"Have it your way."
We head down to the other boutique, which turns out to be middle-of-the-road expensive instead of I'm-married-to-royalty extravagant. I choose an elegant but reasonably priced pantsuit, ignoring Chance's flirtatious comments about how much he loves me in a skirt. I love his smile and his winks whenever he tells me something like that.
We agree to arrive at work separately. Chance goes first, since he always gets there earlier than anyone else except for Raisa. This morning, he's not as early as usual. I amble in twenty minutes later.
Only a handful of my coworkers are there. I briefly wonder if some of those lucky dogs got the weekend off, then realize they're probably off doing research somewhere or writing summaries in their PJs at home.
Chance is already in Raisa's office. I can't see them because the door is closed and the glass has been turned opaque, but I hear their voices. Even when I can't understand the words, I recognize Chance's voice. And I realize, based on their tones, that they're arguing.
Not loud enough to raise eyebrows. Luckily, everyone else is busy and not paying attention to the voices coming from Raisa's office.
I sit down at my desk and try to work, but my gaze keeps gravitating to the door to Raisa's office. How bad is it in there? Is Chance okay? I can't go in there to check without some legitimate excuse.
Grabbing a folder from my desk, I march up to Raisa's office door. Their voices are louder now, but I still can't make out the words. Chance sounds annoyed. Very annoyed.
I hesitate for a couple seconds, then knock.
Everything goes quiet inside the office.
The toe of my brand-new shoe taps furiously while I chew the inside of my lip.
At last, the door swings open.
Chance looks tired, but he moves aside and gestures for me to enter the room.
I can't make my feet budge. "I, um, need to talk to you about that pharmaceuticals case. I have the summaries you asked for, but I want to make sure it's everything you need."
He gives me a grateful look, one Raisa can't see since his back is turned to her. "I'll take a look later, but thank you for checking in with me."
Raisa rises from her chair, shoulders back, chin lifted, her cool gaze trained on me. "You should join us, Elena."
"No," Chance says. "This has nothing to do with her."
She ignores him and speaks to me. "Come in, Elena."
I shuffle into the office, my feet like big rocks attached to my legs with massive iron chains, and take a seat in one of the chairs on this side of Raisa's desk. Chance drops into the other chair. Only a couple feet separate us, but though I long to touch him, I don't do it.
Raisa can't know about us. Not unless Chance told her, and he wouldn't do that. She is one of the top legal minds in the country, a smart woman who can be very perceptive when she wants to be. So far, she's seemed oblivious of the chemistry between me and Chance, but maybe she's set her perceptive mind to the task of figuring out who he's dating.
I assume he's told her that much.
Raisa remains standing, like the teacher about to ream her wayward students. Or student. She's looking straight at me when she says, "I know about you and Chance."
Every ounce of blood in my body seems to evaporate, leaving me cold and stunned. I feel like I might pass out, but that's just crazy. I don't faint because my boss finds out I'm sleeping with her ex-husband. I sit up straighter instead, my hands flat on the folder on my lap.
Chance's gaze flicks to me. "She knows I sweet-talked you into telling me about her little scheme. I've made it clear to Raisa I don't appreciate or approve of the way she bullied you into helping her spy on me."
I can't think of a damn thing to say. Spy on him? I guess he's talking about Raisa's plan to win him back.
Chance aims a squinty-eyed look at Raisa. "I've set her straight on all of that."
Raisa waves a hand in my direction. "Forget about the plan, Elena. I shouldn't have asked you to do that."
"And?" Chance prompts.
She meets my gaze. "I'm sorry for what I did."
Wow, she apologized. Maybe I won't be fired after all.
"I appreciate that," I tell her.
"See?" Raisa says to Chance. "It's all settled."
"Yes, that's a good start." He gets up and nods to me, then to Raisa. "This matter is settled, and I'd better not hear anything more about you trying to win me back."
"Of course not," Raisa says.
Chance casts a furtive glance at me, smiling faintly, then walks out.
"Shut the door," Raisa calls out, and he does it.
I'm alone with my boss. Who just found out her ex is seeing someone else. So yeah, I grasp the arms of my chair while pretending to be relaxed.
Raisa sits down, clasps her hands on the desktop, and eyes me with her lips pinched. Though I've worked for her for barely more than a week, I've come to know that expression. It means she's figuring out whether I've kept something from her. Which I have. Big time. My conscience urges me to confess everything, but even if I wanted to, I can't do that without talking to Chance first.
"I know what you've been doing," Raisa says, leaning back in her chair, still staring at me in a way that makes my skin crawl.
Fighting the urge to scratch my arms, I try to look innocent. Jeez, I was dealing with one of the toughest lawyers in New York, and I thought I could fool her? Well, she hadn't figured out the truth yet. Maybe that snowball wouldn't melt in Hell after all.
"You had a fling last night, didn't you?" Raisa asks. "It's all right. After being at the law library most of the week, I imagine you needed to cut loose for a night. But I need you sharp, Elena, not tired and distracted."
I almost cry from relief. She clearly doesn't know I slept with Chance last night, though she's guessed I spent the night with someone. "I'm fine, really. Only had one martini last night, so no hangover."
"Good, but I'm not talking about hangovers." She waves a finger toward my face. "You have bags under your eyes, and that's a new suit from Sheri Ann's boutique. She's a friend, and I know what she keeps in stock. And the price tag is hanging from your armpit."
Is it? I lift my arm, and yes, the tag is hanging there. Damn. Isn't that just my luck? Raisa knows the woman who owns the boutique where Chance bought me a new outfit. I hope Sheri Ann didn't recognize Chance. I mean, if Raisa bought clothes there...
She's studying me again, like she knows I've done something but can't quite put her finger on it.
"If that's all," I say, "I should get these summaries to Chance."
"Not yet." She swivels her chair side to side. "You've let me down, Elena. I asked you to do one simple thing---find out who Chance is sleeping with---and you failed."
"I'm sorry."
She puckers her lips again, steepling her index fingers under her chin. "Never mind. I'll find out on my own. You're dismissed."