Page 58 of The Ex Effect
“Yeah, I think so. Want me to grab it for you?” I asked.
“Yes please. And if you could bring in a soda and maybe those chips from my trunk, that’d be awesome.” Morgan looked back at me with a grin. “You’re the best, you know that?”
“Sure do.” I smirked. “It’s going to be a minute. I need to call Quinn back when I’m out there.”
Morgan hovered a box cutter over the next wine case and slit it open. “Is she still dealing with the work drama?”
“Always.” Poor Quinn. She was nevernotdealing with work drama. The night of the fiasco with that dickweed Tag, Quinn apparently had a major blowup with her manager because she didn’t properly index something on an email—whatever the hell that even meant—and he laid into her in front of everyone. I could never work with someone like Quinn’s boss, but for whatever reason, she held on for dear life.
Outside, I squinted into the sun. Thank God the heat broke. Even though the barn would be warm for the reception, with all the shade, fans, and a single portable air conditioner at the head table, we’d make it through without our skin melting off.
When Quinn didn’t answer the phone, I grabbed the tulle and started heading back inside when my brain flickered.What else, what else?Oh yeah. Food and drink. I spun on my heels to go back to the car when my phone vibrated.
An unknown number flashed across my screen, and I almost didn’t answer it. But it was a New York City area code, and God knows if it was Quinn calling from an office landline because something happened with her phone.
“Hi, I’m looking for Frankie,” the voice on the other end of the line said.
Suspicious. Probably trying to sell me something. “That’s me…”
“Hi, Frankie! This is Lorena fromBirch & Willow. Is this an okay time to talk?”
I froze.Birch & Willow.Holy shit.A pinprick of nerves needled my neck. “Yes, of course, now’s a great time.” I glanced behind my shoulder, then rushed onto the lawn out of earshot.
“I just want to say thank you so much for your patience as our team worked through all the portfolios,” Lorena said. “This took much longer than we expected, and we in no way wanted the applicants to think the delay was a reflection on their talents.”
My pulse thudded in my neck. Was this the nicest rejection in the world, or a job offer? As Lorena continued talking about the grueling decision-making process, the top-tier talent, and a delay in the decision-making process due to a small department reorganization, Morgan peeked her head out of the barn. The sun beamed down, her blonde hair even paler under the rays, her golden sun-kissed cheeks, and she was glowing. Sure,sweaty and messy, but perfect. Morgan was everything that was missing in my life, everything I needed.
Morgan made the phone gesture with her pinkie and thumb and rolled her eyes with a wink. She grabbed the broom on the outside of the porch and went back inside.
“Anyway, I promise I’m not normally this wordy, but I really wanted you to have the full context so you know we didn’t take this decision lightly,” Lorena said. “The team here atBirch & Willowwould love to offer you the position.”
My heart stopped beating.I cannot believe I did it. All the years of work, sacrifices, honing my craft, learning to believe in myself, trust myself, everything paid off. I wasgoodenough. I, alone, earned my spot.
“Frankie? You still with me?”
I paced in a circle with my hand held to the back of my neck. “Yes, of course. I… Wow. Thank you so much. Truly. I’ve been such a huge fan of your brand for years. As an artist, this offer is an absolute dream come true.”Oh God, oh God. This was actually happening.
“If you’re interested, we’d love to get you onboarded within two weeks. Sorry about the short turnaround time. But with the delays, we need to get working right away on the holiday campaign. HR will reach out with paperwork, exact timing, and begin salary negotiations.”
Salary. Benefits. A 401K, real health insurance, and paid time off. Being a freelancer for my entire career, this was completely unheard of. I scratched at my neck, the words swirling as Lorena chatted about next steps, coming into the office for onboarding, and something about sending an offer letter, but my brain short-circuited with all the information.
“Do you have questions for me?”
“Oh, uh, no. I don’t think so.” Heat filled my chest. My dream was right here, within touching distance. And Morgan was right in there, a few yards away.
A pause followed. “So…do you accept?”
This was the opportunity of a lifetime. And, without a doubt, Morgan was the love of my life. This was one of the single greatest moments of my life, and the most gut-wrenching.Birch & Fucking Willowwantedme. The decision weighed on top of me and I held my breath for so long, I became dizzy.
“Thank you so much for the offer.” I exhaled. “I accept.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
MORGAN
My belly fluttered.Today’s the day!The wedding day had finally arrived. Sure, it wasn’tmywedding, but my insides didn’t know that. In my wedding coordinator role, I could be such a jerk leading up to the wedding day. Anxious, snappy, and maybe a little (a lot) overbearing. But the day of, I was typically freakishly calm. Being hyper-prepared meant during the event, as long as things went according to plan—which they usually did—I enjoyed the wedding as much as any guest.
Last night, Frankie and I completed the final touches on the venue. The pallet centerpieces looked even better than I imagined. If Olivia and Tommy didn’t want them, I was going to see if I could keep them for a future event. We were totally drained, working until midnight. But the effort was worth it. Although Frankie had clearly been exhausted as she insisted on sleeping at her own place for the past two nights. I tried not to think too much into it, but I missed Frankie’s warm body at night.
