Page 15 of A Baby For Her Billionaire BFF

The last thing I need is to be reminded of my own directive — one that I’d completely forgotten about. Somehow.

How could I have dropped the ball like this?

“Look, just…” My hand rakes through my hair as I try to gather my scattered thoughts. “Start looking now. Reach out to our contacts, headhunters, whatever it takes. We can’t afford to be a lawyer down, not with the caseload we’re juggling.”

“Understood,” Mark says with a nod, already reaching for his phone. Jenna, however, hesitates, her fingers hovering over the keyboard.

“Are you sure?” she asks softly. “If you want to take point on this, we can give you a list of possible candidates by the end of the day…”

“No,” I snap, the word coming out harsher than I mean it to. “Just… get it done, okay?”

Without waiting for a response, I pivot on my heel and storm back towards my office. Every step feels heavier than the last, weighed down by frustration and the nagging sense of failure.

The door to my office seems to mock me as I approach. I shove it open, the sound louder than necessary, and then slam it behind me with a resounding thud that echoes through the empty space. Alone now, the anger simmers down to a simmering stew of annoyance — at the situation, at myself, at the reminder of how even the smallest oversight can ripple into chaos.

I drop into my chair, the leather creaking under the sudden weight. My gaze drifts to the sleek laptop on my desk, the blinking cursor on the screen like a beacon in the dimly lit room. Somewhere in the sea of information online is Nora, the woman who has been occupying my thoughts far more often than I care to admit.

But there’s no time for that now. With a heavy sigh, I turn away from the temptation and instead focus on the mountain of paperwork that’s threatening to topple over. There are builds to review, depositions to prepare, and now a vital team member to replace.

I still can’t believe I dropped this ball. Of course I want to hand-select the person to fill in for Melanie, but I’ve run out of time to do that.

Sighing, I lean forward and jump back into work, but my usual fervor is long gone, replaced with disgust at myself.

It’s going to be a long day.

CHAPTER 8

NORA

“Mom, I’m almost to the café. Can we talk about this later?” My grip tightens on my phone.

My mother sighs. “You’ve been so hard to reach lately, honey. We just want to know how things are going at work. You haven’t mentioned much since the promotion was announced.”

I dodge a cyclist zipping past on the sidewalk, and he gives me a scowl even though he is out of the bike lane. The familiar knot of apprehension twists in my stomach, weighing down each step.

“It’s… well, it’s actually not great, Mom.”

There’s a pause, and I can practically see her exchanging a worried glance with Dad. “Nora, what’s happened?”

The words catch in my throat; saying it out loud makes it all too real. But they need to know.

“I was fired,” I admit, the confession slipping out like a whisper lost in the wind.

Their disappointment is palpable even through the phone, their silence speaking volumes before they attempt to cover it with reassurances. “Oh, sweetheart, you know these things happen for a reason…”

“Maybe you could consider coming back to Rawlings for a little while?” Dad suggests, his voice laced with an underlying hopefulness.

Rawlings — where everyone knows everyone, and my every move would be scrutinized. No, my dreams are bigger than the small town I grew up in, despite its charm.

“No, Dad, I’m staying put. I’ll find something else here in Chicago. There are more opportunities.”

“But Nora—” my mother starts, only to be cut off by my firm resolve.

“Really, I’m fine. This might be good for me. A fresh start, you know?” I quicken my pace, the coffee shop sign now in sight. “I have to go, Lynn’s waiting. Love you guys.”

“Love you too, dear. Just remember we’re here for you,” Mom replies, her voice softening.

“Always,” Dad adds, just before I hit the end call button and slide the phone back into my purse.

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