Kate holds up a hand. “All right, babe. Enough with the overshare.”
Felicity snickers, and Kate turns to me.
“You’re probably wondering why we invited you here for breakfast and preordered your coffee?”
I shrug and suppress a yawn.
Kate wiggles her brows. “Or was your evening similar to Felicity’s?” Leaning forward, she smirks at me. “Don’t pretend like we didn’t all know what you and your boy were up to in that spare room last night.”
I flush, still feeling the aftereffects between my thighs. “Unfortunately, after we left Jack and Kendra’s, Emmett dropped me back at my place, and then we spent the night apart. It was the memories that kept me awake.”
Kate makes a face akin to pride. “Good for you, girl.”
Clearing her throat, Felicity gets the conversation back on track. “Anyway, the reason—other than three friends having a coffee—we invited you here today was because we have a proposition for you, and we didn’t want to wait too long to let you know our plans.” She flicks her eyes to Kate.
Rolling her lips together, Kate takes over speaking. “As you know, we recently established our own law firm with offices here in Brooklyn, and if all goes to plan, we’ll expand our offices into other states.”
Throat running dry, I try not to get ahead of myself, anticipation and excitement swirling in my stomach.
“It’s truly amazing,” I say, picking up my coffee and taking a sip.
Felicity and Kate share a silent moment between them.
“We would like to take you on as a legal intern,” Kate begins. “We made some inquiries with local colleges, and you would be able to transfer the credits you already accumulated in Austin and finish out your bachelor’s degree with Morgan Jones LLP footing the remaining study costs. Once you graduate, we would then pay to put you through law school and eventually the bar exam.”
“Furthermore …”
Eyes wide, I dart my head to Felicity as she picks up Kate’s thread.
“We understand and appreciate that Blake has to come first. So, if you accept an internship with us, we would like to put you on the payroll with immediate effect. That way, we can pay you a salary while you spend time with Blake, without having to worry about money or finding another job, only to quit a couple of months later.”
I’m speechless, genuinely unable to form words.
Kate pulls me into her side when she notices the tears forming in my eyes, resting her beautiful-smelling head on mine. “In terms of child care for Blake, we can also help with that. Darcy has recommended a great nanny who would be able to care for Blake whenever you need, and we can build the cost into a remuneration package for you.”
I cast my eyes to Blake’s stroller, where my baby girl is sleeping peacefully beneath her favorite pink blanket.
“I know things are difficult with your parents, and so we’re not sure how involved they are with Blake’s care …” Kate trails off, and I take advantage of her pause.
“Mom and Dad will always step up for Blake, no matter what’s going down between us.”
Smiling, Kate nods once. “Well then, the nanny can work days to suit them.”
Struggling to find words over their generosity, I pull a deep breath into my lungs. “Why are you doing all of this for me?”
Felicity reaches across the table, dropping her hand over mine. It’s warm and soft and just like an angel’s.
“Remember our conversation that time in Luigi’s? Well, I hadto wait way too long to finally realize my dreams and all because of a rotten ex and a lack of funding. Kate had Will and June when she least expected it, but with the most amazing man by her side, just like you do with Emmett. Years of hustling have given us the financial capabilities to set up a law firm where women and family are at the heart of everything we do. We’re tired of a male-dominated industry that doesn’t give priority to talented female lawyers.” Her eyes soften as she looks at me. “We don’t need to see your college grades to know that you will make a fine lawyer one day; we can tell simply from the courage and determination you possess.” She pauses for a second. “If becoming a lawyer is still what you want?”
I half speak, half laugh out a response. “It’s what I want. Being a lawyer, making a difference for people, is what I want.”
Kate’s hand lands on top of Felicity’s. “Then that’s finalized then. Billie Quinn will be the first legal intern at Morgan Jones LLP, and together, we’ll all chase after our dreams.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
BILLIE
Lloyd’s during the daytime carries a very different vibe to how I’ve seen it at night. The place feels more like a luxury restaurant, only with live sports on the screens above the bar.
