Page 47 of The Best Worst Mistake (Off-Limits #2)

Abby

I reach for another one of Starry’s cookies. I’ve been here eight weeks now, and I’m pretty sure that means I’ve earned a few new curves from her cooking.

However , I think as I take another bite, it’s been worth every calorie .

A shocking part of me felt relieved when Brett ended the meeting earlier today by threatening my job, instead of offering me the partnership promotion.

And yeah, I felt just as surprised by that sense of relief as I felt when the words about Dax and my relationship came tumbling out of Silas’ mouth.

“He has to approve my removal through the partners,” I explain to Starry, who’s pouring a few glasses of red wine to go with the cookies this time, including one for Charlie, who’s sitting right beside me.

“I still can’t believe that guy had such loose lips today,” he says, frowning.

I pull a pink streamer off the lamp beside me. I came home to a kitchen decorated in streamers, balloons, and a cake Starry had made with Congratulations to Our Newest Partner! written across the top in frosting.

Something broke in me then and I started laughing, overcome by the irony of everything that had just unfolded. We’d finally won The Nile Group for our client, and somehow, I’d still be losing my job. A three-sixty turn of events where no one loses but me.

Dax has already texted that he’s on his way over.

“It’s really not Dax’s fault that his friend is the gossip queen of the century,” Starry reminds me, patting my hand, gently.

“Who’s this guy again?” Charlie asks. “We try to keep out of all the celebrity gossip. Tends to help us treat everyone equally around here, not knowing the dirt on people when Selma and Quinton have friends from the industry over to the house.”

I pull a paparazzi photo of Silas up on my phone. He’s shirtless on a beach in Australia.

“Okay, almost the most handsome man in all the world, second to my Charles, perhaps, but still a gossip queen, if you ask me,” Starry admits, taking my phone for a closer look.

“What are you going to do?” Charlie asks.

I shrug.

“A little soon to ask, dear.” She hushes him. “She’s only just lost her job. And not if the other partners don’t agree.”

“I’m sure the other partners will agree to let me go, once they hear that I’ve been having a relationship with one of our opposing counsel through the biggest deal of my entire career,” I tell them.

“It’s my fault, really. I take full responsibility for what’s happened.

I knew better than to continue on with this relationship.

I could have waited until the deal was over. ”

“Still, this Silas guy shouldn’t have blurted all that out right in front of your boss,” Starry says, handing me back my phone.

“Dax says he really doesn’t think he did that on purpose. He’s just kind of oblivious to the way the world works for those of us with ethical legal standards, as dumb as it sounds. I think he’s fairly harmless.”

Starry tsks, then wipes up a spot of something on the counter with her apron. “Poor excuse, if you ask me. And after you’ve worked so hard to get that promotion,” she says.

The intercom screen in the corner of the kitchen rings like a doorbell, letting us know someone’s at the gate. Starry shuffles over to see who it is.

An image of Dax in the driver’s seat of his car pops up on the screen.

“Hey, it’s me,” he says into the camera. “Still okay to come up?”

Starry turns toward me, and I nod.

She presses the speaker button. “Come on in, sweetheart”.

She hits another button that’ll swing the gates open for him.

“Before he gets up here, I want to say something, if that’s alright,” Starry says, coming back over to the enormous island.

She turns to grab a few dessert plates and a knife from the cupboard, likely for the cake we still need to demolish since there’s no reason to keep it around any longer. I feel guilty she went to all that trouble.

“Abby, the girl you were when you showed up here all those weeks ago is very different from the girl you are now,” she says, sounding just like Olivia.

“I don’t know whether it’s the fact that you’ve been living with Charlie and me, who’ve really grown fond of you, or because you’ve seen the sun a bit more than you have in years, or if it’s because you’ve simply let yourself fall for someone.

But I want you to take all that into consideration when you decide what to do next.

You have a big nest egg saved up, I imagine, since you haven’t spent all of that big money you make on vacations and entertainment, I’m guessing.

And certainly not on clothes,” she adds, under her breath, a sarcastic twinkle in her eye.

I chuckle at my own expense, but nod. She’s right about everything.

“They might give me some type of severance, too,” I add. “Maybe, maybe not. Either way, yes, there’s time to figure something out for myself.”

“Then you don’t need to do anything rash just yet. You have time, hon. And time’s a luxury, believe me. I think you have an opportunity to do something with your life that’ll make your heart happy, and not everyone gets that chance. Only the really lucky ones do.”

Somehow her words make my eyes sting. God knows I’ve shed more tears here over the last two months than I have in the last few years.

“How did you get so wise?” I ask, patting her hand.

There’s a knock at the front door. My heart pounds.

“I think that’s our cue to head out,” Charlie says to Starry. “Give these two kids some privacy.”

She nods in agreement. “We’ve got to go get some work done, too. Quinny and Selma are coming back next week.”

I smile sadly. “And I’ll be headed back to New York by then.”

“Hope not,” she says, winking. “I’ll go let Dax in, and then we’ll be off.”

“I’ll get him,” I tell her.

“There’s cake here for you two, or you guys can throw it off the cliff out back if that feels better,” she says, pointing to the platter.

“We’re heading to their other beach house in Malibu to check on a few things in case Quinton and Selma plan to go there for a few days while they’re in California, so we won’t be back until tomorrow.

There’s dinner in the fridge. You just have to heat it up. ”

I already miss Starry terribly. Without letting her finish, I step in front of her to stop her from spinning through the kitchen, still pointing out things she’s prepared for dinner.

She looks up at me. “Am I forgetting something?” she asks.

“Just this,” I say, hugging her tightly. “Thank you. For everything.”