Page 80 of Hidden Ties

“I brought my lunch.”

“What did you bring?” Livvy brought her gaze back to hers. “Peanut butter crackers?”

She wished. She had run out of those last week. This week was ramen soup. Thankfully, she no longer blushed in embarrassment at the cheap lunches she brought to work, which seemed everyone in the department was keeping track of.

“I brought soup to heat up.”

“You can save the soup for tomorrow,” Livvy told her determinedly. “Today’s Nancy’s birthday. We’re all treating her for lunch.”

Before she could form an excuse, Sage found herself being pulled from her chair as Livvy opened her bottom desk drawer to take out her purse.

“Livvy, I can’t—”

“You’re coming. Don’t worry; I’ll pay your part.” Livvy’s hand went to her arm, preventing her from sitting back down. “Nancy is Bree’s BFF. You get in good with Nancy, maybe Bree will reconsider giving you the full-time job opening,” she whispered in an undertone while maneuvering them through the cubicles. “Wouldn’t you like your own office?”

Ugh. What made Livvy as lethal as a snake was her ability to pinpoint other’s weaknesses. She wanted her own office to stay out of Livvy’s sight. Her cubicle was right in the middle of twelve others in the room, so she was a sitting duck anytime Livvy turned a venomous gaze in her direction from inside her office.

Sage felt the rest of her protests die in her throat at Livvy’s compelling inducement. Unable to stop herself from being ushered out of the office without making a spectacle of herself, Sage gave in.

Livvy loosened her hold on her arm when she realized the battle between them was over.

Sage hoped they would have lunch at one of the nearby fast-food restaurants, but those hopes were dashed when Livvy turned the corner and stopped at a restaurant she had nevereaten at before but had heard other workers in the office discussing how delicious the food was … and how expensive.

“Livvy, this place is too expensive.” Her budget was already spread paper thin. She barely had just enough money to cover her rent due in two days.

Holding the door open, Livvy motioned her inside. “Move it. I don’t want us to be late going back to work. If Bree writes me up, I won’t be responsible for whom I will take it out on.”

Knowing full well Livvy didn’t make idle threats, Sage felt as if she had no choice other than to go along with whatever plan Livvy had in store for her.

As she glanced around the bustling restaurant, she thought she might have an easy out.

“There’s no way we’ll get a table and be back on time.” Turning back toward the entrance, she found Livvy blocking her way.

“Susan and Nancy are already seated.”

Her shoulders slumped when Livvy took her arm again, ushering her around a long line of customers waiting to be seated.

When they walked through the restaurant, she felt her stomach plummet. There was no getting out of whatever plan Livvy had in store for her. The restaurant was huge; another level was slightly above the one where Nancy and Susan were seated. Decorative screens blocked who was sitting at the tables above, giving the diners below a sense of privacy.

Taking an empty chair at the table, Sage looked around the restaurant curiously as Nancy handed her a menu, giving her a smile, which made fear run down her back.

“I’m glad Livvy was able to convince you to join us.”

Nancy’s friendly greeting heightened her trepidation. Glancing around the table, she felt her hands go clammy. Whatever the plan was, all three women were in on it together.

“Livvy kind of took the option out of my hand.”

Livvy, who was scanning the menu, didn’t look up. Nancy and Susan both laughed, assuming she was joking. She wasn’t.

Susan leaned forward as if she were about to share a secret. “Anytime we have a client who is determined to talk to their lawyer, I switch them to Livvy. Makes my day brighter just listening to how she handles them.”

“She missed her calling.” Susan was squeezing lemon into her water. The disrespectful way she talked about Livvy grated on Sage’s nerves, whether she was there or not. “Livvy should be on the top floor, making the big money.”

Sage listened absently, trying not to gape at the prices on the menu and gag at what Susan was saying at the same time.

Livvy laid her menu down. “Don’t tell anyone, but there is a promotion in the works. Bree told me yesterday. I’m just waiting for Mr. Hollingsworth to sign off on it.”

Nancy gave Livvy an envious look. “Lucky girl. Is there any chance I could take your job once your promotion comes through?”