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Halpern stared atand hard “You wanna clarify that shit?”

I said quietly, “I’laring conflict of interest, I’ for a leave of absence That is, unless you’re about to fire my ass”

I thought he was going to yell at me But instead, Halpern picked up the phone on his desk He didn’t look at me as he pressed a button and said, “Connect me with Central”

“Central!” I leapt to my feet and leaned onto his desk “No! Please don’t call my dad!” I felt like I was ten years old all of a sudden

He glared at me as he said, “Why not?”

“I want to tell him myself Please?”

I heard someone pick up on the other end of the line, and Halpern told the receptionist, “Hang on a minute” He hit the hold button and said, “Sit the fuck down, Jamie”

“Yes sir” I sank back onto the chair and folded my hands in my lap

And he said, “When are you planning to tell him?”

“Soon I came to you first”

He stared atmoment, then pushed a button on the phone and said, “I’ll call you back” He put the handset down before asking ned to this case?”

“No sir”

“So you ht for the first time?”

“Yes sir”

“And you already think you’re in love with him? What the fuck?”

“It just happened, sir”

Halpern assessed the situation for a long ive you a nu appointe-of-exploding Rolodex, and then he o see your dad That’s an order”

“You’re sending ? Come on, sir!”

“This isn’t you, Jaetto a counselor will help you get sos sorted out” Halpern was in full intervention hed as I stood up

“I’, sir”

“That too, was an order, not a request,” he toldover me Michael Halpern was one of the few men that could make me feel short at six feet tall