passion… Don’t go there. “This weekend, yes. I’m free,”
she managed to say.
“Good. We’ll schedule a two-day bonding camp for this weekend.” He wrote in the appointment book, finishing with a flourish. Closing the book, he smiled at her. “My secretary will give you the particulars on your way out. I look forward to seeing you this weekend, Lauren.” He stood and extended his right hand.
She stood and shook his hand. “You’ll be at the bonding camp, then?” she asked, noting the warmth of his palm before she released his hand.
“Of course. I make it a point to get to know the associates I hire.”
“I’m hired?” A tickle of excitement threaded through her veins.
“We’ll attend bonding camp this weekend, and you’ll begin your career here at Cane, Moss, and White the following Monday morning if all goes well.” He tilted his head again, his gaze dropping to her lips, then back to her eyes. “I don’t doubt it will go well.”
If all goes well. The statement gave her an odd sense of foreboding. Shake it off, girl. Just think of bonding camp as an extended interview.
She stopped at the secretary’s desk and picked up a booklet titled Cane, Moss, and White ~ Bonding Camp Agenda and made her way to the elevator. She pushed the down button and bit the inside of her Bonding Camp
11
lip to keep from impatiently tapping her foot. When the doors opened, she nearly bolted through them into the elevator. Thankfully, it was empty and she didn’t have to deal with fake smiles and nods of people you meet in the elevators. She punched the lobby button once, twice.
The doors closed, and the elevator began its descent.
How was she going to get through this weekend? How was she going to get through the next two days worrying about this weekend?
She flipped open the booklet. Okay, so she had to be ready to be picked up at eight a.m. Saturday morning at her residence. Today was Wednesday. She had two days to prepare herself. What to pack?
Where was it held? Who else would be there besides herself and Justice Cane? A hundred questions flitted through her mind.
She closed the booklet, closed her eyes, and heaved a cleansing sigh. She reminded herself again that, no matter what, it was going to be worth it. It would all be worth it in the end.
* * * *
Justice sat at his desk and gazed at the closed door of his office.
The woman was striking.
It was the only word that came to mind when he thought of Lauren Brooke. She was tall, slim, and well, striking. She would be pure intimidating elegance in the courtroom. After reading her resume, Justice knew she would be an asset to the firm. True, she was older than most lawyers fresh from taking the boards, but at twenty-nine, she projected experience even though she didn’t have any to speak of.
He relaxed back in his chair, picked up a pen from the desktop, and absently tapped it on the blotter. Lauren had conveyed a professional attitude during the interview, but she seemed a bit…inhibited. She gave him the impression of being closed off and private with her emotions.
12
Christelle Mirin
Possibly bonding camp would open her up and show her getting to know people could open doors and create new possibilities. He hoped so. Though they were proud of their portrayal of distinction at the firm, they were also closely tied to each other in their business lives and their personal ones. Friends, and even some lovers, but all who worked at Cane, Moss, and White thought of the firm as their family as well as their livelihood.
He would like to add Lauren to the family and get to know her…intimately.
Bonding camp this weekend would show him whether she could open up enough to allow him to. And if she would open up to him, maybe she would open up to the other partners also. But then…he may want to just keep her to himself.
This weekend would tell.
Bonding Camp
13
Chapter Two
Lauren stood at her bedroom window, looking down on the street in
she managed to say.
“Good. We’ll schedule a two-day bonding camp for this weekend.” He wrote in the appointment book, finishing with a flourish. Closing the book, he smiled at her. “My secretary will give you the particulars on your way out. I look forward to seeing you this weekend, Lauren.” He stood and extended his right hand.
She stood and shook his hand. “You’ll be at the bonding camp, then?” she asked, noting the warmth of his palm before she released his hand.
“Of course. I make it a point to get to know the associates I hire.”
“I’m hired?” A tickle of excitement threaded through her veins.
“We’ll attend bonding camp this weekend, and you’ll begin your career here at Cane, Moss, and White the following Monday morning if all goes well.” He tilted his head again, his gaze dropping to her lips, then back to her eyes. “I don’t doubt it will go well.”
If all goes well. The statement gave her an odd sense of foreboding. Shake it off, girl. Just think of bonding camp as an extended interview.
She stopped at the secretary’s desk and picked up a booklet titled Cane, Moss, and White ~ Bonding Camp Agenda and made her way to the elevator. She pushed the down button and bit the inside of her Bonding Camp
11
lip to keep from impatiently tapping her foot. When the doors opened, she nearly bolted through them into the elevator. Thankfully, it was empty and she didn’t have to deal with fake smiles and nods of people you meet in the elevators. She punched the lobby button once, twice.
The doors closed, and the elevator began its descent.
How was she going to get through this weekend? How was she going to get through the next two days worrying about this weekend?
She flipped open the booklet. Okay, so she had to be ready to be picked up at eight a.m. Saturday morning at her residence. Today was Wednesday. She had two days to prepare herself. What to pack?
Where was it held? Who else would be there besides herself and Justice Cane? A hundred questions flitted through her mind.
She closed the booklet, closed her eyes, and heaved a cleansing sigh. She reminded herself again that, no matter what, it was going to be worth it. It would all be worth it in the end.
* * * *
Justice sat at his desk and gazed at the closed door of his office.
The woman was striking.
It was the only word that came to mind when he thought of Lauren Brooke. She was tall, slim, and well, striking. She would be pure intimidating elegance in the courtroom. After reading her resume, Justice knew she would be an asset to the firm. True, she was older than most lawyers fresh from taking the boards, but at twenty-nine, she projected experience even though she didn’t have any to speak of.
He relaxed back in his chair, picked up a pen from the desktop, and absently tapped it on the blotter. Lauren had conveyed a professional attitude during the interview, but she seemed a bit…inhibited. She gave him the impression of being closed off and private with her emotions.
12
Christelle Mirin
Possibly bonding camp would open her up and show her getting to know people could open doors and create new possibilities. He hoped so. Though they were proud of their portrayal of distinction at the firm, they were also closely tied to each other in their business lives and their personal ones. Friends, and even some lovers, but all who worked at Cane, Moss, and White thought of the firm as their family as well as their livelihood.
He would like to add Lauren to the family and get to know her…intimately.
Bonding camp this weekend would show him whether she could open up enough to allow him to. And if she would open up to him, maybe she would open up to the other partners also. But then…he may want to just keep her to himself.
This weekend would tell.
Bonding Camp
13
Chapter Two
Lauren stood at her bedroom window, looking down on the street in
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