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“Even at home.”
“Even at home.”
“Do you want to get away for a bit? We can go up to my family cabin in the woods. There’s no one around, it’s on a dirt road, and there’s no way paparazzi could find you.” I grin. “And since you finished the album, you deserve to celebrate with a couple of days off.”
“Let’s do that. It sounds amazing.”
“I’ll set it up,” I say and give him a kiss. “I just have to explain myself at work first.”
Jules’s expression turns worried. “I wish there were something I could do to help.”
“Thanks.” Even though there’s a leaden lump in the pit of my stomach, I also feel like I’m doing the right thing, both for myself and for my work. While I’m sure there’s going to be fallout, I know my time at this office is short-lived.
And I think I’m okay with that.
CHAPTER33
Sam
“What’s this about you recusing yourself? What ethical issue?” Terrill demands, storming into my office ten minutes before we’re supposed to meet.
It’s the morning after sexy time with Julian Hill. A morning of cold, hard reality after a night of my dreams.
I’d been staring out the window. From my vantage point thirty stories up, I’d seen a helicopter land on a rooftop below me. I’d wondered if it could take me away when it leaves.
“It’s exactly what I said in my message. Going forward, I can’t work on any Lighthouse Records matters involving Julian Hill, because I’ve developed a conflict of interest.”
Terrill’s eyes narrow. “How so?”
“It’s confidential.”
He rolls his eyes. “I understand confidentiality. Unlike you, apparently.”
“Hey,” I protest. “I understand the rules. That’s why I’m recusing myself.”
“What’s the conflict?”
I bite my lip. “Confidentially.”
He raises his hands in the air. “Confidentially.”
Swallowing thickly, I square my shoulders and look at him. “Julian Hill is my boyfriend. I’m in a relationship with him.”
To my surprise, Terrill seems unconcerned. “The album’s delivered, right? Where’s the issue?”
“If the label has some other concern with him in the future, I can’t work on it.”
“Fair enough.” Terrill’s expression turns approving, though in a way that turns my stomach. “I never knew you had it in you,” he says in admiration. “Sleeping with someone to get them to cooperate. I’ve underestimated you.”
“No!” My outburst surprises even me. “It wasn’t like that. Not at all. We waited until he had turned in the album,” I trail off, realizing that making excuses sounds bad. As if I could prove it, anyway.
Terrill holds up his hands. “I don’t care what happened, and I certainly don’t want any details. We’ll block you electronically from any files relating to Julian Hill, and I’ll let the client rep know another attorney will be taking over for you.” He scrubs his face. “I’m not sure if I should say ‘What the hell’ or ‘Good job,’ Sam. I guess I can’t argue with results. You got him to finish the album, which is what the client wanted.”
I nod, wanting him to leave.
I’ve got another thing to fix, and I’d rather do it in person, so I text Kurt to meet at his house—he works from home—on my lunch hour.
* * *
