Starting Now (Blossom Street #9)(97)

“We’ve taken the fact you’ve struck out on your own into consideration,” Hershel spoke for the group. “You can keep that office if you wish and of course the firm would pick up the lease on your behalf or, if you prefer, you could take an office here.”

“A bigger one,” Howard Smith added.

Oh boy, they wanted her and they wanted her bad. Interesting, very interesting.

Glancing around the room, Libby took in the anxious looks on the partners’ faces. She was about to speak when Hershel cut in.

“As I mentioned, one of the reasons we felt we had to let you go, Libby, was because you hadn’t been able to attract new clients. You worked hard, supplied billable hours, and were an asset to the firm, but every partner needs to bring something to the table. You’ve since proven that you are capable of doing so.”

“So you’re offering me a partnership.”

The men in the room exchanged glances.

Hershel answered, “That’s definitely a possibility.”

Howard Smith crossed his arms. “When Hershel says a partnership is in the offing we want you to know it’s a very distinct possibility. If the Buckleys and the Nyquists agree to transfer their accounts here then I feel I can speak for all of us when I say we’d be more than happy to put that on the plate.”

“And if they don’t?”

“Six months.”

“Are you saying that in six months you’d be willing to make me a partner either way?” Libby asked. She wanted this clearly spelled out.

Howard grinned and nodded. “You’ve proven yourself, Libby. We’ll give you a few months to get settled back into the office and go from there.”

“Do we have a deal?” Hershel asked.

“I’ll want to consider your offer over the weekend.” She already knew what she was planning to do, but she wanted to talk to Phillip first. Robin, too. And she didn’t wish to appear overly eager.

“Of course, of course. This is an important decision. Naturally we’d want you to think it over carefully,” Howard said, favoring her with one of his rare smiles.

“We’ll wait to hear from you Monday morning, then,” Hershel said.

“Yes, Monday.” Libby rose out of the chair. “One thing,” she said in afterthought.

“Yes?”

“I’d like a new paralegal. I’m sure Sarah has made a smooth transition working with Ben Holmes. I would prefer someone new.”

“Done,” Howard assured her.

Libby waited until she was out of the building before she sent Phillip a text. CALL ME ASAP.

He phoned less than five minutes later. “What’s up?”

“You won’t believe what just happened,” she said, speaking so fast the words nearly blurred together. Before he could ask she told him everything. “What do you think?” she said.

His hesitation came as a surprise. Libby had expected him to be as excited as she was, or nearly so. “Is this something you want, Libby?”

“Of course it is.” No need denying the obvious. “I feel vindicated after all these months.”

“You aren’t worried that you’ll fall into the same rut you were in when you left the firm?”

“No,” she insisted. “I’ve learned my lesson. Oh, it might be intense the first few weeks while I train my new paralegal and get caught up with the Reed account, but I promise you, Phillip, I’ll never go back to the way I was before. I have a life now, friends and …” She hesitated, her heart nearly bursting with joy. “I have you.”

The silence on the line felt deafening.

“Say something,” she whispered. She wanted—no, she needed—Phillip to be happy for her. Being made partner was what she’d longed for from the start. It was everything she’d strived for over the last six years and beyond. It was what her mother would have wanted for her.

“What would you like me to say?” he asked with a decided lack of enthusiasm.

“I want you to tell me that you’re happy for me and will support my decision,” she blurted out.

“The decision is yours, sweetheart—yours and yours alone. I thought you were happy with the idea of your own practice, but if you want to go back with the firm then by all means, you have my complete support.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll see you on Sunday and we can talk more then,” Phillip assured her.

“Okay …” Reluctantly she ended the call. She knew he was busy with the convention but wished they could have spoken longer.

Libby waited until Saturday morning before she called Robin. The two met to go shopping. Robin hated buying clothes but was running out of anything suitable to wear on her dates with Roy. Her one black dress had taken her about as far as it could.

“I hate this, you know,” she muttered when Libby met her at the downtown Nordstrom.

“I know, but it will be painless.”

Robin snickered. “Don’t be so sure.”

Libby had already given her friend all the details of her conversation with the partners earlier. Sitting outside the dressing room, Libby waited while Robin tried on outfits. She didn’t appear to be having much success as the salesclerk was rushing back and forth with armloads of dresses.