“I’m doing the right thing for once, and don’t you dare try to talk me out of it.”
Pushing back his chair, Perry stands and faces his brother. They stare at each other for a long, tense moment. Finally, Perry wraps his brother in a back-thumping hug. “Thank you.”
“Love you, brother,” he murmurs before disconnecting. Scrubbing a hand through his hair, he holds his arms out wide. “Well, should we eat?”
Perry blinks several times. “I’ll find us some plates.” I track his movements as he crosses the room to one of the far cabinets, squats down, and rummages in its depths.
I feel Devin’s eyes on me, and I quickly pick up my phone and pretend to check my email, heart thudding.
Despite the cluster of a situation I landed myself in tonight, I can’t help thinking about the last surprise I have up my sleeve—a backup to the backup, of sorts. I could tell Perry and Devin what I’m planning, but right now it feels safer to keep it close to my chest. I don’t think I can handle giving or receiving any more surprises.
Besides, if I’m being honest, I’d rather see the look on Perry’s face when he discovers what I have in store for Blooms & Baubles.
And boy, is he going to be surprised… in the best possible way.
The lobby is several degrees warmer than usual with all the summer associates plus another dozen or so attorneys milling around, and I unbutton my jacket. Glenn called us all here at noon to announce the time and location of tomorrow’s August Social, and it’s already ten minutes past the hour. He sure does love to wind us up.
One of the other summer associates, Bradley, elbows me in the arm. “Where do you think it’s going to be?”
Drumming my fingers against my thigh, I shrug. “My money’s on an escape room.” The idea of locking us all up together and requiring us to use our wits to get out seems exactly like the fun sort of “game” Glenn would enjoy. “Either that, or a casino night downtown.”
I overheard one of the other summer associates talking about how he suggested happy hour at Jack’s casino for our final social, which honestly doesn’t sound so bad. At least a casino night would be likely to start later in the day, closer to five or six, versus an escape room, which feels more like an afternoon activity—and would therefore cut into my festival time.
The elevators on the far side of the lobby open, and a hush falls over the crowded lobby as Glenn Boone steps out. Wobbling over to stand in front of the reception desk, Glenn clears his throat. “Hello, everyone,” he begins. “I’m sure you’re all anxious to know where we’re going tomorrow for our last summer associate social. Thank you for blocking such a wide time frame on your calendars, by the way. Until yesterday I was considering two possibilities, and after discussing it with the other partners this morning, I’ve made a decision.”
General murmurs filter through the lobby.
“Casino night. Please say casino night,” Bradley chants under his breath.
Glenn pumps his arms for silence. “But before I reveal the surprise, I promised a gift to the person who made the winning suggestion.” He pauses for dramatic effect. “Andréa Miller, come on up.”
A smattering of applause accompanies Andréa’s clacking heels as she strides over to Glenn. He pulls a small, flat box from the inside of his suit and holds it out to her. Grinning, she takes it from him, opens the lid, and holds the box up for all to see. Inside, what looks like a very fancy pen winks in the overhead lights.
“Would you like to tell them where we’re going tomorrow, Andréa?” Glenn asks her.
“Absolutely. But first, I have a confession. The idea I submitted for the social wasn’t originally mine. One of our summer associates told me about it earlier this week. I thought it sounded perfect, so without her mentioning it to me, I never would have shared it with you. So, Glenn, if it’s all right with you, I’d like her to have the prize.”
Glenn’s jowls wobble as he nods slowly. “How magnanimous. Which summer associate can we thank then?”
“Mercedes Trowbridge,” she announces. “Come on up, Mercedes.”
Mercedes’s smile is blinding when she reaches Andréa and Glenn, and I force myself to clap along with the rest of our colleagues as she takes the pen from Andréa. When her gaze drifts to me, rather than her usual smirk or extra show of teeth, her shoulders tense and her smile falters. My spine prickles with unease.
“Don’t keep us in suspense, Andréa. Where are we going?” Frank calls genially, and several of the other attorneys laugh.