunch, aren’t we?”
Coral smirked. And he had to think all of the most annoying things he could find to not smile in return. “Welcome to your associate orientation.”
They took a seat at one end of the table, and he turned on the slide show. “Before we run through the slides, I thought it would be healthy to ask how is everyone doing?”
Trey lifted his coffee. “Great now. That was the craziest thing that will probably ever happen to me, right? Good to get it done on the first day.”
Rand laughed until he saw Coral smile beaming approval at Trey. Then he frowned. “Let’s hope it’s the worst thing to ever happen to any of us, and let’s face it, it could have been much worse.”
That sobered everything up. No more smiles at Coral. Good. “You all handled things in a professional, helpful manner. I know that everyone much appreciated your cooperation.”
Mel nodded. “When you sent us back into the bathroom, I thought for sure some man was going to come barging in your office.”
“And you left? You walked down the hall?” Jaden’s tone was part accusatory.
“I did, which no one but a trained professional should ever do.”
“Are you a trained professional?” Trey eyed him with a new found fear or respect or something Rand couldn’t define.
“I served in the military and in security, so yes. But I don’t function in that capacity here at Goldstein and Smithson. I was simply in the place where it happened, and I carry a gun.”
Mel’s mouth circled up in an O. Which was odd because she was right there when he grabbed it and would haven been really grateful if he had to use it to protect her.
He clicked the remote to start the slide show. “Welcome to Goldstein and Smithson. A place where families serve families.” His gaze flit over them all. “This is the part where a single guy is going to encourage you to consider the stability and respectability that a family can give a person and this law firm. They have from the beginning encouraged their associates and partners to settle down when they feel ready, to have children, to get the house with the fence and a nice car. Believe it or not, it makes a difference.” He clicked to the next slide without once looking at Coral.
But she raised her hand.
“Yes?”
“So, for those of us who have no inclination to settle down quite yet, how do we stand in the eyes of the partners?”
“This partner?” He smiled. Her eyes smiling back nearly captured him, and then he quickly looked away so that he was talking to everyone. “You are just fine. There are those who will of course be most pleased when you are at last settled down. But I made it this far without a steady girlfriend.” His gaze lingered on Coral for a brief moment and then asked the room at large, “Any questions?”
Jaden twirled her hair for a minute. “And how does the firm feel about inner office dating?”
“We don’t have a policy on dating per se but we have very strict no tolerance policies on sexual harassment and so you can imagine the two might at times relate.”
Rand moved through the slides. He got to one they used to test the associates. He thought it would be interesting to see how this group of associates measured up in their knowledge. “Coral. Read the following scenario out loud and tell us what you would recommend.”
She sat up taller and read the paragraph which dealt with specific construction law. The activity was meant to entrap the new associates and should have been given to a particularly arrogant hire. Rand didn’t know why he asked Coral, but he was interested to see what she would do.
“There are two specific laws that relate directly to this scenario but both are out of date and there are few precedents to show a better solution as of yet. I know of only one case that might affect this situation and it is years away from being tried if it will at all.” She leaned back. “If I were a judge trying such a case, I would have my opinions obviously, but I don’t have any law or precedent to go by as an associate.”
Bravo Coral. “Excellent. So if this client approached you with the problem, what would you suggest?”
“I would explain the legal implications and then tell him we were about to make history.”
Rand laughed at that. “Excellent.” Both Mel and Jaden narrowed their eyes. A surge of irritation cut off his smile. The care it was going to take to temper his reaction to Coral was tiresome. The whole situation was going to grate on him every day. And now he needed to over correct any glowing support he’d shared a moment ago. He pulled up the next slide. “However, for a first-year associate to think they can take on the creation of a new precedent, bringing it to the higher courts is just the kind of arrogance we don’t need to exhibit without partner consultation. While I think it would take nerve and a respectable amount of skills, it would not be advisable to make promises like that to the client.” He turned from her so that he wouldn’t have to see the crumpled face or the flash of hurt in her eyes.
“And what makes you think I wouldn’t have assembled a team?”
He turned back, surprised and impressed, but he kept his face blank. “Excuse me?”
“I wasn’t asked my plan of attack, just simply what I would advise the client, and I stand by my bold assertion. The other option in this case would be to turn them down or back away in semi defeat.” She shook her head, her eyes flashing, but not with hurt. “I’d assemble a team and given the scope of the client and the experience and talent in this firm, I’d want the following people on it. Ms. Taylor, Connor Smithson, Trey and myself.”
Rand noted the absence of himself, one of the leading experts on this topic. But before he could say anything further, she shook her head. “It’s time for a case like this to be tried. And Goldstein and Smithson has just the team in place to do it.”
He nodded.
Jaden clapped her hands and then Mel joined her.
So Rand dipped his head. “I know this all sounds really brave and bold and the kind of stuff you’d see in the movies, but we work hard here not to disappoint the client and part of that work involves not setting up unrealistic expectations.”
“Perhaps they might seem unrealistic to you, but I really think it’s feasible and therefore I advise saying what I did. I am not making empty promises, Rand, er, Mr. McCarthy. I’ve the homework to prove it.”
“And now is not the time to belabor this particular conversation. Thank you. For the majority of the situations, you will be partnered with someone who has a bit more experience and this scenario isn’t likely to show up on your docket.”
He clicked to the next slide, more than ready to move on.
“Then why bring it up in the first place?”
Jaden hissed quietly. The room felt tense. And Rand had had enough. He ignored her question. “For this next section, we’re going to be talking more about the team effort we try to create here at our firm. You will be partnered with another first year…” The words sounded boring even to him and as he worked through the orientation, he could feel the anger rolling off of Coral. She watched him the whole time, took no notes, and twiddled her pen in one hand while he finished.
When he shut down his laptop, he crossed his arms. “Excellent. You all have work to do, files already waiting your attention. If you have any questions, please ask the partner who takes lead on that specific case. Welcome to Goldstein and Smithson.” He picked up his laptop and left the room.