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Tessman felt her go rigid in his arms. “If you’re talking about missions, yes. Protecting people, occasionally. That’s the job I do, who I am. I’m also someone who finds you incredibly intelligent, beautiful, and sexy. I love that you care so deeply about people, and that you have a strong sense of right and wrong. One of the core values of a Marine is Spiritus Invictus, which means unconquerable spirit. You have that. It’s one of the many reasons I’m so attracted to you. And I do want to get to know you better no matter what my job is. But you have to understand, my job is who I am, Becca. There’s always going to be missions and deployments. That’s part of the deal but I hope you’ll find me interesting enough to deal with it.”
“I never would have set out to get involved with someone who does the job you do. But now that I’ve gotten to know you, I can’t imagine you not being in my life. When we’re holding each other, I feel like me again, not the person I’ve been since Nicole and her family were killed.” She paused for a moment and reflected on what she’d just said. She sounded selfish to herself. “I like the person you are, your attitude towards things. You have this calm way about you, even during really intense or scary moments. It’s like nothing fazes you and I find that a very attractive quality. So, yes, I find you interesting enough to accept the job you do to have you in my life.”
“How much longer you going to be?” Jackson yelled up the stairs. He still stood in the entry.
“Just a minute or two,” Tessman replied, yelling towards the open door. Then he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “We will finish this conversation later.”
***
Later that evening, Becca was alone in the apartment on the ninth floor. Carter had gone to pick up dinner for the two of them at a restaurant, insisting on treating her to a meal that wasn’t leftovers. She checked her work email. There was a message from Brad, one of the partners. Carl, the other partner was copied in. The subject was Employment Termination.
A part of her didn’t even want to open it and read it. She wasn’t even sure how she felt about it. A very odd, unnerving feeling settled over her. She didn’t feel sad, but she didn’t feel excited either. She would be free to pursue the next professional chapter of her life. Wasn’t that what she wanted? Was it going to be as a divorce attorney specializing in domestic violence cases? She wasn’t sure. She reminded herself that she didn’t need to plan the rest of her career out now. That should have brought her peace. It didn’t.
Reluctantly, she opened the email.
Rebecca,
Carl and I have discussed your situation at length. And while we both sympathize with how difficult this must be for you, and we applaud your attempt to strike a balance between the personal circumstances you are in that demand your attention and the work you do for the firm, we cannot continue to extend the part-time, remote work arrangement you’ve been granted that has gone on longer than any of us would have foreseen. Although I know of no specific incidents that you failed to meet a deadline, our clients deserve better representation and service. It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that werequire you return to a normal schedule in the office or we will regretfully accept your resignation. Carl and I will continue to pay you your full salary and extend your health benefits for six weeks as a severance package. You will of course have the option to extend your health benefits with COBRA coverage after that time period if you would like to.
Best wishes,
Brad
Well, that was that. She had no intention of going back into the office full-time for any reason, not that she could right now, anyway.
When Carter returned fifteen minutes later with a takeout bag that smelled incredibly good, that unsettled feeling she’d had, had shifted to a sense of autonomy. For the first time in her adult life, she owed nothing to anyone. This made her feel light, almost carefree.
Tessman noticed something different in her mood as he unpacked the two containers and popped the lids from them. He set them on the table and then placed a fork and steak knife he’d borrowed from the kitchen on the fifth floor beside each container.
Becca poured each of them a glass of wine. “That smells divine,” she said, handing him one of the wine glasses. She raised her glass between them. “Join me in a toast?”
“Sure, what are we toasting?”
“My free market status. I heard back from the partners. I no longer have a job.” She tapped his glass and then took a healthy drink, savoring the flavor in the red blend.
“Is this a moment where I’m supposed to say I’m sorry or congratulations?”
“I’m not sure,” she replied. “I think congratulations. I had no intention of ever returning to the office full-time. I feel strangely okay with this.”
Tessman grinned. “Well then, congratulations.”
“I’ve never had a steak dinner to go,” she said, changing the subject. In the container in front of her was a perfectly grilled fillet, a loaded baked potato, and a side of asparagus also grilled and seasoned.
“I eat a lot of my meals to go,” he said. “Of course, I don’t keep the most regular hours.” He paused and chuckled at himself. The truth was, like many single guys, he didn’t eat regular meals most of the time either. “Angel caters from them occasionally. That’s how I found out about them. I think they catered Angel and Jackson’s wedding.”
“Really?” she asked. “Did you go to it? Their wedding?”
“Yeah, the whole team did. It was here at the office. They were married in the rec room,” Tessman said. “Shepherd walked her down the aisle and Lambchop, our team pastor, performed the ceremony.”
“Lambchop, I’ve heard that name. He’s Michaela’s husband, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he’s been deployed on a mission. You haven’t met him yet. He’s a force, a hell of a SEAL and a hell of a good guy. We were all happy for him and Michaela when they finally got together. It had been a long time coming.”
“I don’t understand,” Becca admitted.
“There is an anti-fraternization clause in all our contracts. Jackson was the first to break it with Angel. About a half-dozen others did too before Lambchop and Michaela broke it. I know neither of them wanted to let Shepherd down by disobeying any of the rules. And any of them that did, could have gotten fired for it.”
“Why do you think no one did?”