Limiting Liabilities: Book Two - The Martinique Files Read online

  “Well, I know it took a year but Tawny rarely ventures out anymore so I figured this was a good time to get to know each other again.” Jaclyn is not afraid to blame her workaholic roommate.

  “I’m not that bad,” Tawny protests as she takes another drink.

  “Yes, you are.” Jaclyn refuses to let her off the hook.

  “Tonight’s gonna be different.” Tawny dances around in a circle. “I’m so ready to let loose.”

  “Whoo hoo!” Dave, Steve and Jim cheer in unison.

  “It’s about time. You never leave the office unless you come home to sleep. You’re gonna die in that office, Tawny.” Dave is not going to let her forget her daily routine. Now all of them are ganging up on her.

  “Guilty as charged, I know,” Tawny concedes. “I’m going to make a change, I think.”

  “Tawny sent out resumes.” Jaclyn divulges her secret.

  “Jaclyn! You’re not supposed to tell,” Tawny chastises her.

  Jaclyn raises her hands up in jest. “Oh yeah, I forgot.”

  “Really? You’d leave Bartoletti, Simon and Fraid?” Dave’s amazed expression is telling. Being from a small town like Tawny, he selected a smaller firm with less high profile cases. He works hard but he still maintains a life outside of the office.

  “There’s a ton of work to do with one of the partners but he won’t let me work on his cases and my partner doesn’t have enough to keep both of us busy.” Rolling her eyes, Tawny reveals all. “She actually sent me home the last two days to relax. I can’t deal with that.”

  “That’s crazy.” Swigging his beer, Dave knows about her failed romance. “Billy won’t let you work his cases because you dated for what. . .a week?”

  “Pretty much. He’s back to being typical Billy Solomon. No women on his cases. The wildest part is that they’ve hired three interns for the summer. Can you believe it?” Tawny rants. “Billy has so much work the firm is going to hire him all this help and Rebecca sends me home.”

  “Are they all guys?” Dave wants to know what’s going on with his good friend. He has been interested in Tawny ever since they met during their first year of law school but has never asked her out on a real date. Up to now, she has preferred to remain just friends.

  “Of course and only Billy could get by with it.” Tawny finishes her margarita and hails the waiter over to get her another. All the others join her. “The firm has about twenty students clerking this summer and most of them are female so nobody said anything to him. Besides, our department didn’t have any clerks last summer. I clerked the summer before so I’m probably meeting the firm’s quota for women in environmental law.”

  “So if you leave, they have to get another female?” Blake inquires. He has also expressed interest in her but she is not giving him much attention.

  “Probably not. I don’t know.” She casts a look at the bar as if her next drink is already on its way. “I’ve heard rumors they’re looking for a lateral hire, someone from another firm with a little business and more experience than I have. They may even bring in another partner. For being such a huge law firm, we have a very small environmental law department. It’s crazy because we’ve got the best cases. Billy’s just got a lot of control.”

  “Can you talk to this Billy?” Jay gets in on the questioning. Tawny nixed his plans to leave the bar and come home with him the night they met and never returned his call. Feeling a bit awkward with him at the table, she does her best to combat her uneasiness. Another drink would certainly aid in the endeavor.

  “Billy’s just different. I made a huge mistake of letting him find out I sort’ve liked him. Actually, my mistake was liking him at all.” Her thick auburn hair cascades over her shoulders as she shakes her head. “He’s just got a lot of . . .something.”

  “He’s so hot. He’s rich and in control. Every girl’s dream and every girl’s nightmare,” Jaclyn chimes.

  “Which just goes to show how really stupid I was,” Tawny announces as her drink arrives. “But no more. I’m going to see if anyone wants to interview me and if I can get another good job I’m outta there. Now let’s talk about something else.”

  “I invited the two owners of my jewelry store and I think they just drove into the parking lot. Drew and Jake are really fun. You’ll like them.” Jaclyn strains from her chair to watch Drew Bergman’s black Jaguar roll into the drive.

  “Speaking of Billy Solomons, Drew could give him a run for his money.” Tawny knows that Jaclyn has a penchant for the sexy owner with the friendly personality.

  “Except that Drew is actually a nice guy,” Jaclyn remarks.

  “True. That is a huge difference. . .and benefit when you’re working for the men that all the ladies want. If Jake Bird wasn’t married with three kids he’d be a real catch.” Tawny has noticed both of her roommate’s bosses.

  As the two handsome men wander toward the table, they are greeted by the males with a handshake. Ten years older than the rest of the group, it does not take long for the jewelry tycoons to fit right in. Sitting next to Jaclyn, Jake praises her work. Apparently, she sold a fortune in jewels earlier in the day so they are celebrating with her.

  “How’s work, Tawny?” Drew brings up the bad subject without realizing she just closed it.

  “It’s not great but we’re not going to talk about our jobs tonight. We’re just going to have fun.” Drew takes the hint and changes the subject to sports.

  The group dines on every known Mexican dish, drinking and laughing the entire evening. When they start to get a little too loud, the waiter gives them a polite warning. After downing the rest of whatever they had left to drink, they leave the restaurant with Drew generously picking up the tab.

  “So it’s off to The Club?” Jim wants to make sure he does not miss the rest of the party.

  “Yep. Should we carpool?” Jaclyn wants to make sure no one slips away.

  “It’s like two blocks away,” Dave hassles her. “They kicked us out of the restaurant so we’ll just hog their parking spaces and walk down there.”

  “Not in these heels,” Tawny proclaims. She may be slightly drunk but she is not too far gone to realize she and Jaclyn will suffer the most.

  All the guys appear to look at each other at the same time and in one instant the two girls are lifted up into the arms of Dave and Jim. Excited they don’t have to walk, both women wrap their arms around their man and let them carry them down the road. A block later, Jim decides Tawny is getting heavy.

  “You ate too much. I don’t think I can carry you the entire way.”

  “Hey, you picked me up so you gotta get me there.” Tawny is not going to let him put her down.

  “Give her to me.” Drew cradles Tawny in his strong arms and she is pretty sure he is gonna be asking her to go home with him later. Only problem for him is that Tawny knows Jaclyn would be so hurt and she would never do that to a friend but she will let him carry her and flirt with her all night long, if that is his plan.

  Finally arriving at the night club, the boys pay the cover price for Drew, Jake and the two girls. Slipping inside, the party is in full swing.

  “Can’t believe you didn’t invite any other girls, Jaclyn,” Jim screams in her ear so she can hear him over the music.

  “And ruin it all? No way. Tawny and I like it just fine like this.”

  “I bet.” Unable to say any more, he just motions to her to follow him to the bar. In no time, the entire group is holding a drink of some kind or another in their hands. The crowded bar showcases just about every kind of person alive. Predominantly a younger crowd, there are a few old geezers trying to get some action by spending money on drinks for the smart girls who play them for their money then drop them once they find a guy to their liking. Or, if that doesn’t happen, then at least until they leave for the night.

  Blake finds a friend with a corner table and the group gathers around the available space. It is limited but when Tawny sets her purse down, Drew escorts her to the dancing fl
oor. Jaclyn and Eric follow soon after. The other guys find eager dancing partners and the whole group switches their pairings after each song.

  Drinking too much and dancing with every guy who asks, Tawny is having more fun tonight than she has since her undergraduate days. Settling into her serious side in law school, she has not let go like this in years.

  With Jaclyn, she winds up dancing on their table with too many guys egging them on. Drunk beyond her limits, she never notices the peering eyes from across the room.

  CHAPTER 2

  B illy sits in The Club with a few friends and the latest of Billy’s loves flaunting all over him. Ginger is the pretty dumb model type. But Billy is not paying any attention to Ginger. He is watching the young associate from his department living life to the fullest and he is not too pleased. She is too comfortable and that means trouble for him.

  Unfortunately, treating her like she barely exists these last several months has not changed his feelings for her. After their crazy case in Houston and then on the nightmare island of clones last year, he told her he had strong feelings for her. It was true but it wasn’t right. He is her manager, the head of her department. He cannot be dating the young associate he mentors. No one would respect him. He already lost some credibility when the other partners learned of their liaison, short and innocent as it turned out to be.

  Before their escapade last year, he truly treated her like dirt. He has come a long way since then but he could never do that to her again. After all, she did save his life. Coming back home and seeing her every day meant he had to have two relationships with her: one professional at work and the other very personal one after hours. He couldn’t do it at work so he ended it by becoming distant and even cheated on her with an old flame to finish it quickly and to take all the blame.

  But here she is living life as a twenty-five year old should. Men are falling all over her and she does not care, one of them being his childhood friend, Drew Bergman. She is young and unattached. Almost every one of those men would do anything to have her tonight. Except the one hanging so close to Jaclyn. He only has eyes for the short cute tomboy.

  As much as he wants to make an appearance in front of Tawny, Billy knows it will end badly for both of them. She is angry because he will not give her any work of his to do. No doubt she is upset how he ended their relationship. He was a jerk and she told him so. He cannot forget that night.

  Knowing Tawny would be working late he asked Gina, his standby sex buddy, to meet him at the office. She came and Tawny walked into Billy’s office and saw him holding her. As many of Billy’s schemes do, this one succeeds just as planned. Tawny simply walks back out of his office, heads to hers and packs up for the night. An hour after she got home, he landed on her doorstep, apologizing but saying he was confused about his feelings.

  She took no time to help him figure them out. Letting him know she must have been delusional to ever go out with him, he could have Gina, Ginger and all the rest because he would never have Tawny. In true Tawny fashion, she told him she would be at work the next day ready to work and nothing else.

  And she was. She never mentioned the night, the relationship, her feelings or anything else about the two of them. She went about her business and worked her tail off. He gave her a few projects so she would not report him to HR he told himself but he knew it was to keep her close. Then his cases became bigger and he was worried that if he involved her he might wind up in the same situation as last year where he had to work so closely to her. That would not set right with him or his fellow partners so he left her out.

  She did not like it because it kept her from the big cases and left her stuck with Rebecca’s grunt work. She did it but after a time demanded to be included in Billy’s work. Fortunately, he had something to give her. It was the beginning of a case she could handle herself. Except for her beauty, she is the most excellent type of associate to mentor. She does what she is asked but she is smart enough to take over and come for answers when she needs them.

  Billy planned to have Rebecca teach her everything she could and then steal Tawny away and give Rebecca a new rookie to do the endless research that first and second year associates are forced to do. That plan is not working and Billy can tell that Tawny is doing more than letting off a little steam dancing on the table with all the guys watching. Tawny has a plan of her own and Billy is worried what it might be.

  ~

  “Tawny, you’re so drunk you’ll sleep through tomorrow.” Drew is by her side.

  “But not in your bed, Drew.” She giggles as she sets him straight.

  “Not tonight anyway.” Drew is not going to seduce her in this current state.

  Tawny just smiles and falls onto Dave, who decides it is time for her and Jaclyn to go home. None of them are fit to drive so they grab taxis to take them.

  Tawny does not remember much after leaving the club. The next morning, however, she feels the effects of way too much alcohol. While she is hiding under the covers, Jaclyn is sound asleep after spending an hour puking when they got home.

  As Tawny tosses and turns, she suddenly jumps out from beneath the sheets and rushes to the foul-smelling bathroom and empties her stomach. Crawling back into bed, it is two o’clock in the afternoon before either girl is feeling well enough to shower.

  “I gotta get my car from the Mexican restaurant.” Jaclyn remembers she needs her vehicle to drive.

  “Wait an hour and I’ll drive you. The shower helped but I still feel wiped out. I can’t believe how much I drank,” Tawny confesses.

  “And that you came home. . .and alone.” The innuendo is simple but the tone is obvious.

  “I can’t help it he notices me.”

  “He’s my boss and I don’t need that drama.”

  “You’ll never have it.” Tawny will not hurt Jaclyn even though she knows her roommate has no shot at Drew.

  “I just wish. . .,” Jaclyn does not have to finish the sentence for Tawny to know what she is going to say but it is not always Tawny’s fault. Jaclyn invited the two men knowing full well that Tawny would be a lure for the one that she wanted. If Jaclyn wants Drew to notice her, she should keep Tawny out of the way. Sometimes Tawny wonders if Jaclyn sets it up just to make herself feel badly and bring Tawny in on the self-pity party.

  “Finish getting dressed and we’ll go get your car. I need some groceries anyway. I’ll drop you off and go shopping. Anything you need?” Changing the subject is usually the best idea when Jaclyn starts bemoaning her man troubles.

  “No. Eric paid a lot of attention to me last night.”

  “I noticed. Well, I noticed before I got so drunk. You liked him last year. Maybe give him a shot.”

  “Yeah, maybe.” Jaclyn hesitates for effect. “Did you see Billy there?”

  “What?” Shocked, Tawny cannot believe what Jaclyn just said.

  “Billy Solomon. You know your boss?”

  “He was there?” Her stomach begins to churn again.

  “With a really pretty girl. She was beautiful.” Now Jaclyn is just digging it in but Tawny does not care who he was with. She is only mortified that he saw her dancing on the table. To dismiss Jaclyn’s jab, she answers indifferently.

  “Well if he saw me drunk, I don’t even care. Hopefully he won’t be my boss for long. Hurry up and get ready.” Tawny returns to her bedroom.

  Convincing herself she is upset that Billy saw her completely unleashed, she is really more upset about him being with another girl. She has no reason to be. They broke up months ago and he made it clear he was dating and sleeping with every woman that moved. Still, it won’t leave her thoughts.

  If he was there later in the night he saw Drew with her and a man like Drew could make him jealous. Why does she want to make Billy jealous? To get back at him for how he treated her so badly? Hopefully, that is the answer because she certainly cannot have feelings for him. Could she?

  Jaclyn’s car was towed. The same was true for the guys. Dave called just as the
two girls were leaving the apartment and so instead of heading toward the restaurant, they head to the tow lot. Tawny splits the fee with Jaclyn and then drives to the grocery store.

  Dreading Monday morning, Tawny is certain she will be hearing from Billy today. Coming into work a little early, she resumes her normal posture and digs into the same work she had on Wednesday when she left for the long weekend.

  But Billy does not come by that day. She hears him in his office when she passes but he does not call her name or acknowledge her at all. She wonders if it is true that he saw her Friday night. Maybe Jaclyn did not really see him. She usually does not lie but this whole Drew thing is messing her up. Oh well, she can fake being busy awhile longer.

  Usually leaving at six o’clock or shortly thereafter, Tawny is basically watching the hands on the clock on her wall move. She has done everything possible with this case and there is just nothing more to do until she hears from the other side. Rebecca hardly spent any time with her and only asks for a quick answer that takes her forty minutes to over research. It is four-thirty and Tawny is tempted to leave.

  Tawny hears Rebecca close her office door and watches as she walks out, briefcase in hand. It is unusual for her to leave this early. In fact, it has been a really strange day all around. At one point she learned that Rebecca had been summoned into Billy’s office and they had a closed-door meeting, which is a rarity. Mark let her in on the news as she passed him going to the restroom.

  Nick and Mark are overloaded with work and do not have a spare minute so she does not know much unless they tell her. Linda used to give her the details but when she realized how closed-lip Tawny could be she decided it is not worth her effort. With Rebecca leaving early, Tawny could slip out in fifteen minutes or so.

  Watching the clock a bit longer, she then gathers her stuff and decides to risk leaving early. As she is contemplating her next move, Billy suddenly enters her office and closes the door.

  “Rebecca’s out on administrative leave. I need you to finish her work, if there is any.”