"You're just saying that 'cause I ate your ass so good."
He barks out a laugh and shakes his head, but he doesn't disagree with me.
After lunch, TD is getting ready to leave when he receives a text. It's from his lawyer. He doesn't have to tell me. I know by the way his face drops.
"Everything okay?" I ask.
"Yeah. It's about the court case coming up in New York in two weeks," he replies tightly.
"That's good, right? Means you'll get a resolution."
He nods, but there’s sadness in his eyes now. "I just want to see my girls. It kills me that I'm being denied access."
My heart breaks for him. I know he wants that more than anything else in the world. "It'll work out. I'm sure it will," I say, hoping my words don't sound hollow.
"Yeah. I'm sure it will." He tucks his phone away and steps in closer, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Anyway, thank you for…everything. But especially…"
"The rimming?" I hedge.
He smiles. "I was going to say the conversation, but, yes, definitely that, too."
13
New York
Two weeks later…
TD
There have been times in my life where I've been really happy—the day I was offered my first real coaching job, the first time a struggling player who I was supporting finally believed in himself, winning a playoff game that went to overtime, ending with my guys sweeping me onto their shoulders in pure, wild joy, the night in college my best friend and I drove to the coast on a whim and watched the sunrise from the back of his truck.
But nothing—absolutely nothing—comes close to the moment I first held each of my babies in my arms. That instant hit of love is more powerful than any drug.
Winning joint custody, though? That's a close second. I step out of the courthouse with my lawyer, and I'm floating on air. When the judge announced joint custody, it felt like a huge weight had finally been lifted off my chest.
"Thank you," I say to Leonie, the words wholly inadequate for the gratitude I have for all the incredible work she's done. "I can't tell you how happy I am."
"Oh, I think I have an idea. I'm glad we got a good outcome."
"Yougot the outcome. This is all you."
She smiles and touches my arm—lawyer equivalent of a hug?—says she'll send through the final paper, then jumps into a yellow taxi.
I take my phone out to share the goodnews with Tex when a figure drifts in close at my shoulder. "Oh my gosh, Tex!"
He waves his hands. "Surprise!"
"What are you doing here?"
"Please refer to my previous comment," he says, smiling, rocking on his feet. "I'msurprisingyou."
I'm completely lost for words. All I can do is bundle him into a hug and say, "It's good news. I got my girls."
"I figured when I saw you smiling from ear to ear."
I take him in again. He’s wearing a soft forest-green tee under a light-gray zip-up. The green sets off his light-brown eyes, making them look even warmer. His brown curls shift in the spring breeze, and as he smiles at me—open, friendly, and unguarded—it’s like something inside me finally settles.
"I can't believe you came here…for me."
