We spitballed for the rest of the evening, to the extent I made Rowan get me a notebook and pen after she put Lilah Rose to bed. I set aside my drink and took pages of notes, feeling optimistic and excited for the first time about my impending inheritance.
“Are you going to need your mom’s agreement on this?” Presley asked. “Or will you just split the proceeds, and you do what you want with your half?”
“I have no idea. She might actually go for this. The bigger problem is that I’m already way out of my element. I don’t know the first thing about building this, never mind running it and keeping it going. I don’t want to give up my event-planning business. I’ve put blood, sweat, and tears into it, and I love it.”
“You don’t have to run this,” Presley said. “I’d need to look up some nonprofit information, but you can hire people to run it, and you could be on the board of directors.”
“That’s a board of directors I’d like to be on,” Chloe said.
I looked at Presley, and she nodded.
“I’d love to be in on this too,” Presley said.
“Can my mom and I choose the board?” I asked.
“It’s your organization,” Presley said.
“I’m interested,” Rowan said. “Depending on how old Miss Lilah is and whether I’m getting sleep yet.”
“You guys would seriously be interested?” I asked.
“One hundred percent,” Chloe said. “There’s a need for it. I think it could be life-changing for the right women.”
“I’m absolutely interested,” Presley said.
“I’m about seventy-five percent,” Rowan said. “Ask me again when I’ve slept for more than two hours at a time.”
“Oh, girl,” Chloe said, her voice oozing with empathy. “We need to go so you can get ready for bed. Will Chance be home soon?”
“He texted five minutes ago that he and Luke were nearly done working for the night.”
“Ooh, almost time for Magnolia’s booty call too,” Presley said.
I laughed and maybe blushed a little, because that was my hope. “We’ll see how tired he is. He’s been working way too hard.”
“Well, if you’re here, you’re definitely not getting lucky,” Presley said, standing.
I stood too. “True, but Rowan needs chill time even more than I need sexy times.”
“Yes.” Chloe gathered glasses, and we forced Rowan to go upstairs and get ready for bed while we cleaned.
Twenty minutes later, Rowan came down in her pajamas with her daughter in her arms.
“She woke up already?” Chloe asked.
“Every two hours,” Rowan said, kissing the baby’s sweet head. “Oh, my God, you guys. My kitchen is spotless. Thank you.”
“Thank you for hosting us with a newborn,” Presley said.
“It was easier to have you guys here than go somewhere,” Rowan replied. “I needed a dose of girlfriends.”
“Who knew you’d get seventy-five percent snookered into being on the board of directors of a nonprofit organization?” I said, laughing. “I need to educate myself, and my mom and I will have to agree about everything, so I’ll keep you posted.”
“I’m going to research too,” Presley said. “I’m excited about this.”
“Thank you,” I said. “All of you. For being a sounding board and a support system, not to mention brilliant women.”
“Plus a three-woman cleaning crew,” Rowan added, “and the very best of friends.”
