Page 81 of Dial L for Lawyer
I race home, throwing on jeans and a sweater so I don’t have to explain why I’m wearing Caleb’s clothes, and make it to the coffee shop with two minutes to spare.
Maya's already there, looking polished in expensive workout clothes, her smile bright enough to power the block. A new designer bag sits beside her.
"Serena! You look amazing!" She pulls me into a hug that lasts a beat too long. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm... managing." I settle into my chair, studying her. New highlights definitely. New bag. New energy. "You said you had news?"
"I'm leaving Luminous." She says it like she's announcing a pregnancy, all barely contained excitement.
"What? Why?"
"After what they did to you?" She shakes her head, perfectly blown-out hair swishing. "I can't work for people who'd throw you under the bus after everything you've done. Especially someone who mentored and taught me everything I know."
I blink at her, stunned by the loyalty. "You were next in line. You could have taken my job."
"I don't care. It's poisoned now. Besides, I'm on to bigger and brighter things." Her eyes light up as she leans in conspiratorially. "I got a job offer. Better title, better money, better everything."
"That's amazing. Where?"
"I can't say yet." She bites her lip in that practiced way that probably drives men crazy. "Legal stuff, NDAs, you know how it is. But once I'm settled and this whole mess with your accusation is cleared up, I'll definitely bring you in."
"My accusation?"
"Sorry, the accusation against you. God, that came out wrong." She reaches across the table to squeeze my hand. Her nails are new too—gel manicure, perfectly shaped. "I knowyou're innocent, Serena. Anyone who knows you knows you'd never sell out Luminous."
"Thanks. That means a lot."
"Us girls have to stick together, right?" Her smile is so sincere it makes my teeth hurt. "Especially in this industry. It's beauty, but it's still so male-dominated. We need to look out for each other."
"Right."
She glances at her phone. "Shit, I have to run. Moving boxes won't pack themselves! I just wanted to see you one last time before I go. Say thanks for everything. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be doing this right now."
"You're welcome, I guess?"
She stands up and gives me another too-long hug, practically crushing me against her.
"Take care of yourself, OK? And don't worry—everything's going to work out. I have a feeling."
She's gone before I can respond, leaving me with the weird sensation of being hugged by a bear that learned its moves from a self-help seminar. Too much touching, too much eye contact, too much... everything.
Something feels off. Maya Bolton doesn't quit jobs. She collects promotions like trophies. And since when did she hug? Before my suspension, the most she’d touched me was that time she fixed my collar before a presentation. And she used a pen to do it.
I stand there for a full minute, fidgeting with my cup, trying to process the change. Is Maya for real? She's never been anything but ambitious, but did she just walk away from her dream job because of what happened to me? And what about this new job? If there's an NDA, then maybe her new gig is with a competitor trying to poach Luminous staff? Maybe she's the one orchestrating the leaks and this job is her reward? The paranoiareturns, icy and sharp, but I tamp it down. She seemed genuine. Maybe it's possible to have one work friend in a cutthroat industry who isn't secretly out to get you.
I head back to Caleb's apartment, the afterglow of coffee and whiplash loyalty making me feel both untouchable and paper-thin. But once I enter his building, getting up to the penthouse becomes its own adventure.
"I'm sorry, miss, but I can't just let you up," the doorman says, polite but firm. "Security protocol."
"I was here this morning. With Mr. Kingsley. I just stepped out for coffee."
"I understand, but without Mr. Kingsley present or prior authorization..."
"OK. I'll call him and he can tell you himself." I pull out my phone but he holds up his hand.
"No need, miss. I'll call him myself."
He disappears into his desk phone, murmuring quietly. After a few minutes, he hangs up and hands me a key card.
