My voice came out muffled as it battled to make it through my fingers. “Please tell me what the hell you’re talking about, Ruby.”
“See, that’s one of the problems right there. Your mouth.”
“My mouth?” I lifted my head and looked at her again.
She pursed her lips and shook her head. “Hm-um. I’m not saying anything more. I need this job.”
“Are you saying that you feel like you can’t talk to me because if you do, you’ll get fired?”
She gave me a tight smile. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. See, you’re a smart girl.” She stood. “I have files to work on, so if you don’t mind…”
I was angry now. “I do mind. Sit.”
“Don’t you talk to me like that! I’m not your dog!” Her southern accent came out towards the end, the one she worked to keep out of her voice at work when surrounded by us lawyers.
I stood up, my voice louder than it should have been. “I know that, Ruby! I know you’re not my dog! I’m just asking you to sit down and have a civilized conversation with me for a change!”
The door opened and Bradley’s head popped in. “Trouble, sweetie?” he asked, not even looking at Ruby.
“No,” I waved him away, “I’m fine. Just give us a few minutes.”
“Yeah, sure,” he said stepping into the room.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Ruby rolling her eyes.
“I just wanted to firm up our date at the country club with The Coral Group? Tomorrow at seven sharp. We can’t be late.”
“Yes, I remember. It’s in my calendar.”
“Okay, great.” He flashed me his good-job grin, the one that used to make me feel all warm inside but now just made me want to slap him. I immediately felt guilty. A girl probably shouldn’t feel that way about the man she was going to marry in just a couple weeks.
“Do you mind?” I said, trying not to sound as annoyed as I felt. “We’re having a little meeting right now. If you need to chat, I’ll be out in a minute.”
“Oh, you want me to leave?” He looked at Ruby. “What’s the matter, Rube? You screw something up again?” He gave her his best cheesy, movie-star smile. When Candice and Kelly were still talking to me, they said it was too perfect. At the time I’d argued. Now, seeing him here kind of harassing Ruby, I wasn’t so sure.
Ruby got halfway out of her seat before I intervened. “Bradley, come on, just give us a break, would you?”
He put his hands up. “Hey, it’s just a joke. Come on, ladies, lighten up.” He backed out of the room and went through the door in reverse, stopping when everything but his head was out of my office. His voice went from jocular to businesslike. “Ruby, seriously, though … let me know when she’s free so I can stop by and chat with her, would you?”
She didn’t even acknowledge him. Bradley left after winking at me, giving me a thumbs up and pointing at Ruby’s back. He probably thought I was going to fire her. To say he and Ruby do not get along would be a massive understatement.
“Okay, so where were we?” I asked.
“I was telling you I’m busy and you were excusing me from this meeting.”
“No, that’s not where we were.” I left the space behind my desk and came around to join her, taking the chair on her left. She turned away from me, facing the wall of bookshelves that ran next to my desk.
“Ruby, if you’re worried that being honest with me will cause you to lose your job, I want you to know that it won’t happen. I’d never let you go for being honest. Besides … the senior partners love you. You have total job protection here.”
She swiveled her head slowly in my direction. “Can I get that in writing?”
“Shit, Ruby, you know the law as well as I do. Your job is safe. Come on, talk to me.”
She sighed. “I don’t want to upset you.” Her tone wasn’t quite as harsh. It was the kindest thing she’d said to me in six months, and it gave me hope.
“Please, if it will help get us to the bottom of this mess, I don’t care. Upset me.”
She stared at me long and hard before exhaling in a really long, really sad-sounding sigh.
Just that alone made me want to cry. I almost didn’t want to hear what she had to say now, knowing she was preparing herself to deliver some very bad news.
“Okay, I’m just going to come right out and say it, because this is something you need to hear. And since you don’t talk to your friends anymore, it’s on my shoulders to do it.” She pressed her lips together and sat straighter. Then she looked at the ceiling before muttering, “Lord Jesus, please forgive me for being so bold and honest, but you know I’m doing it for the right reasons and my heart is true.”