“You okay?” he asks as he studies my face.
I nod, but I have a terrible poker face, and he can probably see that I’m buzzing…withsomething.
I am.
I have enormous news.
It’s too big for my body, too bright for my ribcage.
But I’m terrified he’ll flinch, that he’ll tense. That he’ll say, “Are you sure this is a good idea?” or “How will we manage everything once I go back?”
Old fears die hard.
“Jayne, baby, talk to me.”
I inhale slowly. “So, the firm is growing. Harcourt is merging with Cole. We’ll be like over a hundred people.”
“That’s awesome. Congratulations.” He narrows his eyes. “What’s the problem?”
“Daniel…ah…Daniel wants me to be COO of…the whole…new firm and?—"
“What?” Rhys explodes. He stands up, wine sloshing out of his glass. “COO? That is so fucking cool. Jayne, this is huge! This is—this is massive!”
He is beaming.
Beaming.
The kids come to the porch, curious. “What’s going on?” Finn asks.
“Your mom is going to be a big shot at the law firm,” Rhys announces, his eyes bright with excitement, almost more than mine.
“Yeah?” Finn grins and perches next to me on the swing. Right where Rhys was a moment ago.
I tell the kids about the merger, and then I tell them my salary.
“Whoa!” Finn goes. “Dad, soon she’s gonna bring in more dough than you.”
Rhys’s chest puffs up, literally. “I have no doubt.”
“Congratulations, Mom.” Mikaela hugs me, settles on my other side.
I look at my babies flanking me and my husband standing in front of me. “You’re not…worried?” I ask carefully. “About the time commitment? Or how we’ll juggle things?”
“Worried?” He barks out a laugh and grabs my hand, stands me up. “Baby, I’m proud.”
He is. I can see it. I can feel it.
My knees nearly give out.
He hugs me then and lifts me off my feet. “My wife, a C-Suite badass.” He sets me down. “We need to celebrate. I think it’s time to break open the Dom.”
He bought a bottle of Dom Perignon five years ago and has been saving it for a special day. The fact that he wants to open it today, because of my promotion, tells me everything I need to know about what I will tell Daniel tomorrow.
In the kitchen, we crowd the counter as Rhys pops the cork with an unnecessarily dramatic flourish that makes all three of us jump. Bubbles spill over therim.
He pours champagne in three glasses, two half-full and one with just a taste for Finn.
“I get one, too?” Finn’s eyes go big as saucers.
