I shook my head, holding tightly to my bags. “I’ve got them. Thanks, Howie.”
“I can’t wait to see more pictures of the little guy. He’s so adorable!” He smiled, his grin wide and full of excitement as he walked with me toward my office.
“Thanks,” I said, surprised that I didn’t feel as sad as I’d expected to.
“Welcome back, Palmer!” Dannika said, waving at me from her office as she hung up the phone. She stood, too, rushing over and pulling me into a hug.
“Hey, love,” I said as Howie pushed open my office door. I placed the bags on my desk, looking around the office I’d meticulously decorated. There was an ultrasound photograph in the far corner that I couldn’t wait to replace with new pictures of Gray.
“How are you?” Dannika asked, resting a fist on her hip.
I smiled, trying to fake it, but my expression must’ve given me away. She leaned in, wrapping her arms around my neck and rubbing my back. I blinked heavily, trying to fight back the tears. As they began to fall, Howie joined our hug, both of them holding my weight as I felt like I could collapse.
We stayed like that for so long, I’d almost forgotten where we were. After a while, I pulled away, wiping my eyes. Dannika grabbed a tissue from the desk and passed it over. She rested against the table in the corner of the office. “It’s hard,” she said, her voice full of understanding. “I know, girl. I thought we were going to have to become homeless after I had Darius. I would’ve lived out of a box if it meant I could be home with that baby for a few more weeks.”
Howie nodded. “That’s why Dan started GloTech. When we adopted Gracie, we knew one of us would want to be home. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but you’re so lucky that Ben was able to stay home with him.”
“You’re right,” I told him. And he was. “I know. It’s just…so hard.”
“It gets easier, but it’s hard, girl. You’re back entirely too early, too. I can’t even imagine. I took the full twelve weeks off, and it still about killed me,” Dannika said, crossing her arms.
“I need to work,” I said. “Two weeks with no pay and a mountain of hospital debt from his birth isn’t going to cut it.”
“Six-billion-dollar company and we can’t even afford paid maternity leave,” Dannika said, raising her voice so it carried across the quiet office. “Absolute trash, if you ask me.” She rolled her eyes. “What can we do for you?”
“Anything,” Howie offered. “Coffee, ice cream, distractions…”
“Distractions,” I told him. “And lots of them. What have I missed?”
“Cumberland has a new assistant—”
“Kimberly,” Howie and Dannika said in a nasally, drawn-out voice at the same time.
“Bright as a burned-out light bulb, that one,” Dannika said.
“She’s the worst,” Howie agreed. “You’ll see.”
Dannika held her hands out in front of her breasts. “Cumberland likes what she brings to the table.”
I snorted. “Anything client-wise? How did the King wedding go?”
“Magical,” Dannika said, waving her hands in front of her face. “And they were great about you not being there. In fact, they sent you a card to wish you congratulations.” She pointed to my desk. “I slid it in the top drawer.”
I moved behind the desk and turned my keys in the lock, pulling it open to reveal a pink envelope. I opened it, watching as a gift card fell out. “They’re so great,” I said, my eyes watering again.
“You’re so great, Palmer. You put in eighty hours on that wedding, double what they paid you for, and you threw together a goat-yoga-reception, whatever the hell that is, when the bride saw one and just had to have it at the last minute. You were a rock star, and you deserve all the credit.”
“Thanks, Dannika.” I couldn’t help smiling. Despite how badly I didn’t want to be there, Dannika and Howie were the only people who kept me sane most days. Dannika and I were partners. We’d climbed the company ladder together, and I’d hired Howie three years ago, the perfect addition to our group. I wasn’t sure what I’d do without these two.
Howie’s eyes lit up. “Oh! And, we forgot to tell you, the client you’re meeting this afternoon is—”
“No, make her guess it!” Dannika said, holding her hand out.
“Guess it? Oh, gosh, I don’t know!” I said, waiting.
“Guess!” Dannika demanded. “Dream client, dream budget, dream job.”
“Dreamy client,” Howie said, wiggling his eyebrows playfully.
I giggled at the two of them, obviously pleased with themselves. “Is it someone I’ve worked with before?”
“Never. New client for the company, and he asked for you specifically,” Dannika said, pointing to me.
I sank down in my chair, moving my bags to the floor. “Who is it? Tell me!”
“Grant Anderson!” Howie cried, practically jumping for joy.
“What?”
“He said Grant Anderson, baby,” Dannika shouted with a gleeful cry, arms in the air. “Top forty, under forty, CEO of three out of four of Oceanside’s leading startups, filthy rich, devilishly handsome, and he wants you to plan Anderson Enterprises’ third anniversary party. There’s an email in your inbox, but I believe his exact words were…”
She looked at Howie, who finished the sentence for her, his arms out to his sides. “Spare no expense!”
“You guys are kidding. Come on, it’s not funny to tease a new mom,” I said, already moving my mouse to start up the computer.
“Honest to God,” Dannika said, hands up to show her innocence.
“Why me?” There were two hundred eighty-three unread emails in my inbox. I began to scroll.
“Well, as the CEO of the other leading Oceanside startup, Dan may have dropped a few hints that he was planning to have you plan his anniversary party at a fundraising event Anderson attended. Anderson’s always looking to one-up GloTech. Two days later, we got the call.”
“Oh my gosh, I could kiss him!” I cry as I finally reach the email. “Ben and I are taking you two out for a nice dinner, you know that?”
Howie beamed. “Oh, no need…but if you insist, we’ll have steak.” He winked. “Anyway, Anderson’s super excited to work with you, and Cumberland is, of course, thrilled that we got the deal. If you can pull this off, you’ll be Cumberland royalty.”
“She already is,” Dannika said. “That’s why she gets the best clients.” She lowered her voice. “After this deal, we’ll finally have enough to break away and start our own company. And the clients he sends will be coming your way, not Cumberland’s.”
I swallowed. It was something we’d talked about since we graduated, but it still seemed too unrealistic. Especially now, with a baby. Insurance alone would keep me working there for much longer than I liked to think about. “Maybe,” I said.
“Come on, babe. We’ve got this.” Dannika tapped the frame on my desk, where my favorite quote sat.
If you don’t take risks, you’ll always work for someone who does. -Nora Denzel