The Partnership (Callaghan Green Series Book 10) Read online

  “You can have someone who you see casually, you know. It doesn’t have to be serious, just dinner dates and sleepovers. You don’t need to be planning to marry them or move in together.” She wiped her hands on a napkin. “I miss coffee.”

  “You can have lots of it after you’ve given birth. I’m sure Jackson can recommend a few brands.” I’d already thought about what she’d said. Getting women to go on a date wasn’t a problem. I knew I hadn’t fallen off the ugly tree, and my job was like honey – well paid and fairly prominent. But a lot of dates would turn into grade one clingers, or only be interested in me as arm candy or for what I could buy them. I’d had a string of encounters with an older woman, but it turned out she was just using me for sex, which did not make me feel good. “Finding someone interested in that isn’t that easy, Payts. I’m not saying I’m becoming a monk, or I have a time set for being celibate, but I want to be ready for something more.”

  “You’re just worried that you’ll cling to the first person who sparks something in you.”

  “Yep.” There was nothing more to be said on the matter. It was a fear I knew was deep rooted now, that I’d fall for someone because I couldn’t be on my own and not because they were it for me.

  I needed that time by myself first. To prove to myself I could do it.

  That I was enough on my own.

  Chapter Three

  Georgia

  There was nothing quite like starting a new job, not that it’d happened very often in my life. My first job had been as a Saturday girl in a hairdressers’ as soon as I’d turned sixteen. As well as showing me that I had no aptitude for styling hair, it had taught me an appreciation that the world was full of dicks, both male and female. It also taught me that there was peace in silence, and a well-timed finger behind someone’s back went a long way towards making you feel better.

  During university, I worked the bars, picking up shifts when I could on top of my regular hours. It wasn’t that I absolutely needed the money for fees or rent, my parents and student loans had made sure that I was covered, and, if I lived on a shoestring and survived off beans and soon-to-be-out-of-date bread, I could focus solely on my law degree. I’d never known my parents to not work though, and if I didn’t have a purpose and an income coming in, I didn’t feel – right. My grandfather, Lord rest his soul, called me a ‘grafter’ and I’d tried to live up to the title.

  After graduating, I started my legal practice course, a full-on year of learning legal etiquette and paying through the nose for it. I still needed to do something for a little extra income, so I worked as a tutor for kids preparing for exams, which taught me that I never really wanted to be a teacher.

  Somehow I was one of the lucky ones and walked into a training contract, starting two years as a trainee for a middle-sized legal firm with offices in York and London. It was long hours, hard graft and a lot of being spoken down to by some of the senior partners who would pretend to not know your name.

  But I did it, and then I did more. I worked hard. I grafted.

  Today was the start of my career at Callaghan Green as a fixed equity partner. I had voting rights, earned what was an eye-watering salary and carried the weight of high expectations on my shoulders, but I was ready for it. They were a high-end firm with a reputation for being intelligent and only taking on cases that were complex and technical. A lot of the people I graduated with wouldn’t have considered them; the volume of reading and understanding of precedents was a lot to commit to, but that's what I enjoyed about law. I was excited, nervous and just a little intimidated.

  “I can highly recommend the bacon, brie and cranberry sandwiches.”

  Payton Callaghan was eyeing my food whilst nursing a decaffeinated coffee that she’d turned her finely structured nose up at when it arrived.

  “I just can’t have brie. No one tells you before you get pregnant about the number of things you can’t have any more. Obviously, there’s no alcohol, but they forget the caffeine and cheeses.” She picked at her omelette.

  I gave it thirty seconds before she was devouring it.

  “Those things will taste so much better after. Thanks for meeting with me, anyway. I really appreciate it.” I shot her a smile, a nervous one. A new job still felt like the first day of school where you didn’t know anyone and you’d give anything for a kind smile.

  Payton shrugged. “I feel like someone should warn you about the characters we have working for us. Although, I’m probably one.”

  “That’s for sure.” Another woman, neat dark hair cut into a tidy bob, sat down next to Payton. A tiny baby was in her arms, the size that made me want to grab it and never let go, only I knew that was a criminal offence. “I’m Claire O’Hara, was Callaghan, if that explains anything.”

  It did. The elder sister, a specialist in family law, currently on maternity leave with her second child.

  “It’s good to meet you. How’re you doing?” I looked from her to the baby who was fast asleep.

  Claire let out a soft laugh. “Well. She sleeps like a dream, nothing like the horrors we had with Eliza. Luckily, their father doesn’t need sleep, so I get to keep what’s left of my sanity.”

  “How old is she?”

  “Six weeks and two days.” Claire smiled down at her daughter. “The eldest is with her Grannie Marie, getting some much-needed attention. I decided to find out what the outside looked like and Payton said you were here, so I thought I’d say hi. You don’t mind me crashing, do you?”

  “Not at all. Do you want me to hold her while you get a coffee? Because you can have one of those.” I sent a look over to Payton, not sure whether I was going too far to tease when this was only the second time I’d properly met her.

  I saw Claire smirk at her sister too. “I’d love a coffee without a baby in my lap in a café. One with lots of lovely caffeine. Would you like me to order you something decaffeinated, Payts?”

  “Fuck off.” It was almost whispered. “You’re going to force me into making a bad impression on our new partner.”

  Claire grinned. “It wouldn’t have taken her long to suss everyone out anyway. May as well show your true colours from the start. Are you sure you don’t mind holding her, Georgia?”

  “I wouldn’t have offered if I did. I like babies.” I stood up and held my hands over the table, taking the bundled precious package. I inhaled, hoping it wasn’t too obvious, and caught that baby smell.

  Claire laughed quietly. I’d been caught. “I think that’s why we had Niamh. Eliza stopped smelling like a baby and I missed it. Would’ve been far less painful and a lot cheaper to have someone put that smell into a perfume.”

  “Definitely.” I sat down and got myself comfy, tucking Niamh into my arm. I felt myself relax, some of the first day nerves drifted away. “Tell me about these characters then.”

  Payton smiled, her eyes on her niece. “Three of them are my brothers, one’s my soon to be brother-in-law and another is Claire. Max is grumpy, and Jackson always looks like something’s on fire somewhere and he’s the only one who can put it out. Claire was a workaholic, but she went part-time and mellowed after she had Eliza. Eli is engaged to my other sister, Ava – who has nothing to do with law, apart from the fact she’ll be marrying a lawyer – and he’s just lovely. We share an office and somehow he manages to cope with all of us.”

  “He’s a partner too, isn’t he?” I’d read up on them all. Eli Ward was almost forty, had graduated from Oxford, made partner at the age of thirty, and had been mentioned numerous times in the law gazette.

  Payton nodded. “Equity. He bought in. The firm isn’t just owned by those with Callaghan surname.”

  This was good. This was my aim. A fixed salaried partnership was already a huge achievement considering I was thirty-two and my career hadn’t been straight-forward, but I wanted more.

  The baby in my arms stirred, her eyes briefly opening. She gave me a look as if wondering who I was, and then settled again. I guessed Claire would ha
ve another hour before she needed feeding.

  “I think every law firm has its characters. Anyone I should be wary of?” The answer should be yes. As much as society had improved in terms of equality, some people were still more equal than others, and the breed of man who thought he was better simply because he had a penis remained in existence. It was they who scaffolded that glass ceiling above the heads of women, purely because they were afraid we’d rise higher than them. I hoped that by the time little girls like Niamh were women, that ceiling had been permanently shattered, swept up and battered back into sand.

  Payton tipped her head to one side. “There’s Roger who works as a paralegal. He used to be a solicitor but ended up not being able to practice. He can be a little creepy and I know Jackson would like him to leave. Alan works in accounts. He’s a sleaze. If you’re out and have had a few drinks, he will try to corner you and don’t get into a lift with him on your own. He develops an extra hand. And Belinda, she’s one of the legal secretaries in the pool, she’s a complete bitch and spreads gossip like its soft butter. Sandra in accounts needs an eye keeping on her too – she really likes to know what’s going on.”

  “You forgot to tell her about Seph.” Claire sat back now. “You want me to take her back?” She nodded at the baby.

  I did not want to hand Niamh back. “I’m good if you want the use of both arms for a bit longer.”

  Claire grinned. “I learned with Eliza to never say no if anyone offers to hold, bathe or feed. Or babysit.”

  “Seph isn’t that scary.” Payton frowned, rubbing her tidy bump. “He’s a bit like Tigger, you know, the bouncy tiger thing from Winnie the Pooh. Always full of energy, and words. So many words.”

  “And poor Georgia here will be working with him.” Claire gave a satisfied sigh. “You’ll love him. He’s easy going and likes to laugh, plus he’s not bad at his job. Speaking of which.” She looked at her watch. “What time’s your partners’ meeting this morning, Payts? I though Max was doing it early.”

  “Shit. In about two minutes. Are you coming?” She pointed to Claire’s take out coffee.

  “Technically, I don’t have to, but knowing just being there will piss Max off, I think I should. And I can offer some moral support for Georgia. It’s like being fed to the wolves…”

  The wolves were situated around a large, probably antique, boardroom table. There were fifteen partners in total, including me. Six female, nine male, plus baby Niamh who Claire had proudly showed off as we’d walked through the offices to the room. I somehow doubted that this was the first time a baby had been present at a partners’ briefing.

  “Morning, everyone.” Jackson Callaghan shuffled papers in front of him, before his eyes locked with mine and then he gave me a wide smile. If I didn’t know he was married, he would be my type. He’d interviewed me and gave off a serious but sexy vibe, one which disappeared when he offered me the post, and was completely erased when he mentioned his wife and son.

  I didn’t do married men. It was unfortunate that one had done me.

  Jackson poured himself a glass of water and passed the jug to Maxwell. “And, Georgia, welcome to Callaghan Green. We’ve been looking forward to you joining us, mostly so Seph can stop going on about being short-staffed and harassed.”

  I looked across the table at the man opposite me, wearing thick rimmed dark glasses. This was Seph, the youngest partner, younger than Payton by minutes and my new colleague in the commercial litigation department. We hadn’t met during my interviews, but I’d read about him and seen his photo in magazines.

  Five years ago, my beating heart would’ve fluttered immediately at the sight of him. Model beautiful, with a hint of vulnerability around his eyes, and shoulders that would probably struggle to fit through some doors. But five years ago, I knew a hell of a lot less than what I did now.

  He caught my gaze and smiled, a big cheesy grin that had me smiling back as if someone had just offered me a calorie-free decadent hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows.

  “I’m Joseph, and whatever my family tells you about me, ignore them. I’m a perfectly normal human being.”

  Perfect, yes. Normal, no. Normal human beings didn’t look like him.

  “Let’s move swiftly on from Seph.” Jackson shook his head at his brother. “Thankfully, most people round this table know Seph well, but we don’t want to scare Georgia yet. Let her at least sort her desk out first.” He looked at me. “Introductions, then we have a brief catch up on the cases we all need to have some knowledge of.”

  They went around the table, introducing themselves with more joviality than I’d seen at my previous firm. I smiled when Eli introduced himself as the future Mr Ava Callaghan, ignoring the ribbing given straight after by Max and Jackson, and I saw a warmth from Lynn Summers, the oldest female partner who had been there since Seph’s father ran the firm.

  “We’re really glad to have you join. In case anyone around the table isn’t aware, Georgia brings with her several clients.” Jackson started to list the dozen companies whose files I'd brought with me, most of them trophy clients that my previous firm hadn’t wanted to lose.

  They hadn’t wanted to lose me, either, but my role there had become untenable. I’d loved parts of the company, but for the sake of more than me it had been time to move.

  Jackson chaired the meeting, taking brief updates from each partner, most of whom had made notes to keep things brief. I was bringing a caseload with me, including two big files that I needed to get an assistant solicitor to help me on like yesterday. I gave my own overview, keeping it simple and brief, answering a couple of questions on the clients. Part of the role of partner was to bring work to other departments in the firm, not just for myself, and new clients usually meant new files for others. I knew that two of mine needed support with employment issues, and another had a personal issue and needed a family lawyer. I spent a little more time than the others had, but it was nothing new. I wasn’t new at being a partner, just new here.

  Seph followed me, mentioning the name of a client whose case he’d just taken on, one that was going to be hell to work through.

  “Seriously? He’s suing his brother?” Max sat up and frowned, pushing his fingers through his hair. “That’s like me trying to sue you.”

  Seph chuckled and leaned back in his seat like an overgrown teenager with bigger biceps. “Can I have it in writing that you’ll never sue me, Maxwell? We have witnesses.”

  There was a muffled fuck off.

  “But yeah, they’re selling the business and David wants to sue Ron for, well, everything you can think of. Probably for getting a certain toy at Christmas when they were kids or marrying the girl David wanted, or something.” Seph made a gesture with his arms that nearly overturned his coffee mug.

  Claire laughed. She was feeding Niamh, although no one seemed to have noticed, and if they did, they didn’t care. A muslin was placed over her and I could just about hear contented little baby slurps.

  “That’s going to be the gift that keeps on giving,” she said. “Everything we’ve done for the Hartfords has been made ten times worse because they’re both complete arseholes.”

  “Thanks,” Seph said, still grinning. “It’s going to be technical as well. Good thing I’ve a new technical lawyer to help.”

  He gave me a salute and a look that told me this was going to involve late nights and weekends.

  I responded with a smile. He had no idea that there wasn’t anything now that scared me. I’d faced my worst fear and met it head on. Somehow, I’d won, just a few scars left hanging from my heart.

  Seph’s update was last, Jackson ending the briefing with a quick memo about office tidiness and the delicate nature of the photocopier, asking everyone to speak to Jean in admin if it was playing up and not attempt any repairs ourselves. Every office needed a photocopier whisperer. I’d long since learned that if I stood too close to one, it would stop working.

  “That’s it, everyone. We have a f
ull partners’ meeting on Thursday at four, with a strict agenda, as I have to be home by seven.” Jackson stood up and stretched.

  Max tipped back on his chair. “Is that because Vanessa has you whipped?”

  “No, it’s because she has drinks planned with her friends and we have a small child. You’re going to learn all about this soon. Then you’ll know how luxurious it is to think that you’re whipped by your woman. That kid owns us.” He sat back down again. “You got ten minutes, Georgia? I can start your induction.”

  There wasn’t really the option of an answer, was there?

  “Of course. I’ve let my clients know I won’t be in touch today as I know I’ll need to get settled in.” I fiddled with my hair. For the last forty-five minutes I’d been desperate to loosen it. My hair was long and thick, with a natural wave that my sister, Olivia, constantly threatened to kill me for. It was also a deep red that meant I’d never been able to go unnoticed. To make a professional impression, I’d fixed it up in a pleat, but by now the pins were digging into my scalp and I knew there was no way I’d last any more than another half an hour with it like this. I was also aware that messing with my hair wasn’t supposed to be done at work either. When I was a trainee solicitor, one of the older women had accused me of trying to get one of the male partner’s attention by playing with my hair. I found out later that she’d been involved with him at one point and he’d ended it for one of the secretaries in the pool, who’d been a lot younger than her.

  It had bothered me, because I’d never thought it could come across that way, so since then I’d kept my hands off my hair, until now.

  “I’m so sorry, I think I have a pin that’s been put there by some voodoo queen.” I felt my face flush and my fingers turn into sausages, any dexterity I had disappearing quicker than prosecco at a twenty-first birthday.

  Max laughed. “You should speak to my wife. She has thick hair and if she tries to wear it tied up it lasts about two minutes.”