Chapter 36
THIRTY-SIX
SOPHIE
Me
Abbi can’t stop talking about your waffles. She also can’t stop saying how much fun she had and wants to know when she’s going to stay the night again.
Colson
No different over here. Abbi is all Ellie has been discussing since you two left.
Me
That little move you pulled, dragging me into your office to kiss me without the girls seeing, that was daring, mister.
Colson
Going home without you last night wasn’t easy. Having you in my house this morning and not being able to touch you, also not easy. I saw an opportunity and took it.
Me
I’m glad you did.
Itwirled one of Abbi’s light-blonde locks around my finger while she lay, cuddled next to me, on the couch, watching her favorite show on her tablet.
She had hugged Colson goodbye when I picked her up this morning, and a tiny bit of his cologne clung to her.
Within every inhale, I got the smallest whiff of him, and it was playing with my head.
My heart was here, but my mind was there.
I let out a sigh and said, “What do you say we go somewhere fun for dinner tonight?”
The question was loud enough that she had no choice but to hear me. Whether she answered depended on her level of excitement. If the idea interested her, a response was inevitable. If she didn’t care, I’d be ignored.
“Can we invite Ellie?”
I laughed. Of course she had gone there. I expected nothing less. “Not tonight, baby. You both have school in the morning. But very soon, I promise.”
I didn’t care if it was only pre-K. In this house, school was a priority, and private education wasn’t cheap.
“Okay,” she groaned.
“Would it make it better if you picked the restaurant?”
“Sushi!”
“You’re going to turn into a fish.” I kissed her forehead.
“Mommy, I’m a sushi girlie for life.”
I couldn’t help but laugh again. “Where do you learn these things?”
She looked at me and giggled. “You.”
“God.” I shook my head.
My phone rang, and I reached for it on the end table, but Abbi quickly grabbed it from my fingers before it even neared my lap.
“Excuse me, Miss Abbi—”
She saw the photo on the screen, swiped it, and yelled, “Uncle Troy,” completely ignoring the fact that I was about to reprimand her for stealing my cell.
“Miss you too.” She paused. “You arrre?” She went quiet.
“I wanna be in Lauderdale! Tell Uncle Hay I love him so very, very much.” She couldn’t stop smiling.
“Okay, here’s Mommy.” She handed me the phone.
“Next time, no grabbing,” I said to her.
She pouted.
“Do you hear me?” I pressed.
“Yes, Mommy.”
I held the phone to my ear. “Hey, Troy.”
“Listen, I only have a few seconds to talk, but I’m calling to see if you’ve heard back from your firm regarding the Gordon-slash-Weston situation?”
I dropped Abbi’s chunk of hair that I’d been circling around my finger and picked up a new set of curls.
“Not yet. I’m assuming they’ll finalize their thoughts tomorrow morning and set up a meeting with me.
” My hand stilled. He only had a few seconds, and this was what he was calling about? “Why are you asking?”
“Jenner Dalton wants to speak with you.” He let that sink in. “He just asked me for your number.”
I stared at Abbi’s forehead. “What does he want to talk to me about?”
“I can only assume one thing. The question is, are you interested in working at The Dalton Group?”
I sat up straighter.
Am I interested?
There wasn’t a firm in California that was more prestigious and sought after than The Dalton Group.
After we had graduated from law school and we were studying for the bar, Troy had told me he was applying there to the only position they had available.
I didn’t want to compete against family, so I had sent applications to other firms. I was extremely proud of the career path I’d taken, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to be part of the best.
“Let me ask this …” I tried to keep my heart rate down and was failing miserably. “Did you say something to him about my situation?”
He chuckled. “Let’s put it this way: he fucking hated going up against you, and he said he would love to have a shark like you on his team. I happened to mention in passing that the opportunity could become possible.”
“I’m partner, Troy. I don’t think they’re going to let me go. I think there are going to be ramifications from my actions, but I won’t be fired.”
“So?”
I nodded at no one; I was just trying to process while my mind spun in every direction. “So, it’s not as simple as me walking out the door. I have lots of other accounts. I have—”
“Anything can be simple. It’s you who decides how complicated you want to make things.”
I wished he didn’t have a point. But he did.
“Can I give Jenner your number?” he asked.
I squinted my eyes closed and took several deep breaths. “Yes.”
“Heads up, you’re going to hear from him soon.”
“How soon—” My voice cut off as another call came through. I pulled the phone away from my ear to check the caller ID. I didn’t have Jenner’s number saved in my personal phone, only my office cell, but I had to assume this was him. “I think he’s calling me right now.”
“That would be him, I’m sure. I just texted him.”
“Troy”—I could barely breathe—“what is even happening right now?”
“You’re getting exactly what you deserve. The plane is about to take off. I’ll call you when I land. Oh, and Sophie? Please say yes.”
The phone went dead, the screen showing only the new call coming through.
I tried to get my thoughts straight, my breathing under control, my voice back to its usual pitch as I said, “This is Sophie,” when I returned the phone to my ear.
“I assume you’ve been expecting my call.”
I wiggled out from under Abbi’s head and stood from the couch, making my way into the kitchen, away from the animated sounds of her tablet. With each step, I could feel my heart in my throat.
“Hi, Jenner. Yes, I have.”
“I’m going to get right to the point. A position has opened on our team. I want you to fill it.”
My hand went to my chest, and I leaned my back into the edge of the counter. “Jenner, I’m flattered. Truly. I don’t know how much Troy has told you, but I’m a partner at my current firm and—”
“The offer I’m about to make you … you won’t be able to refuse.”
I didn’t have to hide my smile. He couldn’t see me. “I’m listening.”
“For one, I’ll double your current salary. And two, the amount you charge for billable hours, I’ll increase it by twenty-five percent.” He turned silent while the offer of a lifetime coiled through my mind. “Tell me, Ms. Rivers, do we have a deal?”