Chapter Twenty-Eight
Duncan
Leaning back in the chair, I shake my head, slowly trying to digest Mike's words while staring at the employee file laid out before us. The picture churns my stomach. I didn't know her name. Now I do.
Wrongful termination?
"She hired an attorney?" I ask, ensuring I heard my best friend correctly.
"Yes. The paperwork came today."
"New York is an at-will state. I'm sure that Eric had reason for her termination." I look over the notes, the claims of sexual advances by various employees, the last being made by a Maxwell Knight. "This seems pretty cut and dried. Why would an attorney take this on?"
Mike takes off his glasses, massages his temples, and leans over the conference table. So far, we are discussing this strictly amongst ourselves. We want to get a grip on the situation before bringing in other voices. The churning in my stomach bubbles like a cauldron knowing that one of the voices that will be brought in on this case is Kimbra's.
It's been over a month and a half since I was her plus-one at Scarlett's wedding. Over a month since Shana moved to London. It may seem like I'm moving quickly, but I've spent most of that time presenting my case for why Kimbra should officially move in with me. She's at my place or I'm at hers almost every night.
It isn't like we can't afford it, but maintaining two residences is unnecessary.
"Duncan, there's more. Carla Toney is claiming that the two of you had a relationship. She's claiming that HR acted in a retaliatory manner." He hands me another paper. "She's specifically named Kimbra, citing the relationship the two of you have as grounds for her accusations."
Anger fills my chest. "That is ridiculous."
"You never?" He narrows his gaze. "This is me. Tell me the truth."
Slapping my hand on the table, I spin out of the chair as I stand. "I didn't even know her fucking name."
"And that's going to help us? The attorney is asking for surveillance tapes from our security department."
I begin a small trek as I pace behind my chair. "It wasn't..." It's my turn to massage my temples. "She offered. I didn't turn her down—"
"Of course you—"
"I didn't turn her down," I interrupt. "But nothing happened. She's the one in the bathroom."
Mike's eyes grow wide. "The one that Kimbra heard?"
I nod dejectedly as I collapse back in the chair.
Twice in the last six weeks, Kimbra and I have gotten together with Mike and Kelli. The last time was at Mike and Kel's house. They all love Kimbra, even the kids. And they couldn't be happier that I've finally allowed someone into my life, someone to get close. It's new and exciting in a way I never imagined. I love introducing her to those people who are close to me. Having her with me in my world is as rewarding as being in hers.
But now the look of disappointment on Mike's face is like a punch to my already-twisted gut.
"I don't want to include her in this," I say.
"She's already included. She's been named by Ms. Toney's attorney."
"What do they want? What are they asking for?"
"Not her job back. They're asking for damages, claiming that her termination is in retaliation for her involvement with you." Mike squints as he scans the pages. "...and there's something about a previous relationship with a Mr. Cole."
"Whose previous relationship?"
Mike twists uncomfortably in his seat as he puts his glasses back on and looks closer at the pages. "Damn, Duncan. This isn't my place."
"What are you talking about?"
"It says that Ms. Toney and Mr. Cole's relationship interfered with Kimbra and Mr. Cole's recent association. And then, fast-forward to when Kimbra found out about you and Ms. Toney, she pursued the termination of Ms. Toney. Ms. Toney claims that other similar allegations have gone uninvestigated, but because of Kimbra's vengeful grudge, the unsubstantiated case involving Mr. Maxwell was pushed and resulted in her wrongful termination."
My mind is awhirl. Mr. Cole. "Who the fuck is Mr. Cole? What is recent?"
"I don't know what they mean by recent. I did however have Sara pull up Mr. Cole's file." Mike hands me another paper. "Timothy Cole, still employed by Buchanan and Willis in distribution..."
I stop listening as I realize that Mr. Cole isn't someone Kimbra has seen recently. He was her date at the company Christmas party. He's the jerk who cheated on her on New Year's Eve. He's the one her family expected at the wedding.
The connections pop into place like magnets on a toy train.
Timothy Cole cheated on Kimbra with Carla Toney. Carla Toney made a play for me. I made a play for Kimbra. Kimbra and I are together and Carla... "This is bullshit. Plain, unadulterated bullshit."
"Back to their evidence," Mike says. "If we supply them with security footage from late May, what will they see?"
My lips form a straight line as I cross my arms over my chest. "I already told you this. She'd been offering for some time. I'd refused. Until...that morning, I was frustrated with more than a few things. Seeing Kimbra in the coffee shop had me unsettled. I accepted Carla's invitation to the bathroom." It is the first time I've told the story with her name inserted.
"There are cameras outside the stalls."
I let out an exasperated breath. "She took me out. Is that what you want to know? My dick is on tape. She never got it in her mouth. Fuck, I don't think I was even hard, not really. I was thinking about Kimbra, not her...Carla..." I force myself to say her name for the second time. "And then I heard the sound of a woman's whimper. If I got hard, that was when it happened.
"But then all hell broke loose. She asked if anyone was there. We closed up shop and got the hell out of there."
Shaking his head, Mike asks, "Not before seeing the shoes?"
Despite the heated discussion, my grin returns. "I fucking love those red shoes."
"We need to let Eric know what's happening. He's the manager in charge of human resources. Even if we agree to the demands for damages, our legal team will need to follow up with him."
"Damages? What kind of damages?"
"I think, despite the surveillance," Mike says, giving me another look. "...we could put enough holes in their case."
"And put Kimbra through all of that? No. We have insurance to pay this shit. I just want it gone."
Mike takes a deep breath and for the first time since our meeting began, smiles. "After all these years, it's nice to think that maybe you're over that bullshit."
"As long as there are no cameras in my office, we're good."
"Christ, Duncan, put a ring on her finger and at least make it legal."
"You know, for the first time, that doesn't seem like a bad idea."
As Mike collects the papers, he says, "I'll set up a meeting tomorrow with legal and Eric. Let's get this settled before it goes any further."
"I know I don't say it enough, but thanks, man."