Page 23 of Pride & Precedents

"This better be good, guys. Maya and I were just about to—"

Adam breaks off abruptly, and Cory and Noah both laugh knowingly. Even I crack a smile. Ever since Adam popped the question to Maya, they've been joined at the hip. Disappearing upstairs at every family dinner. Coming back downstairs with inside-out clothes and missing buttons. It's so sweet I could vomit.

"Anyway," Adam says awkwardly.

"So why did you call this Council of the Bros, Noah? I gotta be back at work in ten minutes." Cory's always been one to cut straight to the point.

"Junior here made out with his hot paralegal and now he's worried she's going to call HR on him," Noah responds.

Cory's laugh fills the line.

"PerfectHenry, Jr. broke a cardinal rule of the bachelor pact? You pushed 'don't shit where you eat' more than any of us, man. How ironic."

"Seems to me like he was trying to keep exactly this from happening," Adam teases. I am not amused.

"Look, guys. You can make fun of me later. Right now, I need to know what to do. She basically ran out of here with just a text on her way out the door. I don't even know if she's coming back in tomorrow."

Adam whistles.

"Damn. She sounds pretty mad. You sure all you did was make out?"

I hear Adam's phone jostle before Maya's warm voice comes on the line.

"Hey, boys."

"Hello, Maya," we all chorus in response.

"What's this I hear about 'making out'?"

"Apparently Henry, Jr. made out with his assistant," Adam offers from beside Maya. She must have switched to speaker phone.

"Wow. 'Mr. Straight and Narrow' is breaking the rules, huh? Be careful. First you kiss your assistant and next you'll be turning to a life of crime." I can hear the humor in her voice.

Et tu, Brute?Just for that, she and Adam are only getting a set of dish towels from their registry.

"Camila's not my assistant; she's my paralegal," I explain. If I'm welcoming my entire family into my personal life, they should at least have the facts straight. "We had a few too many drinks celebrating with Noah and kissed a little. No big deal."

From Maya's squeal, I can tell she's making it a big deal.

"Ooh! Making out with the boss. That is so hot."

"Maya, babe. Please don't use the word 'hot' in any context that includes my brother."

"Oh stop, Adam. I'm just saying, interoffice romances can be pretty…" She chooses her next words carefully. "Appealing. At least for some."

"'Appealing' is definitely not the word I would use for something that opens me up to a sexual harassment lawsuit."

"Oh, boo!" Cory shouts into the phone.

"Do you really think she would do that, Henry?" Maya asks. Thank Godsomeoneon this call has a little compassion.

"Honestly, I don't know. But it was a stupid mistake. Even if she doesn't call HR, it's probably going to impact our work dynamic."

"Boo!" Cory shouts again, louder this time.

"You've worked with this woman for what? Five years?"Six, but who's counting?"I doubt she's going to narc on you after a little kiss. She probably already thought about it before it happened." Cory might be a bit of a dick, but he's making sense. Has Camila wanted to get together this whole time?

"Man, this is getting good, but do you think you guys can wrap this call up in the next ten minutes? I'm under a tight deadline for some bridesmaid totes, and I really need Adam's help with the silk screen."

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