Page 167 of Smoke Screen
Phin’s face lit up. “You’d kick ass as a consultant. It pays big bucks. You’d have time to get your PhD.”
During their first meeting, she’d mentioned she’d wanted to add her PhD to what he called the wall of Maddy. If she could manage enough consulting hours, she’d be able to double up on her classes. Not do the part-time thing that would take forever.
Her PhD.
Wow.
She leaned in, swung her head to the end of the island, where Zeke waited for some kind of response. “I’d like to discuss this further with you. Let me know when is convenient.”
“I’m around tomorrow afternoon if you want to kick it around.”
She smacked her hand on the island. “Tomorrow it is.”
“Nice,” Phin said, setting his hand on her shoulder and giving her an affectionate squeeze before turning back to his family. “And, um, speaking of Kayla, I have news.”
“Can we skip talking aboutthatwoman at dinner?” Ash asked.
Lynette pointed her wooden spoon at him. “Watch it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She set the spoon down and faced Phin. “Is this about our conversation? You working for her?”
Clearly, in Maddy’s absence, Phin had discussed with his mother the idea of working part-time for Kayla.
Phin nodded. “I talked to her this morning.” He glanced at Maddy. “Before I came to get you. I didn’t want to say anything until I heard from her. She called me thirty minutes ago.”
This was it.
Time for him to speak up and walk his own path while still fulfilling his responsibilities to his family.
Whether he could pull it off remained to be seen, but he wanted to try. He owed it to himself.
To his family.
If he could be happy, he’d be a better version of himself and probably more useful to BARS.
He met his mother’s gaze, then each of his brothers. By the time he got to Maddy, she was already nodding, spurring him on.
Gently coaxing him.
Eventually, he’d marry her. Sure as he was standing here, he knew it.
In front of his entire family, he leaned over, kissed her quick, just a peck on the lips that left his mom and Grams wide-eyed and his brothers clearing their throats.
They’d have to get used to this Phin. The one who brought a woman home and freaking kissed her in front of them.
“Kayla,” he said, “is on board with me working for her. She has concerns about me doing both. More from a time perspective than anything else. Lobbying, like BARS, isn’t a nine-to-five job. We agreed to a trial run to see if it’ll work.”
“Wait,” Ash said. “You’re working for Kayla Krowne? What’d I miss?”
Phin gave Ash the synopsis of his conversations with the fam, explaining his yearning to do more in politics. Of all people, Ash would understand his desire to grow.
“I didn’t know you felt this way,” Ash said.
Phin shrugged. “Nobody did. After you went to the FBI, I didn’t want to—” No. He wouldn’t make this about Ash. “I should have spoken up right then. Said I wanted a career in politics. Maybe hold public office. I didn’t, and that’s my fault. It’s on me. Now, it’s time. I’m no good to y’all if I’m unsatisfied and losing patience with people like Blakely.” He glanced over at Maddy. “Sometimes, someone comes along and makes you see that.”
Lynette pointed her spoon at Phin. “Kayla Krowne is lucky to have my boy.”
