Page 62 of Pride & Precedents

This guy is a piece of work.Curious heads pop out from cubicles and nearby offices, eager to catch wind of anything salacious.

"Are you seriously bringing up nonsense that happened over a decade ago?" I ask. I feel nothing like the visceral reaction I had when Naomi confronted me last week. All I feel now is relief to be done with both of them for good.

"You made this bed yourself, Tanner. Now you're gonna lie in it."

I nod to the men behind him and strong hands band around Tanner's upper arms.

"You're gonna pay for this, Henry!" Tanner yells back as security tugs him towards the elevators. "You can't hide behind these rent-a-cops forever."

I scoff at that. Hewisheshe could take me.

When security has him in the elevator and the doors close behind them, the office is at a standstill. No one is bothering to avert their eyes from the scene that unfolded.

At the back of the crowd, Mr. Bannister and Mr. Banks catch my eye, motioning for me to follow them.Fuck. After all that, I may have just lost my job and any opportunity to come clean about Camila. Maybe it's for the best.

"Thank you for coming, Henry," Mr. Banks says as he takes a seat next to Mr. Bannister and Mr. Smith.

As if I had a choice. I sit at the round table in the conference room reserved for partners for the second time in a week. This cannot be good.

"It has come to our attention," Mr. Smith begins, "that you are taking part in an inappropriate relationship with your paralegal, Ms. Camila Sanchez."

The floor beneath me vanishes in an instant. After days of tossing and turning, pretending I didn't know Camila was right about coming clean, and convincing myself we were being careful enough, I'm out of time. They know.Somehow…they know.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Mr. Banks demands when I've stayed silent too long. I clear my throat.

"A few weeks ago," I begin hesitantly, "Ms. Sanchez and I began a casual relationship outside of the office."Except that one time in the file room."It has not impacted either of our work, and the relationship does not violate any published firm policies."

Stony expressions stare back at me.

"It may not be explicitly written, Mr. Park," Mr. Banks fumes, "but you of all people know that certain rules, rules meant to preserve decorum and prevent unnecessary conflict, are implied."

"Do you plan to continue seeing Ms. Sanchez, knowing interoffice relationships are discouraged?" Mr. Bannister asks. His voice is even, his expression thoughtful.

If she'll have me.Implying that what we have is insignificant hardly helped things. Neither did suggesting we continue seeing each other in secret, considering all the women I've openly dated in the past. After the best sex of my life and an amazing weekend together, I choked at the first sign of trouble. No wonder she's not texting me back.

"I don't know," I answer honestly. Mr Banks and Mr. Smith frown.

"If youdidchoose to continue your relationship," Mr. Bannister says, "we would, of course, have to reassign Ms. Sanchez to support another attorney."

My stomach drops. I was afraid of that. But, if it means I can keep seeing her…

"I understand."

"Well, I certainly don't," Mr. Smith harrumphs. "You've put in years at this firm, Henry. Top earner six years in a row, and already in the running this year too. Why on earth would you jeopardize that for a…aflingwith your paralegal?"

Before I can answer, Mr. Bannister cuts in.

"You're right, Sean. Henry's given us years of stellar service. And, as he mentioned, his relationship with Ms. Sanchez is not against any policies."

"Well, it damn well should be, Bill! This kind of behavior—"

"Is sometimes unavoidable, Sean," Mr. Bannister cuts in. "You know as well as I do that things can anddohappen over long hours in close quarters. We can hardly punish Henry if he didn't break any rules, anyway."

Mr. Smith looks outraged, red-faced and shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"A three-month suspension without pay," Mr. Banks suggests. Mr. Smith looks like he's about to explode.

"Suspension? Henry should be fired!"

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