‘Rumour has it that our firm is about to merge with a big-shot outfit from the States.’
Ruby paused with her coffee halfway to her lips. ‘Sorry?’
‘But Bridget from IT said it was about Mr Kent Senior finally retiring and Drew taking over as managing partner.’
Ruby released a relieved breath. That sounded more like it but she wished Mr Kent could have just sent the information in the memo. She had a full day already mapped out and fitting in a Monday morning conference would be like trying to thread yachting rope through a sewing needle.
Seeing her expression, Veronica gave her an encouraging smile. ‘It’s supposed to be brief.’
‘It’s always supposed to be brief,’ Ruby grouched before letting her bad mood wash away. So she’d be inconvenienced for half an hour. She loved her job and if Mr Kent wanted to go out with a bang then she wouldn’t begrudge him his moment. He’d built a wonderful firm and deserved to have everyone acknowledge the work he’d done.
Manoeuvring herself into the overcrowded conference room, she greeted various co-workers with a smile as she moved towards the back. There was a real buzz in the air and Ruby craned her neck to get a glimpse over the sea of heads as to who was seated at the front of the room, only catching a glimpse of her boss, Drew Kent. Drew was a great boss: level-headed and fair-minded even when he didn’t completely agree with some of the cases she took on, like her current one. It made her try that much harder to prove her worth, which she supposed was one of the reasons she’d done so well in the firm since she’d started working here twenty months ago.
‘Everyone, if I could have your attention, please.’
Ruby sipped her coffee as Drew took the floor.
‘It is with great pleasure, and much relief, that I announce the retirement of my father, who we all thought was not going to leave the building unless it was feet first. Fortunately my mother has convinced him that there is more to life than the law, even though we all know that isn’t true.’ A cluster of moans interspersed with chuckles filled the cramped space, making Ruby smile.
He said a few more words about his father’s being an inspiration and introduced him to rousing applause. Mr Kent Senior then good-naturedly harangued his son in return and suggested that the only reason he’d finally agreed to leave the firm in Drew’s capable hands was that someone highly regarded had agreed to merge his firm with theirs and help Drew run the show. Surprised murmurs filtered around her like a colony of bats preparing to take to the skies at dusk.
Ruby’s ears pricked as she waited to hear who the newcomer was, and when she heard the name Ventura International her stomach plummeted to the ground faster than a lead ball dropped from the Sydney Tower.
‘I’m sure you’ll all join me in showing your appreciation for the fact that we’ve lured one of the most esteemed names in law back from the United States and doubled our legal reach by merging two great firms together.’
Although the crowd clapped heartily, Ruby stayed stock-still. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t. She forced herself to oxygenate her lungs but it felt as if she’d never done it before and it was a skill she had yet to master. The coffee she’d consumed churned in her stomach and she had to swallow hard to keep it down. How was this possible? It was a nightmare. It was a disaster. It was...there were no words to describe how she felt other than numb. Totally and completely numb.
She heard Sam say a few words about how much he was looking forward to working with everyone and what it meant for him to be there but all Ruby heard was ‘I want to taste you.’
Oh, God, she was going to be sick.
Suddenly everyone around her was forming a line in order to congratulate the new managing partner and Ruby’s stomach did another weird flip. She had to calm down. She had to pull herself together. She had to find a bathroom before she lost her breakfast all over the carpet.
‘Can you believe we’re going to be working out of Wellington Towers from tomorrow onwards?’ Veronica said with barely concealed excitement. ‘The foyer alone is as big as an aircraft hanger and apparently it has one-hundred-and-eighty-degree views of the harbour. No more cramped offices and narrow hallways. We’re going to be working in the lap of luxury. I can catch the ferry to work now rather than taking the smelly old bus!’