“Mr. Kirkland brought in a new hire. Partner level, like you. And he’s hot. Like not my kind of pro basketball player hot, but like hot in a suit,” Imani said in a rush. Murray Kirkland was, for all intents and purposes, no longer practicing. He had started the firm and watched over his empire of attorneys here in New York while Kevin Hendrix ran the Charleston office. Nowadays, Murray was more interested in expanding to new markets than practicing law. Not that focusing on business wasn’t good. He was a good boss and had been a terrific mentor to her. He was in his early seventies and now usually left the hiring up to the other partners or HR.
“Am I not a hot man in a suit?” Eric asked as he looked down at his black suit with white shirt and black tie.
“You’re a silver fox and you know it. Your wife knows it, too. I’ve seen all those kids you have and that smile on her face,” Imani said before turning back to Olivia. “But the new hot lawyer says you two know each other.”
“Who is he?” Olivia asked as Eric sent a text to his wife telling her she was lucky to be married to a silver fox.
“Don’t know. He just flashed a smile when I introduced myself as your assistant and said, ‘I’m looking forward to seeing her again,’” Imani said in her best male imitation.
“I didn’t know we were hiring,” Olivia said as she waved good-bye to Eric and promised him she’d see him within an hour.
“No one did. Apparently, he comes with a big client. They’re waiting to surprise you with the announcement, but I know how you feel about surprises,” Imani said as they took the elevator to the top floor. “Mateo is using his best acting skills to distract them from my leaving to warn you.”
“I appreciate it. Surprises are never good.”
“I got your back, girl.” Imani said as the elevator door opened and Olivia felt her world spin. No, it couldn’t be.
2
“Olivia!” Murray Kirkland grinned as he beckoned her to the giant glass-enclosed conference room across the room from the elevator doors.
It wasn’t Mr. Kirkland who had her attention. It was the back of the man standing at the windows looking out over the city.
“Do you know him?” Imani whispered as Mateo shot from the conference room to meet them.
“It can’t be,” Olivia said as the man slowly turned.
“He says he knows you,” Mateo whispered as he took her briefcase from her hand. “His name is—”
“Mark Fleming,” Olivia finished as Mark turned to face her as she walked into the conference room. Mateo and Imani literally had her back as they followed her inside, not knowing if Olivia needed backup or not, which she appreciated.
“Olivia.” Mark’s voice was smooth and sexy as his eyes raked her from head to toe. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Damn,” Imani whispered.
“If you don’t want him, I’ll take him,” Mateo whispered, and Olivia just managed not to laugh.
“You’re not gay,” Imani hissed back.
“I could be for him.”
Olivia finally smiled. Mark thought it was because of him, but it was because of Mateo and Imani. Not that she wasn’t smiling at the blast from her past. “Hello, Mark. Long time. What are you doing in New York?”
“How do you know I haven’t already been here?” Mark asked as if he had caught her following his career, which she hadn’t been.
“I figured I would have heard if Simpson Global’s attorney was in New York since my clients know yours. Why are you in New York? Isn’t Simpson Global out of Atlanta?”
Mark grinned as he stepped closer, and Olivia felt the butterflies she used to feel when Mark looked at her that way. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’m not with Simpson Global anymore. I was headhunted to another company.”
“Olivia, are you happy to see your old law school buddy?” Murray asked. He didn’t wait for her to answer before slapping Mark’s back and facing them both. “I’m sure you two have some catching up to do. Mark is our new partner. I want you to show him the ropes. As he said, he’s no longer with Simpson Global, but instead is the new counsel for Legion-Winter Conglomerate. They’re expanding into Charleston in addition to other cities around the world, and Mark and I thought we’d make a good fit. He’ll be their lead counsel and the firm will provide assistance in the form of junior partners and paralegals. We’ll give him a good home base to operate out of. Do answer any questions he has and give him tips on how to operate out of multiple offices. Mark will also be with you in Charleston from time to time. I was hoping you could take him down there when you leave today.”
“Of course, Mr. Kirkland.” Olivia waited for her boss to leave the room before turning to face Imani and Mateo. “Imani is my assistant and Mateo is my paralegal. This is Mark Fleming. We went to law school together.”
“We did more than go to school together,” Mark smirked and Olivia fought the unexpected urge to giggle like the young woman she’d been when Mark had first paid attention to her.
“Dish!” Imani said, not caring it wasn’t proper to gossip about her boss’s love life in the office.
“We dated for two years, but then I left for Atlanta and distance just happened,” Mark said with a frown. “Olivia was offered a job in Atlanta but ended up taking the one here. She was splitting her time between Charleston and New York for Kirkland and I was busy nonstop in Atlanta,” Mark said with a shrug.
“But here you are now. Together again,” Mateo said with a wink. Yup, she’d lost total control over her employees. However, they weren’t running from the building in tears, so she’d deal with it later.
“Yes, and now I need to get back to Charleston. This is my first weekend off in months and I plan to make the most of it.”
Imani and Mateo gave her a “go get it, girl” look as they walked off with their heads together, whispering about her lack of social life and the hunky ex now back in her life.
“So, Legion-Winter. That’s a big company. What will you be doing for them?” Olivia asked as she walked out of the conference room and headed for her office.
“They’ve charged me with their expansion plan. I’ll be flying around a lot, but they liked Kirkland Law because they have offices on the East Coast and their international contacts. It’s also impressive that SA Tech and Faulkner Shipping use Kirkland. I look forward to seeing if I can help with that since I have so much experience with Simpson Global and now Legion-Winter. I find Sebastian Abel and Ryker Faulkner inspirational.”
“Oh, did Mr. Kirkland not explain that?” Olivia asked.
“Explain what?”
“I’m the only senior partner who works for them. I have a team of junior associates doing what I need to help me with the caseload, but my clients like to keep things as close to the vest as possible so, when it comes to the actual confidential legal work, it’s just me handling it. I doubt you are interested in pulling filings and researching case law that I have the juniors doing,” Olivia explained, trying to lighten the mood.
“I didn’t realize that. I figured it was like most firms where there were teams involved.” Mark did not look happy.