Chapter 13
TOMáS
“Do you have Wi-Fi?”
“That convenient and necessary evil? Hell no. I have dial up like any good millennial.”
I feel my brows scrunch as I stare at Dante trying to figure out if he’s joking or not. “Seriously?”
He points over his shoulder to the sign on the wall I somehow missed, clearly labeled Wi-Fi password. “No,” he says with a laugh before he goes back to busying himself with what I assume is the usual prep work routine he has before the bar opens for lunch.
I open my laptop and connect to the internet so I can begin working.
The closing I had before coming to Hummingbird’s went smoothly.
Albeit it went that way because of the very necessary edits Sarina made to the closing documents.
Edits that shouldn’t have been needed in the first place, had I gotten my head out of my ass when drafting the documents.
Not that me being distracted this time of year is anything out of the ordinary.
It doesn’t seem to matter how many years have gone by, the weeks leading up to my dad’s birthday make the gaping hole losing him created in my life feel bigger. Grief is tricky like that.
It’s not until Dante snaps his fingers for my attention that I realize I’m sitting with my laptop open to the main screen, staring off into space, not getting any of the work I have piling up done.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love having you here, but why are you here?
” He points to his watch. “We don’t open for another hour, and it’s, whatever day it is.
” Letting out a long-winded sigh, he slouches on the bar top.
“I’ve lost count, ever since I started helping Gabriella with taking Luci to school a couple times a week. ”
My brows perk up. To an outsider looking in, it wouldn’t be much cause for curiosity hearing Dante helping his sister-in-law Gabriella out with his and Tino’s niece.
But I’m not an outsider. Gabriella grew up with us in Co-op city and despite her marrying Dante’s twin brother, Emilio, and giving birth to their daughter before he passed away, there has always been something between them that has been teetering the line between friendship and something more.
“That’s new,” I observe.
“Yeah, well, if her loser of a boyfriend Todd would step up. Actually. Fuck that, it’s better he doesn’t. I don’t like him being around my niece any more than he has to be. But that’s beside the point. Back to why you’re here.”
I slide my phone across the bar top, leaning over just enough that the face recognition can unlock it. “This.” I point to the open group chat.
Dante studies the screen for a beat. “I’m not following.”
I point to the only number in the chat that’s not saved with a contact name.
“That’s Sarina’s number. She’s your new Paralegal, right?”
Dropping my hands to the bar, I simply nod, feeling my jaw grow tighter by the second. “Temporary,” I correct him. As if that distinction makes a lick of difference.
Dante studies me for a moment. There must be a visible knot in my jaw at this point from how hard I’m clenching. “Okay, temporary Paralegal. Still, what am I missing?”
I don’t answer. I don’t know how to, which feels ridiculous because Dante is my friend, if I told him about how Sarina and I actually met, he wouldn’t judge. If anything, the only person judging me… is me.
“What am I missing?” he repeats.
Finally, words sift through my brain and make the trek to my mouth. “I didn’t know she is Lorena’s friend.”
“Okay.” He motions for me to continue.
“When I met her.”
“All right,” he drags. I can tell he’s not following. How can he? This conversation is the equivalent to pulling teeth. “I’m no attorney, but I think it’s safe to say that it’s not a big deal if your paralegal is your sister’s best friend.”
“I’m not too sure about that.”
He leans over the bar to pay my shoulder. “Oh, come on, don’t be so… you. It’s not like you fucked her.”
Dante flashes me a grin that when I don’t return gives me up in seconds.
“Oh shit.” He flips the baseball cap on his head backwards as if to help him concentrate better.
“Oh shit, is right.” I don’t bother correcting him.
I may not have fucked her, but we hooked up.
My head hangs between my hands. “I fucked up. Big time. Ever since the scandal that firm had a couple years back with one of the founder’s sons, they have a strict no fraternizing policy.
And that’s not even the worst of it. You remember that dick I had a meeting with, that made me fly out to Colorado just so he could have his business associate tell me in person he won’t be attending? ”
Dante nods.
“She’s his daughter.”
“Eek,” Dante murmurs.
“Yeah,” I huff. “It happened the night I went to Luxe, I–”
Flashes of that evening fill my memory. The mirrored room. The way she sat so perfectly on my face. How good she tasted. The memento I selfishly kept from that evening. The lacy memento.
Shit.
Panicked, I grab my phone, swiping like a madman through the group chat.
Please don’t still be there.
“Fuck!” I exclaim, dropping my phone, yet all I see is the G-string in the corner of my eye taunting me.
Dante picks up my phone.
“Give me it.” I try to reach for my phone, but he pulls back.
“Hold up, was that Sarina’s underwear?”
I scoff. “Underwear? You sound like an old man. It’s a G-string,” I correct him, not sure why that distinction matters.
“Whatever. That must have made for an interesting morning at the office today.”
“You have no idea.”
“Does Lo know?”
“Not unless Sarina told her, which I doubt.”
“Well, in that case, you’re free to work here as often as you need.”
“Thanks.”
“Hey, at least it’s temporary.”
“What is?”
“The paralegal position,” Dante reminds me.
“Right.”
Temporary.
Margaret is due back from maternity leave soon. Which means we don’t have to work together for that long. I should feel relieved, but for some reason that I can’t explain, I’m feeling the exact opposite.
From: Tomás Ramos
To: Sarina Tesoro
Subject: Apologies
Ms. Tesoro,
Sorry I missed you after the closing. I had to attend to other matters that required me to work out of the office before my other scheduled meeting in the boardroom. If you are done with the files you can head out for the day.
Tomás
From: Sarina Tesoro
To: Tomás Ramos
Subject: Re:Apologies
Sounds good. I just finished. See you tomorrow.
Sarina
From: Ralph Vize
To: Tomás Ramos
Subject: Office
Ramos,
Stop by my office.
From: Tomás Ramos
To: Ralph Vize
Subject: Re: Office
Be right there.
I barely get through the door and Ralph is diving right in. “I believe a thank-you is in order.”
“For?”
“Your new paralegal.”
I bring my palm to my forehead playing it off like I’m being absent-minded. If only he knew the half of it. “Yes, of course, thank you. It’s been a while, and with my caseload being what it is…”
“She’s Michael fucking Tesoro’s daughter.”
“Yes, I know.” Don’t remind me.
Ralph stares mystified, as if I’m supposed to pick up on information he hasn’t yet given.
“I don’t need to remind you how poorly Colorado went.”
“No, you don’t. It’s kind of difficult to deliver a proper pitch to a client when they refuse to show up to the meeting.”
Ralph waves his hand, brushing me off. “Who cares about that. Water under the bridge. Either way, after years of being in Colorado, Michael Tesoro is interested in expanding his business back in the city. Throughout the five boroughs to be exact. And since he’s in need of legal representation, I want him as a client. ”
“So you’ve made clear.”
“And I need you to do it.”
“You’ve also made that abundantly clear, but as I just said, he refused to give me the time of day in Colorado, what makes you think he will now? If you want him as a client so badly, talk to him yourself.”
His face grows stern and his voice becomes cold as ice. “That’s not how this works. While you may be a junior partner, I’m your superior. Not to mention a Vize.”
Fucking asshole.
“I realize Margaret comes back from maternity leave soon, so that doesn’t give us much time.
However, in the meantime I think it’s best for everyone if you leverage the new position you’ve found yourself in with Mr. Tesoro’s daughter and do what you need to do to make sure we secure him as a client.
There’s major money to be found in this. ”
If Ralph only knew the position, as he put it, that I’m in —and all the others I’ve already been in—with Sarina, I don’t think he’d be pushing this the way he is.
“You want me to use her.”
He shudders, rather dramatically. “Use is such an ugly term. Leverage, Ramos. Say it with me. Leverage.”
I don’t say it with him or mirror his enthusiasm. This situation is messy enough, I don’t need to add to it.
I hear what he’s saying, but at its core —what he’s asking me to do— I don’t feel comfortable with.
“We’ll get the deal,” I reassure him, needing to get him off my back.
“Good, because in case I haven’t made myself clear, you don’t have a choice.”
Except I do and using her isn’t one of them.
I refuse.