I got back to work and shortly thereafter Adam came in. His curly brown hair was a bit mussed, and sweat gleamed on his forehead. “We have a problem,” he announced, crashing down into the chair.

“You decided you’re too fancy to work on branding Lexi’s Lemonade,” Layla teased, used to Adam’s dramatics. The man was a bit over-the-top but a genius when it came to creating click-worthy social media campaigns.

“No. The IG ad for Dallas Jeans is tanking.” He slid his iPad down the table with it opened to the screen. “Consumers hate it. We need a rebrand.”

My heart rate rammed into a full gallop. I had no time for any failures that weren’t scheduled. “It’s still brand-new,” I said, glancing down at the ad. “Maybe we need some organic growth first.”

Adam shook his head. “Not with this. It’s only going to get worse. I have a few suggestions on what to tweak, Frannie. I know you’re busy so I can work with Layla and get it handled.”

“No problem,” Layla said. “I can make the time.”

I hesitated. I was already overworked and overscheduled. I should just let Adam and Layla take care of it, but the Dallas Jeans ad was something I’d helped create. If it bombed, I needed to be involved in fixing it. “No, I can work with you.”

Kate blinked. “What about Lexi’s Lemonade? We don’t want to get behind. It may be better to let them handle it, Frannie.”

I squared my shoulders. “I know the client best, including Perry’s preferences. I’ll stay late a few nights and knock it out.”

Kate and Layla shared a glance but held their tongues. They’d been pushing for more control, advising me to hire more people and to work lead on fewer clients. I knew they were trying to help and that they craved more responsibility, but I still had an uneasy feeling that if I stepped back too much, they’d eventually decide they didn’t need me.

I tamped down on the tiny flicker of fear coursing through my bloodstream. That annoying, buzzing voice whispering the million ways I could fail. My entire reputation was based on running F&F Advertising and thriving at every level. I’d finally managed to secure some national-brand clients and needed to show they’d made the right decision in placing their dollars with a smaller firm.

Why did it feel like the entire world was waiting for me to fail? Successful women were still looked upon as dangerous, and one big mistake was gleefully gossiped about, with news of it spreading like wildfire.

I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. “Now, let’s get to work,” I said firmly.

They didn’t protest.

*   *   *

Hours later, I collapsed in my office and buzzed Jessica. “Any messages?” I asked.