Chapter 2
Kourtney
“ W hat do you mean you quit?” Reggie, my best friend since college, asks.
Reggie and I met in law school. The second he looked over at me at the end of our first lecture and called our professor a grade-A bitch, I knew we were destined to be best friends.
He called as soon as I got in my car to head into the office. I was dreading going to pack up my stuff and to have a much-needed conversation with the partners, but I knew it had to be done.
In my drunken state last night, I sent off an email requesting an exit meeting with all the partners. My inebriation caused me to forget to leave Matthew off of the recipient list, so unfortunately, he would most likely be in the meeting where I planned to out him to his colleagues for the real reason I chose to leave.
“It means just that, Reg. I quit. You know it doesn’t take me much to sleep with a dude if I feel like it, but I sure as shit am not going to fuck my boss just to get ahead.” I flip off a Mustang that cuts me off while pulling onto the highway. “ Even if I did find him attractive, I’m not that shallow.”
He lets out a huff. “I know, babe. I just hate this for you. You had so much potential at Moore, Watson, and Dunn.”
“If it were up to me by the end of today, it would be Moore and Dunn. No more Saggy-balls Watson.”
Reggie makes a gagging noise, causing me to chuckle. “That was a visual I could go my whole life without, Kourt. Thanks.”
“I’m just saying. You’ve seen all the unsolicited dick pics Ben sent me. He was fifteen years younger than Matt! Can you only imagine his old big brother?”
“I could go my entire life without imagining that, thank you.”
“If I had to picture it, so do you.”
“Jesus.”
I appreciate the banter with my friend, and it somewhat settles the nerves I have going into the office today.
“Thanks, Reg.”
Reggie scoffs. “Ew. Don’t do that.”
“What? Thank you for being a good friend?”
“Get all fucking sappy on me. I know I’m a good friend. The best, actually.”
I roll my eyes at his over-inflated ego. No doubt overinflated by his husband, who thinks he hung the moon and wrote the stars. “Yeah, yeah.”
It’s Reggie’s turn to go serious for a minute when he clears his throat. “In all seriousness, good luck. Call me as soon as you leave. Let me know how it goes.”
“Who’s the fucking sap now?”
Reggie cackles before hanging up just as I pull into the underground parking lot.
I pass Rosinda, who wears a confused expression as she spies me exiting the SUV before I make my way to my office. Along the way, I get odd glances and curious stares from other junior lawyers as well as some of the assistants.
Emma’s eyes widen as soon as they land on me. She quickly ushers me into my office and shuts the door behind me.
“What the hell is going on? Why is everyone staring?”
“You didn’t hear? Oh God,” Emma says, and all of a sudden, she looks nauseated and clammy. “Oh no.”
“What the hell is going on, Emma?”
She bites her lip, fiddling with her daisy necklace, when her frightened eyes meet mine. Just as she opens her mouth to speak, my office door flies open, and a smug-faced Matthew walks in, followed by a perplexed Stan and a disgusted Gary.
“I thought we’d have the meeting in the boardroom?” I say, not really sure how to read the room. This pisses me the fuck off since I am normally the one that is able to control a room in the blink of an eye.
“I don’t think a meeting is needed, Ms. Walker.”
I can feel my forehead crinkle in confusion. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I think you made the right decision to give us your notice. There is no tolerance for soliciting one's body for a promotion within this practice.”
My brows fly to my hairline, and I stumble backward. “Soliciting one's body?”
“The fact that you offered up sexual favors to Matthew to persuade him into pushing you for promotion will not be tolerated. And frankly, word of this will put a very large damper on you practicing law within the Phoenix area. Don’t expect words of recommendation from any of us, that's for sure.” Stan blows my fucking mind with every single word uttered out of his beard-covered mouth.
Red-hot dread pools low in my belly. The floor feels as if it’s being swept out from under me. I’m in the twilight zone as the words he says register in my brain.
“This is bullshit!” is the only thing I’m able to get out of my mouth. I turn to Emma who has tears tracking down her cheeks as if she is the one being blamed for doing this. “I didn’t do that! He did.” I point to Matthew, who, for the briefest second, loses his Cheshire smile before hardening his features once again into a timid smile.
“This type of behavior is unacceptable. You’re lucky Matthew isn’t going to HR and starting his own sexual assault case against you.”
“What!” I scream. I turn to my desk and quickly fumble to grab whatever items I want to take with me. Fuck the rest. I stomp over to the bookshelf and rip my framed degree out of the hutch. “Fuck you, Stan. And fuck you, Gary.” I turn to Matthew and level my gaze at him. “And fuck you right too, Matthew. You will get what’s coming to you in the face of fucking karma for thinking that it’s okay to offer a promotion to a woman if she has sex with you like blackmail . Now, I know I’m not a ‘partner’, but even a little lawyer like me knows that it’s fucking illegal. ”
I turn back to a slack-jawed Stan and Gary and shake my head. “And shame on you two for believing every word this sexist pig says. Why the fuck would I offer to sleep with him? If I wanted to sleep with someone to ensure a promotion, don’t you think I’d come to, oh, I don’t know , you, Stan? God, men are fucking stupid.”
I’m blinded by rage as I flip the chair that sits opposite my desk in anger. “When you realize that Matthew, not me, is the sleazy one in this situation, don’t fucking call me. And also, have fun finding someone that will put in as many hours and take on as many cases as I did.”
I don’t turn back as I stomp out of the office, Emma hot on my heels. She quickly grabs her purse from under her desk. As I get to the elevator, I turn on my heels to face everyone, lifting both middle fingers as a parting gesture. All I see as the elevator doors close is an entire office of wide eyes and gaping jaws.
As soon as the elevator doors close, I start to panic. “Holy shit. I shouldn’t have done that.”
In the smallest voice possible, Emma whispers, “I think I’m in love with you.”
Her comment causes me to crack up laughing. She giggles with me and then takes a deep breath. “For real, though. I don’t believe a word they said.”
I turn to her and see the sincerity in her eyes. “Thank you.”
“They called an emergency meeting this morning and went on and on about how sexual solicitation for anything in the workplace is not tolerated and will get you blacklisted from practicing law. They ruined your name.”
“How far has it reached?” I ask quietly.
“You know how big of a pull Mr. Moore has.”
Fuck. She’s right. Stan’s brother is the most respected judge in the Phoenix area. I’m totally screwed.
Once we reach the underground lot, I turn to Emma. “You didn’t have to walk out with me. You most likely can’t go back there.”
“Like you said yesterday, fuck this place.” My eyes widen at Emma’s language. This girl never curses.
I reach out and hug her. “Thank you.”
“My dad always taught me to stand up for the things I believe in. I believe in you.”
The corner of my mouth lifts in a grin. “Can I buy you breakfast as a thank you?”
She shakes her head. “No, that’s okay. Just give me a job whenever you get on your feet.”
“Deal.” I give her one more hug before heading towards my Range Rover.
As soon as I’m closed in the safety of my SUV, I let the tears that have been threatening to fall loose. Once they start, I can’t seem to make them stop.
My phone blares out through the empty cab as a call comes in.
The screen on my center console displays Reggie’s name, and I answer it with Bluetooth.
“Hello?” I answer shakily.
“Why are you crying?” he replies, his defensive tone spikes immediately.
“Reggie, I’m fucked.” Through heaving sobs, I try my best to arecite the entire scene from my office.
“Kourt, I can’t understand you when you’re crying, babe. You have to calm down.”
I take a deep, shaky breath before repeating myself in a much calmer voice.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” he shouts. “I’m going to come up there and kick every one of their old fucking asses.”
“It’s no use, Reg. Stan’s brother is Walt Moore.”
“ Shit,” Reggie breathes.
“Yeah.”
I sniffle again, picking at my still-chipped thumbnail. “What am I gonna do, Reg?”
“Shit, babe. I don’t know.”
My bottom lip trembles. “I think I’m going to see my parents for a bit.”
“Does Papa Walker know?”
“No, and I honestly don’t think I’m going to tell them.”
“The fuck, Kourt? How the fuck are you not going to tell them? If you can’t practice law, I think they’ll notice.”
I flinch at the truth in his words.
“Why don’t you come visit me? The guest room is finally done with the remodel. Come here for a few days before you make any rash decisions. I know Owen would love to see you.”
“I do miss Owen’s cooking.” Reggie’s husband, Owen, is the best cook I’d ever met. He went to school to be a professional chef until an unfortunate accident with a knife left him unable to work with the speed needed in the culinary world.
Reggie and Owen recently moved back to Owen’s hometown, a small town a few hours north of here.
“When can I come?” I ask, not recognizing my own small voice.
“I’ll have Owen put fresh sheets on the guest bed now.”
“I’m on my way.”
“Atta girl. See ya soon, babe.”