Chapter 4
My office door flies open without a single, even half-respectful knock.
Glancing away from my computer screen, I scowl. Spencer’s face is always incredibly punchable, but today, I think it might be kickable, too. Especially when he lifts his bushy brows expectantly and waves at me, like I’ve offended him by not inviting him in already.
I pinch my lips shut and continue to stare at him, letting my inner wrath flare a bit wilder in my gaze. My face muscles don’t so much as twitch while I mentally crack his square glasses in half and chuck them out my office window.
Spencer’s handsome, sure, but his spoiled-milk personality curdled any chance of me being physically attracted to him years ago.
I’d rather hump a cactus naked than entertain the idea of willingly getting closer than necessary to him.
Even purposefully bumping into his shoulder each time I pass him is enough to have me fighting a retch.
Wearing his usual pressed grey slacks and a matching dress shirt cuffed at the wrists, he stares right back at me, nostrils flaring.
I blink once, and he repeats the motion, egging me on.
He’s never won a glaring contest with me, so when he finally breaks a minute later, clearing his throat, I smile smugly.
“I knew I forgot to lay salt outside my door this morning.”
A scowl forms on his face. “You also forgot to let the bird out of the nest it’s made in your hair.”
“At least I have hair. You know there are clinics that specialize in hair growth, right?” I run the oval tip of my manicured nail along my hairline.
“Funny. Not all of us are making junior partner salary and have thousands to burn.”
I jut my bottom lip out. “I think you’ve had enough time to sit and marinate in your jealousy, Spencer. You need to move on, sweetie.”
“I’ll move on when you admit that I should have been the one to get it!”
“You have bigger problems to worry about than a promotion. Speaking of, did you forget your lifted soles this morning? You’re looking a bit . . . short today.”
He curls his lip at me when he sneers, “You’re such a bitch, Aubrey.”
“What about it?”
Looking back at my computer, I continue drafting my email and wait for him to turn away and leave.
The click-clack of my custom pink keyboard fills the office as I wait, eyeing the time on the corner of my screen.
Two minutes pass before I hear him scuff his glossy shoes across the floor and clear his throat.
“There’s a rumour going around the office.”
I exhale slowly, jaw cramping. “And what is that?”
“That you walked out on a date the other night. Word has it that the guy spent an hour after your disappearance cursing your name at the bar.”
“And that matters, why? Jealous I could get a date in the first place, while you remain alone? What are they calling it now? The male loneliness epidemic?”
I keep my expression blank as I think back to whether or not I had recognized anyone from the office at the restaurant. Nobody comes to mind, but then again, I wasn’t paying much attention to anything around me.
“You know the annual charity gala is coming up, don’t you? Surely, Rowena has been on your ass about making sure you’re ready to represent the firm as the newest junior partner,” he says, a sick sense of humour growing in his tone.
I’ve attended several of these galas, but yes, this one is different, I’ll give him that.
Last year, I wasn’t a junior partner. When I introduced myself to clients and met new faces who haven’t ever needed our legal help before, it was as a senior associate.
There’s more pressure on me this year. I couldn’t be more aware of that.
“I’m still not understanding how this has anything to do with my dating life. Are you looking for some sort of advice from me regarding yours, Spencer?”
“No!” he barks, his nose crinkling. “I’m trying to tell you that it may look better if you weren’t about to make your partnership debut with such a . . . disappointing reputation. Nobody likes a successful woman who’s the centre of workplace drama.”
That grabs my attention. Slowly, I slide my eyes from the computer and stab them into Spencer. He’s far too proud of himself right now, and that just won’t do. I straighten in my chair and wet my lips.
“You’re right about one thing. Nobody likes a success woman at.
All. And that’s exactly why I’m a junior partner and you’re not.
I’ve worked ten times as hard to get here as you have, and I’m not going to stop.
Not now, or later, when you’re introducing yourself as a lawyer at Aldridge, Clarke, Shaw, and Merrick.
Get used to being beneath me, Spencer. It’s the only time you’ll get the chance. ”
His face deepens in colour, painting him a concerning shade of red as he jabs his hands into his pockets and leans forward on his toes.
“Don’t deflect with your feminist bullshit.
You’re a walking red flag, Aubrey, and it won’t be long before everyone else here finally sees that.
Your dating life is only the first sign of how unbearable you truly are to those you spend time with. ”
“Your choice of insults is boring. I’ve heard them all before.”
They still fucking burn, though. Yet I don’t let him see the effect they have on me, refusing to give him any sort of reaction. He’ll only feed on it like a parasite.
“It would be a real shame if those rumours continued to be fed. Imagine the looks you’ll get when one of your bitter dates shows up here and makes a scene?
Or, even worse, appears at the gala. Since you don’t have a boyfriend, I imagine that it would be hard for our highest-paying clients not to grow a bit .
. . embarrassed by the drama you bring—”
“Who said I don’t have a boyfriend?”
Fuck.
Spencer pauses, letting my interruption sink in. His response is exactly what I expect it to be.
“Then who was the man pitching a fit the other night? Reed told me explicitly that she heard him claim a date ditched him.”
Reed, huh? I file that for later, needing to focus on not currently screwing myself even harder. Quick on my feet, I manage an excuse fast enough to play it off as the truth.
“A client. He wasn’t referring to me as his date, but a woman he’d met the night prior.
They slept together, and he woke up to find his wallet and valuables missing, along with a half-assed marriage certificate.
I informed him that I wasn’t the right lawyer for him and excused myself to deal with something more important.
Whatever he was blabbing on about didn’t involve me, but thank you for sharing who in this office finds it acceptable to spread gossip about a lawyer who holds much, much more power than she does. ”
Somehow, he turns an even darker shade of red. “That slipped.”
“It doesn’t matter. I know who it was now, and I’m done discussing my personal life with you, Spencer. You can see yourself out.”
“Not so fast,” he rushes out, taking three well-measured steps toward my desk. “Who are you dating?”
“I just told you I was finished talking about that. Do you need a lesson on boundaries in addition to respecting women?”
“If you’re lying, I’m going to be the one to unravel it in front of the entire office,” he hisses.
I’m too smart to call his bluff outright. “For what? Do you think Victor is going to use your petty vengeance as reason to fight for your promotion and strip me of mine?”
“Perhaps. Or I could just want to sit back and watch as you’re made out to be an embarrassment.”
“Get the fuck out of my office.”
“Fine. I look forward to seeing this boyfriend, though. I’m sure you’re just so in love with him that you’re chomping at the bit to bring him around prior to the gala. Surely, you want to introduce your man to your mentor.”
I lick my teeth before repeating myself one last time. “Get. Out.”
“Have a good day, Aubrey,” he all but purrs as he finally spins on his heels and stalks out of my office.
My door remains open once he’s out of sight, and before I know it, I’m out of my seat and sailing toward it. With a grit of my teeth, I shut it as hard as I can without drawing attention.
I’m in trouble now, but I refuse to lose my head. I’ve never cracked under pressure, and Spencer will not be responsible for driving me there.
I refuse to let that happen.
I’ve officially hit rock bottom.
That’s what I told myself a thousand times while opening Tinder for the first time in six months and starting to swipe.
And truthfully, it didn’t start off too badly.
The men were attractive in their own ways, and I won’t deny that seeing an immediate match every time I swiped right wasn’t the least bit flattering. Then, everything went up in flames.
Message after message began popping up, sending my phone into a frenzy and my mind running to catch up.
Each one seemed to get worse, somehow encapsulating everything I’ve grown to hate about men and then some.
There were pleas for pictures, hookups, and even one guy who asked if I had ever thought of charging money for videos of me dressing my feet up in frilly, used panties.
Just when I thought all hope was lost, there was one match left who I thought could be decent enough company.
It was a bit of a stretch, considering his opening line was “You, me, a tall glass of wine and a kiss under the stars.” Still, I was scraping the bottom of the barrel here, and he icked me out the least.
That’s the only reason I’m here, entertaining a date after a day from hell.
I will give him points for choosing a restaurant with a beautiful view.
The sun is setting low on the horizon, painting the harbour a soft mix of orange, pink, and purple.
Seagulls cry over the low, sultry music floating around the table, helping to loosen my stiff muscles.
Even when I look up from my thin menu to the man across from me, it’s hard to feel utterly repulsed while being somewhere so peaceful.
“Have you chosen what you’re going to order?” Jay asks, already trumping my last date with his lack of robo-voice.
“I think so. The rib-eye looks good.”
I prepare for his response, expecting a frown or judgmental quirk of a brow. Neither comes. Instead, he smiles, and—wait. Those are dimples in his cheeks. I can’t help but grin back, scooting my chair a bit closer to the table now that I’m not debating taking off before our drinks arrive.
“I was thinking about ordering that as well. I’m glad you’re not thinking about a salad. I like a woman who can eat.”
My head falls back before I can stop it as I choke on a disappointed groan. It was going so much better than usual. Joke’s on me. Again.
Relax, Aubrey. One strike isn’t the end of the world. There are two more.
Readjusting my posture, I tuck the loose pieces of hair I left out of my bun behind my ears. “So, what do you do for work?”
“I’m in sales.”
“What kind?”
“The successful kind, baby.”
Breathe.
I turn my head when a small hand sets my martini on the table in front of me. Smiling at the same woman who sat us a few minutes ago, I snag my glass. She darts off without another word, making me frown before taking a larger-than-necessary drink of the martini.
“I don’t like being bothered while I’m out for dinner. There’s nothing worse than wait staff that can’t take a hint when we want to be left alone,” Jay answers my unasked question.
“I see.”
“I’ll let the waitress know to come back soon enough. Until then . . . I recall you mentioning being a lawyer on your profile.”
Setting my drink down, I nod, inwardly chastising myself for not deleting that tidbit. “I am.”
“That’s incredible. I was actually hoping I could ask you a question about something.”
“Regarding?”
Suddenly, I can’t stop looking at the patch of hair on his jaw that isn’t as hairy as the rest of it.
Or the hairs between his eyebrows that look unplucked, giving him a bit of a unibrow.
The top button of his shirt is in the wrong hole, which has led to the rest of them being off, leading to where I know the hem is uneven.
There’s a bulge in the right side of his suit jacket that has me wondering if he’s a smoker.
I’m getting sidetracked. The same road I always seem to take on dates like this has me debating just standing and leaving right now before I can find another flaw, but I keep my ass planted in my seat. Tonight, I will not be a judgmental bitch.
No, I’m going to be understanding. Patient, even.
Take that, Spencer.
“Before I ask, do you mind if I just . . .” He trails off when he slips a hand into his suit jacket and pulls out a giant vape.
I blink at the size of it, not expecting him to shove it into his mouth and inhale like he’s gasping for air.
“That’s better. I’m so sorry. I’m just nervous, you know? This helps me mellow.”
His exhaled breath is heavy with the scent of weed, and I have to lean back to get away from it, curving uncomfortably over the back of my chair. The skunk smell lingers, sticking to the air I breathe in despite how far away I’m pushing away from him.
“Do you mind?” I ask sharply, my patience vanishing.
“Mind what? Do you smoke?” He extends the chrome vape to me and smiles. “You’re welcome to take a hit, sweetheart. I didn’t take you for a smoker.”
Fuck my life ten times over, universe.
“No. I meant, do you mind not blowing your smoke in my face? I’d prefer not to go home smelling like a dead skunk.”
His eyes widen slightly at my outburst. “Oh. Sorry, I didn’t know you’d be so sensitive about a bit of pot.”
“And that, sweetheart, was your third strike. I believe that means you’re out.”
“Jay? What are you doing here?”
And somehow, he’s about to get his fourth.
The woman who approaches us in the same uniform as every other server here has a blinding set of diamond wedding rings on her finger. And by the green hue to Jay’s skin as he stares over at her, it’s clear that I’m right to assume he’s the one responsible for putting them there.
I’m completely doomed.