Jack quickly calculated his profit sharing for the quarter and whistled
under his breath when he got an approximate. It was almost too easy.
Things were really improving between Jennifer and him.
His brain told him not to screw that up. The organ in the center of his
chest wasn’t so sure, but he was thinking that his brain should start
taking command of his life. It wasn’t that their relationship had
changed. It was only that his expectation of that relationship had. Was
that a compromise on his part? Probably. But who said you could manage
to get through life without compromise. Kate Whitney had tried and look
what it had gotten her.
He phoned Jennifer’s office, but she wasn’t there. Gone for the day. He
checked his watch. Five-thirty. When she wasn’t traveling, Jennifer
Baldwin rarely left the office before eight. Jack looked at his
calendar. She was in town the whole week. When he had tried her from the
airport last night there had been no answer either. He hoped nothing was
wrong.
As he was contemplating leaving and heading over to her house, Dan
Kirksen popped his head in.
“Could I trouble you for a minute, Jack?”
Jack hesitated. The little man and his bow ties irritated Jack, and he
knew exactly why. Deferential as hell, Kirksen would have treated Jack
like a piece of manure had he not controlled millions in business. On
top of that, Jack knew that Kirksen desperately wanted to treat him like
a piece of shit anyway, and he hoped to accomplish that goal one day.
“I was thinking about heading out. I’ve been hitting it pretty heavy
lately.”
“I know.” Kirksen smiled. “The whole firm’s been talking about it. Sandy
better watch out-by all accounts Walter Sullivan is very enamored with
you.”
Jack smiled to himself. Lord was the only person whom Kirksen wanted to
kick in the ass more than Jack. Lord with out Sullivan would be
vulnerable. Jack could read all those thoughts as they passed behind the
spectacles of the firm’s managing partner.
“I don’t think Sandy has anything to worry about.”
“Of course not. It’ll just take a few minutes. Conference room number
one.” Kirksen disappeared as quickly as he had appeared.
What the hell was all this about? Jack wondered. He grabbed his coat
and walked down the hallway. As he passed a couple of fellow associates
in the hallway, they gave him sidelong glances that only increased his
puzzlement.
The sliding doors to the conference room were closed, which was unusual
unless something was going on inside.
Jack slid back one of the thick doors. The dark room confronting him
exploded into bright light, and Jack looked on in amazement as the party
came into focus. The banner on the far wall said it all: CONGRATULATIONS
PARTNER!
Lord presided over the lavish affair of drinks and an expensive, catered
spread. Jennifer was there, along with her father and mother.
“I am so proud of you, sweetie.” She had already consumed several drinks
and her soft eyes and gentle caresses told Jack things would only get
better later that night.
“Well, we can thank your dad for this partnership-”
“Uh-uh, lover. If you weren’t doing a good job, Daddy would cut you
loose in a New York minute. Give yourself some credit. You think Sandy
Lord and Walter Sullivan are easy to please? Honey, you pleased Walter
Sullivan, stunned him even, and there’s only a handful of attorneys who
have ever done that.”
Jack swallowed the rest of his drink and contemplated that statement. It
sounded plausible. He had scored big with Sullivan, and who was to say
Ransomed Baldwin wouldn’t have taken his business elsewhere if Jack
hadn’t been up to the task?
“Maybe you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right, Jack. If this firm were a football team, you’d be
MVP or rookie of the year, maybe both.”
Jennifer took another drink and slid her arm around Jack’s waist.
“And on top of that, you can now afford to support me in the lifestyle
I’ve grown accustomed to.” She pinched his arm.
“Grown accustomed to. Rightly Try, from birth.” They stole a quick kiss.
“You’d better mingle, superstar.” She pushed him away and went in search