And it’s not that I don’t want to talk to Cody. It’s just that I can’t afford to spend too much time thinking about him. I’d done that for too many years, and it got me absolutely nowhere.
Sighing, I head back to my office, setting my coffee and bagel down on my desk before pulling up my tablet. A few quick scrolls through my contacts, and there he is. Cody. I hesitate for half a second—then tap his number.
“Hello?” he answers on the first ring.
“Hi Cody, it’s Mae Sterling from Sterling Sports Public Relations.”
“Hi Mae. Fairly certain you’re the only Mae I’ve ever known, and I’d know your voice anywhere,” he says with an easy chuckle. His voice is deep, like he’s just woken up or went for a jog and I get now how he made it as a country music artist. He’s got that kind of raspy voice that translates well into country ballads full of love and loss and makes women want more.
Note to self, listen to some of his music on my run this evening.
“What can I help you with, Cody?”
“Leah reached out to me,” he says simply.
“Yes, I passed your case over to her. It’s straightforward, andshe’s one of my senior publicists, completely capable of handling it.”
“I just thought you’d be working it.”
“I’m the owner of the business. I typically only take on highly complicated cases for our highest profile athletes.”
“Well…” I can hear him hesitating for a moment, “there are a few things I’d like to go over with you. Just to be sure you have all of the details of the case.”
“Okay…” I know exactly where he’s headed with this before he finishes.
“…Over dinner.”
I sigh. “Cody.”
“Mae.”
“Is this strictly a professional discussion?”
“Only if you want it to be that way.”
I laugh. “I don’t go on dates with clients that aren’t professional, Cody.”
“Was Dexter an exception?”
I wince, not willing to give that an answer. It isn’t any of Cody’s business who I’ve dated over the past decade since we broke up and have been apart.
“Shit, that was out of line,” he exhales. “I don’t know why I said that—something about seeing you again has completely taken over my brain. But yeah, I’ll keep it professional. I’ll try.”
I let out a slow breath because I cannot believe he just admitted that so freely. “Fine. If we stick strictly to the details of your case, we can do dinner.” I pull up my calendar, scrolling through the mess of appointments. “How’s Thursday night?”
“Works for me. I’ll pick you up at your office at seven?”
“I’ll meet you there. Sienna will set the reservation.” I pause foremphasis. “But Cody, make sure this stays about your case. And just so we’re clear, this is going on your bill.”
He chuckles, that low, familiar sound I shouldn’t still recognize. “You always were the smarter one between us. See you then. Can’t wait.”
I hang up and stare at my phone, the weight of that last sentence pressing against my ribs and filling my heart. Because the truth is, I can’t wait either—and that terrifies me.
The rest of the day flies by in a blur of callbacks to my highest-profile athletes—the ones who’ve been with me since the beginning, the ones who stuck with me, and I with them. Thankfully, none of them have any major fires today, which makes wrapping up the evening with my small but fierce team of five feel just a little lighter.
“And the Cameron case?” I ask Leah as she scrolls through her tablet.
“The court has already sent the paternity order to Harper, her manager, and her lawyer. They have three days to respond, and we included a strongly worded—but polite—letter requesting she keep the pregnancy private until paternity is confirmed.”
