Impasse (19 page)

“You look great,” Margery said, observing their unwritten rule of starting all meetings with mutual compliments.

“You too. I wish I had your calves.”

“So how's Stuey holding up in Alaska?”

“Don't know. No cell phone.”

“Right.”

“I suppose he's fending for himself.”

“Or eating beans.”

Just then a waiter slid a tray of barbequed clams dripping with garlic butter in front of them and a cup of white sauce with bits of red bell pepper. Margery stabbed a clam with a tiny appetizer fork and dredged the sauce bowl with it.

“How are Robert and Amy?” Katherine asked. Margery's children were nine and eleven.

“Adorable, busy, and expensive. Private elementary school is like practicing to pay for college. I also have a tedious play, poetry reading, or holiday concert to go to monthly. And the parent association wants a donation for every fund-raiser. I do it, but I make sure our name goes on all their flyers. It's good PR at least. But I don't want to bore you with mommy chatter. Let's talk about something interesting.”

“Chatter is okay. I asked.”

“Then I don't want to bore myself. This is big-girl time for me.” She sipped her wine. “So, you called this little two-person soiree. What did you want to talk about?”

“Business and sex.”

“My, my. This
is
going to be an interesting lunch. Do go on.”

“I get the impression you're good at both, and I'd like to mine your expertise.”

“Start digging. I'll tell you when to stop.”

“All of the sudden, things are going well for me. Quite well.”

“In business or sex?”

“Business. Maybe both. I'll get to that. But business first. Now, this is still confidential. And there's a non-disclosure clause, so I'm not supposed to be talking about it at all. But you know the big case I've been talking about.…”

“Molson. I know.”

“Right. Well, it settled.”

“How much?”

“A lot.”

Margery twirled her hand in the air, egging her on.

Katherine looked around, then whispered. “One-point-five million to us, after the split.”

Margery nodded, impressed. “Fill your 401K. Save a third for taxes.”

“You sound like Stu.”

“I doubt it, but if I do, he's right.”

“He hasn't told me yet.”

“Really? That's odd. Then how do you know?”

“Clay.”

“Interesting.”

“Yeah. Clay is ramping up the business.”

“Smart. Leverage success.”

“I know. But Stu doesn't.”

“Doesn't what?”

“Know that Clay is expanding, remodeling the firm, hiring employees.”

“All in a week? While Stuey's away?”

“Yeah, and Clay's asking for my help.”

“If he's doing all that, he's been planning this for a while.”

Katherine blinked. “Maybe so. But we've never had the capital. Now we do. And he thinks Stu will hold us back.”

“Will he?”

Katherine rolled a clam around in her mouth, stalling. “Yes,” she said finally. “Dammit, I feel like I'm betraying him.”

“By helping his firm? No. You're doing him a favor. Small business is tough, and not everyone has the killer instinct. Stu doesn't. Clay does. It's not so different from a high school dance; you can wait all night for just the right moment, or you can get out there as soon as the music starts. Who do you think gets the dates?”

“I know. But it's complicated.”

“No, it's not. Just ask yourself three simple questions: What do you want? How do you get it? Can you do that?”

“I think I know what I want.”

“Do you need to be on Team Clay to get it?”

“I think so.”

“Can you do that?”

“So far. But Stu's not here.”

“I see. Well, in my expert opinion you can handle Stuey. When he gets home, you talk to him. Have some balls if he doesn't. Make him successful whether he wants it or not.”

“Oh God, exactly! That's what I've been trying to do for years. And that's what Clay says too.”

“Speaking of Clay, let's get to the sex.”

Katherine's heart raced. She was well aware that Margery had hit on him at the party, and she felt a flash of something—annoyance, possibly anger. “You didn't…”

“No. But I did meet with him yesterday.”

“Really?”

“He talked to me at Stu's party. I told him I was extremely busy, but I gave him my phone number. I made him call me. There's a trick you can use. He got in touch the day after to set up the meeting.”

“That's strange. He was supposed to be going to Alaska.”

“Well, I'm glad that didn't happen, because I had this little cropped jacket I was dying to try out, and I looked damn good.”

“I don't think he's right for you,” Katherine said abruptly. “I mean, even if you weren't married and could fool around. He's a bit intense.”

“Which I find hot. Sadly, he wants me for my business. He must have another woman stashed away somewhere. Perhaps you know?”

“I don't think he does. He's concentrating on work right now. I'm even helping him get clients, if you can believe that. Did he talk to you about representing the restaurants?”

“Yes. I assume that's why you wanted to meet too.…”

“No. I mean, sure, we would love to represent you. But I just wanted advice.”

“It's okay. I can compartmentalize. If you want to talk shop, I can put you in the business column for a few minutes. I have to warn you, though, it's dangerous to do business or sleep with your friends. If it ends badly, you risk losing the friendship.”

“I'll leave it to Clay, then.”

“The business or the sex part?” Margery grinned mischievously.

“That's what I wanted to ask you about. You know how you joke about fooling around sometimes? Actually, a lot of the time. I was wondering: Do you really do it?”

Margery sat back, studying Katherine, debating. Katherine had punched through the small-talk-'n'-gossip wall. Margery decided it was time for another dipped clam, and she took her time eating it. “That's very personal,” she said finally. “I don't want to be the subject of rumors.”

“We're friends. And we're not in business yet. Or sleeping together. Plus, I told you about the confidential settlement.”

“Are you asking for advice because
you're
fooling around?”

Katherine bit her lip. Margery was direct, and smart. She was making Katherine offer something incriminating before she spilled anything herself. “I came to you because I think I can trust you.”

“I guess that tells me what I need to know. Is it Clay? I got a tension vibe when I mentioned his name.”

“No. Nobody you associate with. And it's not going to be an ongoing thing. I just…”

“Impulsive?”

“Not particularly.”

“Interesting. Go on.”

“I wanted something. I saw how to get it. And, surprisingly, even to myself, I did it.”

“Don't be surprised. Sex is fun. Or, at least it should be. If you get something tangible out of it, all the better.”

“Do you enjoy doing ‘favors' for a man?”

“If by ‘favor,' you mean an oral arrangement, I think it can be a chore or a pleasure, or a bit of both. It's all in one's attitude.”

And one can change her attitude,
Katherine thought. “It wasn't full-on sex.”

“Understood. Any details? C'mon, share at least a little of the fun.”

Katherine giggled and couldn't help feeling a bit like a schoolgirl. At her age, it was a good feeling. “Huge balls,” she whispered.

Margery joined her with a conspiratorial chuckle. “Really? Are we talking olives? Dried dates? Or a pair of kiwi? Maybe brown with a little fuzz…”

“Such imagery.”

“It's the restaurateur in me. I relate to food.”

“In that case, I'd say more like whole walnuts.”

“Well, that
is
fun.”

“But he wants to meet again, and I think he'll expect more next time. How would you handle it?”

“You already got what you want?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want more?”

“Not from him.”

“Then you're done. Cut it off, tell Stu, and move on.”

Katherine furrowed her brow. “Tell Stu?”

“Of course. If he finds out some other way, it'll irreparably damage your marriage.”

“If I tell him, it'll damage my marriage.”

“You didn't actually have sex, but if you hide what you
did do
and he finds out, he'll never believe you didn't. He'll think you're minimizing. Get it?”

“So I just tell him? That's your advice?”

“Yep. Right when he gets home. The sooner it's done, the sooner it's done. And your immediate confession will make your guilt seem strong and real, even if it isn't.”

“It is,” Katherine said. Guilt wasn't what she was feeling at all, but saying so sounded right. Mostly, she didn't want to lose Dugan's business. And Clay would be pissed.

“Was it worth it?” Margery asked. “No judgment here. Maybe it was.”

“I guess we'll see. Do you tell Richard what you do?”

Margery nodded, satisfied enough with Katherine's offering to reply this time. “We have an understanding.”

“Interesting,” Katherine mimicked.

“Yes, it has been.”

“Don't ask, don't tell?”

“No. Ask
and
tell. That's essential. I don't even lay groundwork with someone else without communicating with Rich beforehand. He rarely objects. He likes his own freedom too much.”

“Wow.”

“There are a lot of available young women in the restaurant business. They like to cozy up to the male boss. Like that associate attorney flirting with Stu at your party.”

“Audra? She's not a real attorney yet. More like an overgrown intern. And Stu would never do anything to get back at me. He's not vengeful.”

“It's not revenge; it's just a fair trade. And giving him a free pass would get you off the hook.”

“Not a chance.” Katherine shook her head. Even if Stu had the guts to demand a like-kind exchange, she certainly wouldn't approve of Audra. “No. Not Stu. He would just forgive me.”

“Eh, that works.” Margery buried their conversation in her wine as Bun Hair drifted to a stop beside their table.

Katherine pulled out her purse, but Margery didn't budge.

“It's all taken care of,” the worried-looking hostess said, manufacturing a big smile for Katherine in front of her boss. Margery coolly dismissed her, and Katherine smiled back, enjoying the thought of the trouble awaiting the girl when her boss got ahold of her later.

Katherine was amused and impressed. Margery had power. She was smart. She looked fucking fabulous. And she did what she wanted. She even did
who
she wanted. She was her own alpha.

 

CHAPTER 23

Margery's advice echoed in Katherine's head as she stood looking for Stu's flight on the Logan Airport arrivals board with a worried frown on her face. She still didn't know what exactly to say to her husband. Her saucy friend had issued the tell-all edict but hadn't provided delivery instructions.

Katherine decided that she would wait to disclose until she and Stu got home; that was an easy call. She could start by making him feel guilty for not telling her about Molson. That would put him in a more forgiving mood. Then she could segue into her own conduct. Taking a one-hundred-thousand-dollar advance and house shopping without him would be the starter. Her part in the revamped office charade was worse, and that bitch Audra would probably tell Stu that his wife had been there.

The Dugan thing was a bit stickier. She'd been testing speeches in her head all morning, and she still hadn't found just the right words to explain that particular client interaction.

Even if she found the right words to earn forgiveness, there was still a serious problem with telling the truth: Stu would end their representation of Dugan. No doubt. Her efforts would go for naught. Her favor would go unrewarded. She couldn't let that happen. But Margery had warned her that lies fester, and she didn't want to risk losing the man in whom she'd invested her entire adult life either, especially now that he was settling cases for millions of dollars. Unemployed women approaching forty didn't sell well in the single world.

Stu wasn't answering his cell phone, and he hadn't checked in, which wasn't like him. He typically called at every stage of a trip to review his schedule and pickup arrangements, which was annoying and comforting at the same time. Katherine stood beyond security, smiling big as the first-class passengers trickled out. Stu wouldn't be one of them on this trip. But things would be different after the Molson settlement and the Dugan contract. She waited patiently, as she had for a decade.

Katherine wondered if she should soften Stu up with some sex before telling him. She needed to redirect her energy toward her husband anyway. Her erotic adventures during his wilderness adventure had been interesting, but they were unsustainable; she couldn't continue rubbing up against Stu's partner and doing “favors” for powerful clients with her husband around. Nor could she keep ducking into the nearest phone booth like a superhero to satisfy her urges. She'd had one last session with herself the night before, imagining that her full-body pillow was Clay.
No more,
she decided. She would stop the fantasies the moment Stu appeared.

The bulk of the passengers were pouring out now. No Stu yet. She widened her smile. Any time now. She braced herself. Engaging a lawyer in a domestic debate was a challenge, but she could always use emotion. He didn't understand it well. He tried to convert it into logic and wasn't always sure of his translation. When she cried or raised her voice, he'd frown and say, “I think you're feeling upset/lonely/confused/distant/needy because of such-and-so.…” There was an opportunity to fill in the blank with a justification in that sort of analysis, or with contrition.