Read Online Love Is More Than Skin Deep (A Hidden Hearts Novel Book 4) by Mary Crawford - Free Book Online

some valuable points, I hesitate to completely change the complexion of our firm to chase a few dollars in this tight legal market. We have spent a great deal of time and effort to establish a reputation in our legal community. We have some standing among our peers. I don’t want to throw that away just so to chase some ambulances, as it were. What about the principles that we were founded on? We went into business for a specific purpose: are we going to give that up just so that we can notch up an arbitrary profit margin?”
    Garrett openly scoffs at me as he replies, “Mark, even you can see that all your principles won’t do you any good if this business goes under. Are you living in some fantasyland?”
    His utter lack of respect toward me is completely insulting. We’re not chowing down on burgers at some corner bar, we are in a formal business meeting that is being recorded for posterity. Instinctively, I sit up straighter in my chair as I level a dark stare at him and ask, “Are you sure that the ink on your degree is dry enough for you to be asking those kind of questions, Mr. Treadwell? I will remind you that the reason you have a job is because my partners and I founded this firm on the principles that you’re so quick to dismiss. I am well aware of the financial holdings of this firm. At no time did we ever discuss that this firm was anywhere close to folding. The only thing we were discussing was an adjustment to compensation packages. At the moment, I’m beginning to wonder if maybe we’ve gotten a little too generous. Perhaps the associates are feeling a little too entitled.”
    Anita, the associate who works with Susan raises her hand and responds, “Mr. Littleson, I hope you understand that I am profoundly honored to work here and grateful for the help you give associates.”
    “You are a world-class butt kisser ,” Garrett hisses under his breath toward Anita.
    I have to take a moment to collect myself, because I’m busy considering options that I want to say (but probably shouldn’t). The kid has no place being in the business of helping people as far as I’m concerned. If I had a magic wand, the snively-earwig would be sanitizing porta-potties for a living. Fortunately for him, I don’t run the world. I just have to operate in it. I simply don’t understand how phenomenally brave, smart young men like my brother die and entitled rich losers like this guy live footloose and fancy free — it just doesn’t make any sense. Before I can even rearrange my chaotic thoughts into some semblance of a coherent response, Susan, the other senior partner present today, walks up behind Garrett.
    “Mr. Treadwell, do you have something you would like to share with the rest of us?” she challenges.
    He ducks his head as he responds, “No ma’am.”
    Susan just narrows her eyes at him as she instructs, “If it was good enough to say to your colleague, you should feel comfortable sharing it with the group. Otherwise, you shouldn’t have said it to your colleague. It was incredibly rude. This is a professional office. However, something tells me that perhaps you’ve forgotten that we comport ourselves with some decorum in this workplace. This is not the same as watching the playoffs with your buddies in your den.”
    Garrett blushes as red as I’ve ever seen him and he responds, “Yes, ma’am.”
    Susan turns to me and asks, “Mr. Littleson, do you have anything to add?”
    “I am not blind to the fact that we need to make some changes, but I suggest we do a trial run and try to take a couple of new clients in the new areas and see how it changes the complexion of our office. I don’t want us to make wholesale changes without understanding what it might do to our structure. I want to dig a little deeper.”
    “That sounds like a reasonable, balanced approach to me,” Susan agrees. “Do you want to focus on Med Mal or product liability?”
    “I don’t know,” I admit. “Let me do some