Falling for the Lawyer - By Anna Clifton Page 0,11
stood on end as she wondered what he already knew about her, apart from the fact she was the most indiscreet employee of the firm.
At that point a young lawyer up the front of the room asked a question.
“I’ve been asked what the criteria will be for deciding who will lose their job,” JP began again. “I should say I haven’t made any decisions about anyone losing their job but I’ve found in firms of this size there are always a few who are determined to continue to do things their own way and not mine. Those people may as well start to look for alternative employment. What I’m looking for is dedication, loyalty and teamwork. I’m looking for people who believe in me and what I’m going to do here. If you’re all those things you’ll have nothing to fear but be warned, I can pick those who are not on my team at a thousand paces.”
Alex was dizzy. Lowering herself into a nearby chair she wondered whether she should just shuffle out of her office and the building right then and there. What kind of future could she possibly have at Griffen Murphy? If her conversation with JP that morning was not evidence of a lack of dedication, loyalty and teamwork then nothing was. She probably wouldn’t even last the day once he caught sight of her.
“Anyway,” JP continued, “I hope you leave this room with the view that my arrival here is a great opportunity for the development of your professional careers. I’m sorry I’ve had to start my role here on this negative note but I was disturbed by the information I received this morning about your perceptions of me. I’ve been accused of many things in my time but I don’t think anyone has ever accused me of being unfair. However I’m going to have to leave things there for now as I was due in a meeting five minutes ago.”
JP was swallowed up by a crowd of people as he made his way out of the conference room.
Alex wished she could be swallowed up too, preferably never to be seen again. Her new boss had felt compelled to call a meeting with the whole of his litigation team and all because she’d blabbed her head off to a perfect stranger an hour ago. She’d undermined his first day and his expectations of their loyalty to him. He wasn’t sure who he could trust and it was all because of her.
Alex sat motionless as her colleagues milled about her. They were chatting in hushed tones about JP’s first meeting and the portent of his words. ‘The jury’s still out,’ they murmured amongst themselves. ‘No one can be sure whether jobs are at risk or not. He doesn’t seem to be suggesting indiscriminate sackings of staff, only those not pulling their weight, or those who are not team players. That doesn’t seem unfair but can he be relied upon to stick to it?’
As the conversations died away and people moved out of the room Alex rose reluctantly to her feet. She wandered out to her desk where she sat down heavily in her chair and threw her head down on her folded arms and groaned.
Was it actually possible her day could get any worse?
But then Alex sensed she wasn’t alone in her workstation. A quiver rippled down her spine. She lifted her head a little to see a strong male hand resting on the desk next to her arm. She could feel breath in her hair and smell the fresh scent of male deodorant. It was disturbingly familiar.
Alex turned her head ever so slightly to try and confirm her fears were not being realised but before she could take her companion in with her eyes, her ears were already confirming the worst.
“Nice outfit, Alex Farrer.”
Alex stopped breathing. By the time she’d started again JP McKenzie had vanished.
Chapter Three
“Come on, Alex,” Sophie ordered. “Let’s go and have a glass of wine. We’ve definitely earned it today.”
Alex was typing furiously, so immersed in the task before her that she gaped at her friend for a few seconds before she was able to gather her thoughts and respond.
“Is it time to go?” Alex asked in disbelief.
“’Fraid so,” Sophie nodded in mock irony. “I know it’s a wrench to leave this place but you’ve simply got to go home sometime.”
Alex was staggered. Somehow she’d managed to get through the day after all, and although the spectre of JP McKenzie’s return