Page 81 of Worth the Fall

When I return to my office, still riding the high of my presentation, the first thing I notice is laughter. It’s light, bright, and unmistakably Felicity’s. My heart swells at the sound. I push open the door, and I’m greeted by a sight that makes my breath catch.

Miguel is leaning casually against my desk, a vision of ease in his dark suit, holding a familiar grease-stained bag from my favorite sandwich shop. His tie is slightly loosened, the way it always is by this time of day, and his dark curls look almost too perfect to be real. Meanwhile, Felicity is perched in my office chair, spinning herself in wild circles, her giggles echoing off the walls. Her curls bounce with every rotation, and in front of her on the desk is a bright-pink gift bag stuffed with overflowing tissue paper.

"Daddy, look!" Felicity exclaims as she whirls again. "I’m so fast!"

Miguel chuckles, shaking his head. "Careful, kiddo. We’re here to celebrate, not redecorate Mia’s office with you flying into the walls."

At the sound of my heels clicking across the threshold, Felicity’s spinning chair jerks to a stop. She spots me and lights up like the Fourth of July. "Mia!" she cries, tumbling out of the chair and sprinting toward me.

"Whoa!" I laugh, dropping my bag and crouching just in time to catch her. Her little arms wrap tightly around my neck, her face pressed against my shoulder. "What’s all this excitement for?"

Miguel pushes off the desk, his mouth curving into that easy, devastatingly perfect smile I can never get enough of. "Wethought you might need some reinforcements," he says, holding up the sandwich bag like a trophy. "Lunch, hugs, and a little surprise."

Felicity pulls back just enough to beam up at me. "We brought you a present!" she says, pointing at the pink bag on my desk. "It’s for your office!"

"A present?" I glance at Miguel, who shrugs in that casual, confident way that tells me he knows exactly what kind of chaos I’ve walked into.

"She worked very hard on it this morning," he says, his voice filled with quiet pride. "Wanted to make sure it was perfect."

Felicity squirms out of my arms and bounces on her toes. "Open it, open it!" she squeals, her energy infectious.

Laughing, I walk over to the desk and pick up the gift bag. It’s pink, glittery, and clearly picked out by Felicity herself. "This looks fancy," I say, tugging at the tissue paper. "You’ve outdone yourself already."

Felicity giggles, climbing back into the chair and spinning slowly as she watches me. Miguel leans on the desk beside me, his arm brushing mine, the heat of him grounding me as I reach into the bag and pull out a frame.

The moment I see what’s inside, my breath catches. It’s a picture, clearly drawn by Felicity, and it’s everything. In the middle of a riot of glitter and stickers is a figure that’s unmistakably me. I’m standing tall, wearing what I think is supposed to be my green suit, with my hair in a ponytail and a big pointer stick in one hand. Surrounding me are stick-figure people who seem to be clapping or cheering—her interpretation of my presentation, no doubt. Above the drawing, in shaky, determined letters, are the words Mia, The Best Lawyer Ever.

I stare at the picture, my throat tightening as tears prick at the corners of my eyes. The bright-pink frame, dotted withrhinestones and stars, only makes it more perfect. "Felicity," I whisper, my voice catching, "you made this for me?"

She nods so enthusiastically that her curls bounce. "I did it all by myself! Daddy said you needed more pretty pictures in your office. And I picked the frame, too!"

"It’s beautiful," I say, my voice thick with emotion. I set the frame down carefully and turn to her, crouching so we’re at eye level. "Thank you, sweetheart. I love it so much."

Her eyes widen. "You do?"

"I do," I say, pulling her into a hug that’s all squishy cheeks and wild curls. "It’s going right on my wall. First thing."

She squeezes me back, and her voice is muffled against my shoulder. "It’s 'cause you’re so good at talking to the bosses."

I pull back just enough to kiss her forehead, brushing her hair out of her face. "And you’re so good at making art. I think we make a pretty great team."

Miguel steps closer, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder. "She couldn’t wait to give it to you," he says softly, his voice warm and filled with pride. "Kept saying, ‘Mia’s gonna love it so much.’"

"She was right," I say, standing and glancing back at the picture. "I do love it. It’s the best thing in this office."

"Better than your books?" Felicity asks, wrinkling her nose as she gestures to the rows of law tomes behind my desk.

"Way better than my books," I confirm, and she beams.

Miguel leans in, his lips brushing my temple as he whispers, “I knew you’d love it."

Heat rises to my cheeks, and I glance up at him, my smile soft. "She gets her thoughtfulness from you."

His fingers graze mine as he steps back, his smile tugging at something deep in my chest. "I just deliver the supplies. She’s the real mastermind."

Felicity, now back in the chair, spins herself again before declaring, "Can we have ice cream now?"

Miguel chuckles, reaching out to steady her before she topples over. "What do you think, Mia? Donuts to celebrate the best lawyer ever?"

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