“I was in marketing. I did a lot of brochures, corporate documents, and product packaging design work. I can do the work at home, but finding a company that will allow you to is beyond impossible. I don’t want to start my own business. That would be way too much. I like being a mom to Emma too much to take that kind of time away from her.”

“I know what you mean. What’s your background?”

“I graduated from UC Berkeley and then went to work for a large marketing firm in San Jose for about six years. I miss the process of putting a project together.”

“Did you work on a team, or were you responsible for the project from start to finish?”

“I started out as support on projects, but by the time I left, I had my own clients and projects, and I led the team through the process.”

Sarah could use someone like Michelle. And working with her meant that if things with Luke became permanent, she’d be working with family. The idea of it appealed more than Michelle’s impressive credentials. “I outsource most of my marketing work for Andy’s Antics and the children’s toys. I have three major products coming out in the next few months. Two in particular need to have the package design and copy written for the product. I’ll also need sales materials written, social media posts, and some kind of product overview. I’m fine with you emailing me your ideas and documentation. We can talk on the phone to discuss concept. I have a lot of work, so you’ll be as busy as you want to be. If it’s too much, just say so, and I’ll outsource whatever you can’t handle. You decide how many projects you want to take on. I’m flexible. If you want the job, it’s yours. Name your hourly salary, or I can pay you per project.”

Michelle stared at her for a moment, the silence stretching before she found her voice again. “You can’t be serious. You haven’t even seen any of my work.”

“If I don’t like something, I’ll let you know. We’ll work together to fix it. I can give you some of the documentation and products that I’ve done in the past for you to use as a brand reference, but I’d love a fresh perspective and new ideas. I’m a hands-on boss, as most of what you’ll be working on is my work. I need someone to take some of the burden off of me. Luke seems to think I work too much.”

“You do.”

Jason sighed. “Great, now my wife is going to be too busy for me,” he lamented, though the smile said he didn’t really mind.

“Never,” Michelle assured him. “But I . . . I just can’t pass this up.”

“And you shouldn’t,” Jason assured her. “I want you to do whatever makes you happy.”

Sarah wished Sean had been more open and supportive when it came to her working and being a mom. He’d demanded she focus on one over the other instead of letting her find a balance that made her happy, fueling her resentment toward him.