Page 21 of EverGreene
I nodded, clenching my jaw so tightly I was beginning to think it would lock in place permanently. “Well, then, I guess the choice has been made for me. I’ll start packing my bags.”
Loche smiled at me, a smile that told me he knew he’d won and was basking in the glow of his victory.
“Are you sure, Loche?” Conrad interceded. “No offense to Ever. She does good work, but I’ve personally witnessed Kim handle the intense pressures of trial fabulously.”
Shelby and I shared a glance at each other. It was no secret among the firm that Kim and Conrad were having an affair, which was why I didn’t take as much offense as I should have to his blunt proclamation. Still, it was frustrating that my skills weren’t being assessed by my work product but by the fact that I wasn’t the one being bent over Conrad Harrison’s desk.
Loche, however, was outraged for the both of us, gripping the mahogany table so tightly I thought he was going to splinter the wood when he stood up, towering over his uncle. “With all due respect, Mr. Harrison, you gave me this task, and I feel like I assembled the best people for the jobs they’ve been assigned to handle. Ever works her ass off. She’s here all thetime, always taking on extra work, including work from Kim when she’s otherwise indisposed, and she cares about the clients and the work she does. In my humble opinion, she’s the best paralegal this firm has.”
My mouth dropped while every head seated at the table turned to look at me, equally as surprised as I was.
“A passionate one, isn’t he?” Conrad said, letting out a chuckle to mask the storm that was forming inside him, evident by the rosy hue that had crept across his face. An attempt to diffuse the tension. Nervous laughter from a few of the others made its way around the table. “You’re absolutely right, nephew. I did give you this assignment, and I’m sure you wouldn’t let me down.”
“Great to hear we’re on the same page, Uncle. Now, maybe apologize to Ever.”
“Oh, shit,” Shelby whispered my sentiments exactly.
“That’s—that’s really, uh, not necessary.” I glared at Loche, never wanting to disappear from somewhere more than I did right then.
“I’m sure Ever knows she’s a valued employee here.” Conrad’s rosy hue had deepened into a shade just shy of stop sign on the Pantone color scale.
“I mean, in the event she doesn’t, though.” Loche persisted. If he wasn’t double-fisting the edge of the table, I would have sworn he would have already thrown hands.
Conrad stared his nephew down in a show of silent dominance. More measured than his younger protégé, he wouldn’t be whipping out his metaphorical dick in front of the entire firm. Any retribution he would levy against Loche would happen behind closed doors, most likely sooner rather than later.
“Ever.” Conrad’s voice startled me, commanding my attention back to him. “I’m sorry if I offended you. I didn’t mean todemean your performance, which I’ve always been told has been exemplary.”
“No worries.”
No worries? Jesus Christ, Ever, go to jail. Go directly to jail. Do not pass go; do not collect $200.
“See? No worries from Ever. Now let’s get this meeting back on track so people can return to their lives, shall we?”
“What in theholy hell was that?” I demanded, storming into our office behind Loche.
“A thank you would suffice,” Loche said, tossing his notepad down on his desk and turning around to face me, his defined arms crossed in front of him.
“I’m not thanking you for giving me a one-way ticket to your shit show.” I closed the door, trying my best to keep my voice low enough to avoid attracting any more attention than we already had. “You know, you could have asked me whether I was fine with essentially giving up my life for a couple of weeks to camp out at a hotel for work.”
“What exactly are you giving up? Nights alone, sitting in front of the TV, watching reruns ofBuffy the Vampire Slayerwhile eating a still partially frozen TV dinner?”
Damn. He wasn’t far off.
“No. I’ll have you know that just because I don’t have kids or a husband, I do have someone who depends on me. In fact, my absence would devastate him.”
Loche cocked his head to the side, inviting me to elaborate. For fuck sake, why did he have to be this attractive?
“Vincent van Slow, my turtle. I can’t just leave him.”
The corners of his mouth tugged upwards into a smile. “Vincent van Slow?” He laughed.
“He’s a painted turtle. It seemed appropriate.”
“Indeed. Bring him with us.” Loche shrugged as though lugging an entire ass aquarium was no big deal. To him, it probably wasn’t. Hell, he could probably haul a dozen of them one-handed like Popeye after a can of spinach.
“I’m not hauling him to a hotel, not to mention I’m pretty sure he has PTSD at the sight of cars.”
“Do you have anyone who can feed him?”
