Page 95

Tess had a sour look. “How could you tell? I’m only eight weeks along!”
Mom said, “You’ve been moody on the phone, you didn’t come over for breakfast on Saturday because you didn’t feel well, and I can totally tell your boobs are bigger.”
Derek laughed at her assessment. “We just found out last week and had our eight-week sonogram.”
Tess reached into her purse hanging over the back of her chair and pulled out a black-and-white picture of something that almost looked like a little bean. My jaw dropped. That little bean was my niece or nephew.
“Oh my gosh, Tess, that’s amazing!” I said, getting up to go hug them. Tess had been waiting for this her whole life. “You’re going to be amazing parents.”
Dad wiped his eyes. “I'm going to be a grandpa?”
Tess nodded, tearing up herself. “The best grandpa in the world.”
I glanced next to me and saw the forced smile on Mara’s face. Underneath the veneer, I knew what she was thinking. She was thinking back to her childhood when she was a little baby not being taken care of the way she deserved. And she was thinking of me and wondering if the kind of life she would give me would be enough.
To be honest, I was too.
“This calls for champagne,” Mom said. She got up and walked toward the kitchen, and Dad said, “Do we even have some?”
“Of course.” She got on her hands and knees and pulled a dusty bottle from the cupboard. Dust billowed as she blew on it. “I always keep one on hand for exciting news.” She came back into the dining area and gave Mara and me a look. “I figured I'd be using it on you two, but this is just as good.”
She set the bottle on the table, then grabbed a massive butcher knife from the drawers. After ripping off the gold foil, she swung the knife forcefully at the cork. A loud pop sounded as the cork flew across the room and hit the wall, sending Oaklynn skittering after it.
Mara laughed. “Best party trick ever.”
Tess and Derek laughed, and Mom poured champagne into coffee mugs for everyone since they weren't big drinkers and didn’t have champagne glasses. They just did their best when there was a special occasion.
I drained the liquid after toasting with everyone in reach. Tess, of course, drank her lemonade from Flanagans, which still might have been better than the room-temperature fizz the rest of us were downing.
My phone went off, and I noticed it was a call from one of my staff accountants. I silenced the call. He could wait an hour for me to have lunch with my family.
But as soon as that call ended, a new call started, this time from Mr. Rusk himself. I swore under my breath. “I've got to take this,” I said. “Sorry. My boss has been riding my ass lately.”
“Go ahead,” Mom said.
I stepped outside, leaving everyone chattering behind me as I answered the call. “Mr. Rusk.”
“Another ‘emergency’?” he asked brusquely.
“Lunch break. I do believe we’re allowed to eat.”
“That’s how employees think. They take all their free time and use it to the hilt. Bosses stick around, eat at their desks, make themselves available for the people who need them.”
“I had a family thing,” I explained. “My sister just announced that she’s pregnant.”
“And Jenkins’s daughter has a dance recital. They’re filming it; he’ll catch it later.”
I ground my teeth. How had I never noticed what an ass Mr. Rusk was before? Or was he just upset with me now that I actually had a life? It wasn’t like I was skimping out on my work. It was all getting done.
“Can I be honest with you?” he said.
You haven’t been?was my first thought. “Of course,” I said instead.
“I’ve always been partial to you over Jenkins. You’re a little younger, but you’ve always put work first. I’d hate to see it all slip away come crunch time.”
“I won’t let you down,” I said. He was right. I’d worked too damn hard the last ten years to let it slip through my fingers now. Especially when I knew I could manage people with more humanity than Mr. Rusk ever had or Jenkins ever would.
“Glad to hear it.” He hung up, and I went back inside. I gave Tess and Derek a big hug, congratulating them again, and then said goodbye to Mom and Dad, promising to see them again later in the week.