partners were concerned, she was the ugly stepchild compared to Roland Devries, who was the other associate with his eye on the partnership slot.
The partners were meeting right after the holidays to decide who would be invited to join the firm as a junior partner, and unless Alyssa could rectify that deficiency, she was afraid that Roland would get the job for which she’d worked so hard. And that was simply not acceptable. She’d gone into law school planning on making partner by the time she was thirty, and she’d signed with Prescott both because of the firm’s stellar rep and its fast track to partnership. Like being a tenured professor, partnership in a law firm meant job security and income stability, and for Alyssa, that was the Holy Grail.
“Do you think you have a shot? I mean, surely he’s got attorneys coming out of his ears.”
“Actually, the company handles most of their legal work in house.”
“And you’re thinking he’ll hire your firm because…?”
“Remember that fundraiser for Love without Boundaries I worked on earlier this year? The gala and auction to raise money for medical care for orphans in China? Russell was on the committee, too, and he mentioned that he was considering retaining an outside firm so that his in-house staff could focus on big-picture issues and function more in a supervisory capacity.” She shrugged. “So why not Prescott and Bayne?”
“Why not, indeed,” Claire said, eyeing her suspiciously. “A guy like Russell Starr’s probably courted by a lot of firms. Why you?”
“For one thing, Prescott’s got a great reputation.”
“So does Daniels and Taylor,” Claire said, referring to the firm her grandfather had founded. “So do lots of firms.”
“True,” Alyssa conceded. “But we talked about it, and I really got the feeling that he would be open to me sitting him down and explaining why he should choose Prescott.”
“So why isn’t he already with the firm?”
Alyssa could feel her cheeks warm. “I was planning to make an appointment after the gala wrapped, but by then…well…I felt a little awkward about it.”
Claire’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Why?”
Alyssa drew in a breath. “Because he kissed me. The night of the gala.”
“No way. Seriously?”
“Depends. Is one hot-and-heavy kiss within your definition of serious?”
Claire turned to face her dead-on, her jaw hanging open. “Why didn’t I know this?”
Alyssa shrugged. “I was still dating Bob. It just happened, you know? And I felt terrible afterwards.”
“Details,” Claire demanded. “Right here. Right now.”
“Honestly, there’s not a lot to tell,” Alyssa said, feeling so under the microscope she was almost sorry she brought it up.
“The hell there isn’t. Start at the beginning.” She waved a hand. “Go on.”
Alyssa sighed, trapped. “The truth is, we went to high school together, so I’ve known him for ages.”
Claire’s brows lifted. “You went to school with Russell Starr?”
“I’m pretty sure his family actually endowed my scholarship.” Her gaze darted again to the Starr property, and she sighed. A family like that didn’t have to scramble for a paycheck or worry about making partner.
“Were you guys friends?”
Alyssa shook her head. “Not back then. He was a grade ahead, but he was every girl’s fantasy guy, you know? The guy in school that you’re certain would be absolutely perfect if only he’d notice you.”
“Well, duh. Starr family. How much more perfect can you get? But, hello? When are we getting to the kissing part? What happened? Tell me everything. He asked you out on a date?”
“Sort of. My car had a flat, and he drove me home.” She shrugged. “On the way, he suggested we stop for drinks.”
Alyssa still thought that was a key piece of information: they’d stopped at his suggestion.
The night had been fabulous, full of wine and laughter and even a few long, heated looks, and it had only gotten better when he’d delivered her straight to her door. She’d invited him in, but he’d declined. What he’d done instead was lean in, tell her he’d had a wonderful time, and kiss her oh-so-gently, but with a ton of promise. She’d felt the tingle all the way down to her toes as he’d walked away. And she’d stood like an idiot in front of her apartment door as he’d walked back to his car and driven away.
Bob had come over for breakfast the next morning, and Alyssa’s Cinderella delusions had evaporated. After all, Russell was a society-page regular, and at the time, she’d still been happily dating Bob. The drink had been a drink, and the kiss a sweet memory. Nothing more.
Still, she could fantasize. And regularly did, for that matter. Her thoughts drifting to what would have happened if he’d come inside for that kiss. Who knew where it might have led…?
She sighed, her breath clouding in the chilly night air.
“Wow,” Claire said. “Talk about the one that got away.”
Alyssa rolled her eyes. “I never had him in the first place,” she said. “He can’t get away if I never had him.”
“A fact about which I hope you are soundly kicking yourself. He kissed you good-night and you never even followed up? Called him again? Made any move to let him know you were interested?”
“I was with Bob,” Alyssa said, her voice small because she knew Claire was going to jump all over that.
“And you told him that?”
“Claire, I was dating him. We were serious. Or I thought we were. Yeah. I mentioned him.”
Now it was Claire’s turn to roll her eyes. “Never mention to a guy that you’re dating another guy. All guys need to be kept in the realm of possible until you’re married. That’s a simple fact of life.” Alyssa scowled, but Claire barreled on. “So what happened after you and Bob broke up? With Russell, I mean?”
“What happened? Nothing happened.”
“You didn’t call him? I mean, forget the whole legal-retainer stuff, but didn’t you at least call and ask him out for drinks?”
“No! Of course not.”
Claire shook her head as if Alyssa had utterly failed. “You know, if it wasn’t for Joe being an absolute prick and you being completely clueless, we could be double-dating tonight instead of escorting each other.”
Alyssa sighed, knowing that Claire was absolutely right.
She glanced around, taking in the dancing lights of the Highland Parks neighborhood. The children going from door to door singing Christmas carols. The couples strolling the neighborhood, their
