Page 9 of Be My Valentine

“He’s right.” In saying it, Kate realized it was true. He had been the one to allow her to quickly disappear and no one had called her again.

Emma looked at her trying to figure out if she was lying, then turned to her brother.

“Why do you continue to deal with that firm?”

“I’m not the one who decides. I don’t get to know which attorneys the other side chooses.” he explained patiently “Now can we please think about your shoes?”

“All I’m saying is you’re not the only partner, you could stick them on Holmes.”

“No one is particularly excited about dealing with Gleeson & Hanks.”

“Yeah, not that those two brothers are saints, just a little less slimy.” Emma turned to Kate again “Avoid them too if you can. And you should give them all a talking to.” She said to her brother.

“I’ve already done that, now please, which shoes would you like…”

“It’s easy for you men, but us? And God forbid you should be attractive! Because they’ll say you got the job just for that, or they’ll imply that you’re silly, because a beautiful woman can’t also be smart! Your firm, for example, is sexist. Two male partners and the secretaries? All women!”

Mark Arrow rolled his eyes.

“Dad set up the firm with his college friend, if it’ll put your mind at ease, in a few years Holmes will leave the place to his daughter, a place you didn’t want.”

“I’m an architect.” Rebutted his sister, pointing out the obvious.

“You could have gone to law school.” objected the brother with a shrug “And it’s not my fault that only women showed up for interviews as studio assistants.”

“You could have specified that you needed to hire a man!”

“That, sis, is not allowed, and you would know that if you had studied law. Now, can we get back to the shoes?”

Kate looked at them, shifting her gaze from one to the other. She never would have believed that Mark Arrow possessed such infinite patience. He answered her in kind, without flinching, gentle but firm; he didn’t sound like the same man who would shout out her name in a tone of voice that pierced the sound barrier. His sister, then, was a hoot. A flood of words, the exact opposite of her boss. Kate thought maybe that wasn’t even true, maybe Mark Arrow was patient and affable with the people he cared about; after all, she didn’t know him at all. She quite enjoyed seeing him in the role ofbrother: so relaxed, he was an attractive man: dark hair, sea-colored eyes, broad shoulders. In the office he was almost scary to her, clenching his jaw, continually on the verge of exploding and piercing her with his gaze: it was nothing like the look he gave his sister at that moment.

“I should go.” Said Kate.

“No, wait, help me pick out shoes! My brother isn’t helping.”

“Allie is so much better than me, you’re in good hands.”

Emma frowned.

“Is it because of what I said before? I’m sorry again, you know, I talk too much sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” Arrow protested.

“Okay, fine, I often talk too much.”

Her brother raised an eyebrow and smiled, inviting her to continue.

Emma took a breath and looked at Kate.

“I talk. All the time. Too much. Are you happy now?”

Mark laughed and Kate realized it was the first time she had ever really heard him laugh. It was so good! If only he had hated her less, she might have even allowed herself to fantasize a little.

“My husband says that if the child looks like me the only chance for peace will be to lock himself in a monastery.”

“If they didn’t have such a high heel, I’d recommend the Louboutins,” Kate said, returning to the topic of footwear.

“Those are shoes! The girl has good taste, I like that! Which are your favorites?”