Chapter Seven #2
But then it struck Bree that maybe Tess’s new role added to their potential complications.
It had just escalated the possibility for workplace challenges, including the potential for the appearance of impropriety and general workplace dynamic problems the two of them could face if they ever pursued a romantic relationship.
How would the media spin Bree being assigned to preside over a high-profile case?
Or what if other judges thought Bree was getting preferential treatment?
Bree knew that consideration wouldn’t get past Tess either.
“You have no clue how I’ll do,” Tess said.
Bree wasn’t sure if Tess’s unsettled look was due to Bree’s arrival in her office or to the new leadership position Tess had just acquired. Maybe both.
“You’ll do fine.” Bree couldn’t keep herself from trying to soothe Tess, plus she’d told Tess that she was on her side, and Bree had no doubt that she was.
Tess would be an excellent presiding judge.
“As to what just happened back in that room, it feels like it deserves either reverence or trepidation. The hand of God or the wrath of Huffington.”
“Oh, not reverence. This was never in my plans.” Tess didn’t hesitate in her assessment.
“Well, watch your backside, Judge Fairchild.”
Tess suppressed a chuckle. Bree fought to shift her thoughts away from the recent memory of their Steam Stop teasing about Tess’s backside in the lounge. She cleared her throat and continued.
“Be careful,” Bree amended. “Huffington is pretty upset at his sudden loss of power.”
While Helene played a major role in the administration of courthouse duties such as administering the budget and setting up the court calendar with the random electronic assignment of court cases, it was under the oversight of the presiding judge.
The presiding judge had final say in much of the court’s administration, and that meant Huffington had just lost a great deal of clout.
“Huffington…I’d really like not to get shot again.” Tess touched the left side of the front of her shirt and bit her lower lip.
“My brother Hank told me about the shooting. They never caught anyone?” Bree asked.
“Nope. It happened one night when I was heading to my car after a full day. About eight o’clock and it was dark. The lot was empty except for some movement I detected, and then I don’t remember anything else. I’ve got no clue if I was the target or collateral damage to something else.”
“I noticed that Bernard, the security officer, was walking you out the other night, so I guess you’re taking precautions to stay safe.” Bree realized that mattered to her.
“Unless I’m hit by a flying pen launched at me.” There was a touch of humor in Tess’s tone.
“Well, I’ll head back to my office. I just wanted to congratulate you.” Then, because Bree’s traitorous body was still spouting off and desiring more from Tess, she reminded them both once again why she was there. “Newbie judge to newbie presiding judge.”
“Thanks. I’m in shock.”
“I’m not sure why,” Bree said. “I can certainly see a four to three vote with this group, and I’m new here. Don’t tell me you can’t see that too.” She hoped Tess knew how she’d voted—definitely not for Huffington.
Tess sat for a moment, as if she was deciding if she should proceed. Then she did. “Helene announced I won with four votes.”
“And? Four out of seven is a majority.”
Tess shook her head and looked at the open door. “Could you close it, please?”
Bree raised her eyebrows but did as Tess had requested.
“I put an X on my ballot,” Tess quietly confessed.
“You didn’t vote for yourself?” Bree could hear the incredulity in her voice.
Then she focused on what Tess had just said.
What it might mean besides the fact that Tess wasn’t power hungry, nothing like Huffington.
Bree had faith that Tess would take on the job not for herself, but to serve them all.
“So that leaves six of us with votes, and it wasn’t three to three. It must have been four to two, then.” Bree paused and reflected.
“Four to two, so who were the two?” Tess cocked a brow.
“I don’t see Callie voting for Huffington after nominating me, and I have a feeling Eric was pleased with the outcome.
Huffington undoubtedly voted for himself, so that leaves either Vera or Alan casting the second vote for him since he only received two votes.
” Tess met Bree’s gaze directly. “Unless you were the one who joined Huffington’s vote.
” Her tone revealed she didn’t believe Bree had supported Huffington.
“Nope. I’m guilty of voting for you.” Bree offered her a smile, and she saw Tess’s eyes brighten.
“I’m not sure if I should thank you or be furious that you helped put me in this position.” Tess bit her lower lip and shook her head in a display of disapproval as she clearly fought a smile of her own.
“Well, I’d better go. Congratulations again.” Bree walked over and held onto the door handle so she didn’t walk over and kiss Tess. She wanted to twist the lock and put Tess in a much more compromising position. Instead, she nodded, opened the door, and quickly saw herself out.
Tess sat in her office after Bree had so hurriedly left and reflected.
She tried to shove aside the nagging desire she felt for Bree—that was going nowhere and she had other things to consider.
It was just starting to settle in that her professional life had taken a major shift.
She thought about what had just occurred with the vote, and she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Sometimes power didn’t come through blatant acquisition, it was dumped on you. Tess knew she was a good judge, and she didn’t want to compromise that as she struggled to try to redefine how she approached her life. She hoped that she was up for this new leadership development.
She looked across her office at the photo on her bookshelf.
There she stood in a black robe next to Alice.
It wasn’t her judge’s robe, but her UC Berkeley law school graduation robe.
It wasn’t who was in the photo, but who wasn’t there that always provoked her awareness of that hole in her heart.
Her parents hadn’t shown up. After all, she had only been second best in her class.
Tess could call Flo, but she decided to save Flo for later, when she wanted the easy teasing and laughing her friend provided with her advice. Right now, she needed the sounding board approach that Alice provided. She picked up the phone and selected Alice’s number.
“Hi, honey. You usually don’t call me at five o’clock. Everything okay? Anything I can do?”
“Yeah. How about lending an ear.” Just hearing her aunt’s voice offered Tess some solace.
How could a voice with so many of the same features as her mother’s—pitch, articulation, fluency, pronunciation—have almost the polar opposite effect on her?
It was because the tone, the volume, and especially the content were so different.
“Well, that’s my specialty, lending an ear,” Alice said. “The last time we talked, you hadn’t started back to work yet after your Tahoe break. And you’d met someone special that you insisted you had to leave there. But she’d reinforced your assessment that you’ve been hiding beneath that robe.”