I stand and shake both of their hands, and Russell tracks my confusion immediately. A friendly grin lights up his ivory face, his full head of gray hair professionally coiffed with a side part. “Sit. Sit. We’ll explain in a minute,” he says. They take the seats on either side of me, and I settle back into my own.
“We don’t want to keep you, seeing as you have a big night to prepare for.” Kendall claps my shoulder, a bright smile flashing from his deep umber skin. “We’ve been very impressed with your work, both here and in San Francisco, and we have a proposition for you.”
The smile never leaves his face, despite my knitted brows raising in surprise while he and Russell give me their pitch. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I would be insane to turn down. While I hear everything they’re saying, all I can think about is Willa and Lyla.
“Now, we know you just had a baby”—Russell tacks on—“and we want to make this worth your while.”
I nod, my breath shallow while I try to juggle the information with the panic rising in my throat. This could be the perfect solution to a problem I thought was so far in the future I didn’t need to worry about it. But here’s the solution, just the same, and I think the timing might be just right. Maybe.Hopefully.
“This wouldn’t start for a few months, but you’ll need that time to get all of the paperwork submitted. You could take theweekend to think about it, talk to Willa, and get back to us on Monday if you nee?—”
“I don’t need to think about it.” I shake my head, wetting my lips with sudden clarity. “I’ll take it.”
Miles nods with an easy smile that matches the CEO and CTO of EdTechU. All three take turns shaking my hand, and I feel like I’m walking on a cloud, thinned air and all. I turn to Miles. “Do you think I could clock out now? I have some things I need to prepare for this new…career path.”
“Of course. Of course. We’ll see you on Monday.”
I nod, and my eyes dart around the room, trying to focus on anything that makes sense.Did this really just happen? I’m so sleep-deprived, maybe I’m dreaming. I’m still nodding as I turn out the door and head to my office to clock out. When I get to my desk, however, the first thing I do is dig my phone out of my pocket and dial.
“T? Is everything okay?”
“My,” I say to my sister. “I need you.”
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
WILLA
I’ve never been to something so fancy before. The Reed Tech Gala is all swanky chandeliers and candlelit banquet tables, and I feel out of place, despite my black floor-length chiffon gown. I fiddle with the pins securing my twists in a low bun and smooth a hand over the deep slit in my dress for the seventeenth time. If I didn’t have this clutch in my hand, I’m sure I’d have a death grip on my fingers.
Trevor grabs my free hand and pulls me toward him. “You’re beautiful, Gem.” He smiles, his calm easing into me. Giving me a sweet kiss on the lips melts the rest of my tension away. The elevator opens, and we head to the main ballroom.
Trevor’s mom and dad are already at the table when we get there, beaming at him like he’s the absolute light of their life. I can’t help looking at him the same way, considering he’s the light of mine. Asa and Adele flew in last night and spent today catching up with me and Lyla. All day, they gushed over how much she resembled Trevor when he was a kid. Lyla spent the time laughing at Asa’s silly faces and cuddling with Adele. I love how they’ve welcomed me into their family, but I can’t help but feel sad Lyla won’t get a double dose of grandparent affection.
Trevor pulls my chair out for me, and once he takes his seat,Asa starts with the jokes. “See, Adele? Being raised in a barn didn’t affect him at all. He’s wearing a tie and everything.”
“Asa, honey, if you embarrass our son on his big night, I’ll pinch the living daylights out of you.”
Asa leans to the side like he’s digging in his back pocket. “Well, just make sure you even it out on both cheeks, dear. Lord knows it’s the most action I’ve seen in weeks.”
My hand flies to my mouth to cover the cackle threatening to escape, while Trevor’s shoulders shake wildly next to me as he tips his head back and laughs. Adele swats at Asa’s shoulder with her program, then quickly uses it to hide giggles of her own. Asa Jones and his jokes are nothing less than a national treasure.
As the laughter dies down, we’re joined by Chase and Kayla, who look happily exhausted as they tuck into the chairs next to us. “Hey, Willa!” Chase says with a wave. I give a little wave back as he passes behind me to greet Trevor and his parents. The bright smile on his face never falters. It suits him, but I’ve known Kayla long enough to know she’s not a social butterfly.
“He always like this?” I ask Kayla, who pulls her phone out of her clutch and sets it in her lap—a telltale new mom anxiety habit. I know because I did the exact same thing.
Kayla leans in her chair to give me a side hug. “Worse, usually. I don’t know where he gets his damn energy from. He was on baby duty last night.” She looks at me and offers a smile. “You look great, Willa. Happiness looks good on you.”
I nod and smile back. “Can you believe we’re here? From small town Fort Bender to a ritzy LA gala?”
“Better get used to it, girl. I doubt Trevor’s letting you get away.”
I doubt it, too. After we broke through my body image barrier last week, I’ve let myself completely give in to him, and he’s met me with the most enthusiastic protection. I can’t believe I ever doubted him wanting me. Ever doubted him staying.
Once the dinner plates are cleared away, the lights dim, and the excitement in the air makes me wonder how Trevor’s taking allof this. I reach for his thigh under the table and squeeze to get his attention. When he smiles at me with that dimpled grin, I know two things. One: he’s not nervous at all. He was made for success like this. And two: he has my entire heart. He presses a kiss to my cheek, whispering, “Thank you for everything.”
He’s thankingme? After all the things he’s had to give up and adjust to over the last year, he’s smiling at me with gratitude like I’m the prize here. All my words scramble in my head as I gape at him in confusion. “What are you thanking me for? You did all of this yourself, Tre.”
“Maybe. But it definitely helps having you next to me.”
