Happy Wednesday!
Thank you SO MUCH for all your reviews!
Usual disclaimer applies - I still don't own any of it. I just like to play with the characters ;-)
Team Momo wouldn't exist without Midnight Cougar and Alice's White Rabbit with their red pens, or without AGoodWitch, Driving Edward, Mel, Maplestyle, and Eternally Addicted who pre-read and tell me if I'm off my rocker or not. They also were nominated in the TFFA so remember to send them some love!
A few of you raised good questions in reviews, so I thought I'd address them here for everyone's benefit:
1. When I tell you something about a character, for example that Laurent is definitively in the rearview mirror and you can rest easy on that score, please do believe me. Otherwise I wouldn't give away my game. So, no surprises coming up from that corner of the world. You should worry when I DON'T tell you something for certain ;-)
2. Laurent and his wife were at the same restaurant not because they were part of the corporate event, but because the firm simply hadn't rented out the entire place. It was one of those unfortunate coincidences.
3. And no, the new hire won't automatically be a partner, but we're about to find out more about this mystery person.
4. Edward's place in the firm is safe. He is a partner. Getting rid of a partner at a law firm is a long, pain-in-the-butt process.
5. Bella is being told ahead of time about the new hire because she is in marketing. She needs to prepare for this person's arrival: from business cards to a bio page on the firm's website, from organizing their official photo portrait to getting information about the new hire's track record and clients, etc. etc. Bella also needs to disseminate the news to industry publications, prepare a press release ... all these pesky PR things that need to be done ahead of time and need to go out on day 1.
I think that covers it.
Reminder on chapters: unless indicated, odd-numbered chapters are in EPOV, even-numbered ones are in BPOV. We're back with Edward today.
Chapter 17 - EPOV
"I didn't know they'd made a decision yet," I confessed to Bella in a rushed whisper.
"Yeah, well. Sounds like they have. I still don't get why Alistair would want to warn me about it."
Trying to dispel the ten shades of consternation on my face wasn't easy. The name Bella had just unleashed on me spelled all kinds of murky memories. The timing wasn't ideal either, late on a Monday morning, since the two of us were due in Rosalie's office presently for our HR meeting.
Her assistant ushered us in with an amiable gesture, and Rosalie welcomed us with a knowing smile. "Good morning, you two. Fancy seeing you here."
"We're here on business, Ro. At least, pretend you don't know," Bella chided her.
"Yeah, yeah. Now, this is where I turn business-like. Edward, please wait outside while I review the paperwork with Bella. I'll call you when we're done. Bells, step inside."
For the entire ten-minute span it took them to do whatever our HR rules required, I remained locked in a spiral of anxiety. First, I thought Rosalie would give Bella a hard time of it and convince her that our relationship would only hinder her career. In the next nightmare scenario, Bella changed her mind and asked Rosalie to trash the disclosure forms. Then I started thinking that while HR abided by rules of conduct and wouldn't announce my relationship with Bella from the rooftops, the usual culprits of office gossip weren't bound by the same rules. We'd be a top subject on Radio Water Cooler for the foreseeable future, just as Rebecca Black-Whiteley barreled her way back into my life after more than fifteen years.
My very first question was how in the ever-loving fuck had she been hired at CCM Legal to fill in for Liam and me? Who were her references? And who the hell had thought it was a good idea to hire her?
"Edward? I'm ready for you, if you are," Rosalie announced with a smile.
Bella walked out of her office, a smile of her own in place, and stepped closer to me. "Are you all right? You seemed stressed a second ago." She kept a professional, no-touch behavior around me, and although it was the perfectly acceptable and appropriate thing to do, I craved her touch and the comfort she'd provide.
"Just pensive. Wish me luck," I replied, hoping she wouldn't pick up on my actual dilemma.
She chuckled. "Rose doesn't bite. Unless Emmett asks, that is."
The wholly inappropriate quip and my resulting laugh melted my nerves away. "Thank you, love. Wait for me, please? We'll go for coffee afterward."
She nodded and took a seat beside Rose's assistant.
With a deep breath, I followed Rosalie inside her office where I took a seat before she even offered.
"By all means, make yourself comfortable, Edward." She had mischief in her eyes, but no reproach. "And relax, for goodness' sake. This isn't the Spanish Inquisition."
"No? So why the separate interrogations?"
She raised a blonde, perfectly groomed eyebrow at me. "You know better than that, counselor. We have policies for a reason, and my job is to comply with them even when the subject of a disclosure is my best friend. Now, let me do my part, will you?"
Having no intelligent comeback to that, I nodded.
"This is all for our records. It all goes to protect the firm's tush from legal harm, but you know that better than I do. Isabella Swan has disclosed she is in a relationship with you. Is that correct?"
"Yes," I replied. Despite my attempt, I was unable to school my proud smile into a neutral expression.
"Is the relationship consensual?"
I huffed but replied. "Yes."
"When did the relationship start?"
"Less than a month ago." I knew the exact date and time, but that information was only for Bella and me. Our beginning was ours alone.
"Have you ever been solely responsible for Isabella's performance evaluations, salary increases, promotions, bonuses?"
"No. I'm not her direct supervisor; Alistair is. But you …"
Now it was Rosalie's turn to huff. "Yes, I know. But I need your verbal confirmation on each question."
I nodded and motioned for her to proceed. She rattled off a series of other questions, and I provided the expected answers. It was all logical, boiler-plate verbiage that covered the firm's legal ass in case anything went pear-shaped. Everything was designed to ensure my work interactions with Bella would be at arm's length in the future.
"The statement you are about to sign sets out all the legal ramifications of this disclosure. You both agree to notify the firm if the relationship ends, and specifically, you will abstain from participating in any process that affects the evaluation of Isabella's performance, salary review, promotions, or career development."
"I'm familiar with these policy documents." I received the paperwork from Rosalie's hands and signed my name on the required dotted lines.
"This makes y'all official. Congratulations. Now behave and, whatever you do, don't sue the firm," she added with a wink.
"Thank you, Rosalie, for being so prompt and professional."
She dismissed me with a wave and leaned back in her executive chair. "Yes, yes, I'm marvelous. Now, as a … friend, can I say something else?"
I shrugged, unsure where the question would lead. "Sure."
"What's the hoity-toity Ms. Black-Whiteley like? Could she be a threat to Bella?"
The insinuation made me blanch, along with the surprise that Rose was already aware of the latest hire—but it made sense. HR would be notified ahead of any hire, let alone a high-profile one like Rebecca, who'd be one step below a partner.
"Not if I can help it." But I still wondered what Rebecca had said or implied that would prompt Rosalie's suspicion in the first place.
"Good answer. Now take my friend for a coffee and explain to her who the bitch is, yes?"
Baffled and speechless, I took my leave of Rose as thoughts of what I'd tell Bella next swirled through my mind.
They're HR official!
And we do know a few things more about the new hire ... Dun, dun, dun ...
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See you all on Saturday!