“Payton and Laney watched him go.Laney shook her head. “Unbelievable.”Payton gestured. “See—I told you.”“That man has such a great butt.”“Laney!”“What? I’m conservative, Payton, not blind.”

“Lesbian?”Payton turned around and saw J.D. standing there.Maybe it was the wine. Maybe she was basking in the glow of their successful pitch to Gibson’s. Maybe it was her promise to Laney to be the “New Payton,” or maybe it was a combination of all those things. But Payton actually found herself smiling at J.D.It’s just an excuse, the lesbian thing,” she said.”

“In the business world, what’sthe female equivalent of going golfing with a client?”Laney gave this some thought. Payton fell silent, too, contemplating. After a few moments, neither of them could come up with anything.How depressing.Payton sighed, feigning resignation. “Well, that’s it. I guess I’ll just have to sleep with them.”Laney folded her hands primly on the table. “I think I’m uncomfortable with this conversation.”

“I’m a bit of a novice myself.” She smiled. Then she turned back to Jasper. “And please, call me Payton.”Like one of my favorite quarterbacks,” Jasper grinned.Only with an a instead of an e. And slightly fewer yards in passing,” Payton said. Damn—now she’d already blown one of the three measly sports references she knew in the first two minutes.Jasper laughed. “Slightly fewer yards in passing—I like that.” He turned to J.D., gesturing to Payton. “Where have you been hidin’ this girl, J.D.?”

“Raise your hand if you had no idea you’d see so much nudity in one week of jury duty.”Twelve hands flew straight into the air.And unbelievably, Payton laughed.”

“Never send a boy to do a woman’s job, Irma.” - Payton Kendall”