Page 101 of Verdict

I continued, "We can figure out the long-distance co-parenting thing. That won't be an issue, just an adjustment. We have the resources with Dean's plane." My eyes fell to my hands, which I was wringing nervously. "This is a big deal, Cohen. I don't want you to not take it because of Ellie. We’ll make it work." I glanced back up at him.

He watched me a moment. "Is that what you want? For me to go?"

"I want what's best for you and your career. I don't want you to stay because of Ellie."

Cohen pushed from the counter, planting himself in front of me. "I'm not."

My stomach sank. I swallowed past the lump in my throat, willing the tears I felt pressing against the back of my eyes to go away. I was not going to cry in front of him. "Good. When are you going to tell the Aviators your decision to go to Boston?"

He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. My heart quickened at the closeness. "I'm not going to Boston, Ava."

I stepped back, confused. “What?”

A smile tugged at his lips. “I’m not leaving.”

“You just said you weren’t staying because of Ellie.”

“I’m not.” His eyes held mine. “I’m staying because of you.”

I shook my head immediately. “No. No, no, no.” I started pacing the kitchen, my hands dragging through my hair. “Cohen, you cannot turn down a dream opportunity for me. We aren’t even together. That makes no sense.”

“Ava—”

“You have one-hundred-and-thirty-five million dollars sitting on the table,” I continued, my voice rising. “A full no-trade clause. A championship roster. You don’t walk away from something like that because of a woman you’re not even dating.”

He grabbed me gently by the arms, stopping my pacing. “Ava. Look at me.”

I kept my gaze on the floor.

“Ava.”

Slowly, I lifted my eyes to his.

“I’m not walking away from something,” he said quietly. “I’m choosing something.”

“That’s the same thing.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Yes, it is,” I shot back. “Because someday you’re going to wake up and realize you turned down the biggest contract of your career because of me. Maybe not now. Maybe not next year. But someday.” My throat tightened. “And I won’t be the reason you regret your choice. You'll resent me.”

His grip tightened slightly, not hurting, just grounding me. “You really think that little of what we have? This connection we both can’t seem to shake?” he asked.

“This isn’t about us,” I insisted quickly.

His brow lifted. “Isn’t it?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “This is about your career. Your future.”

“And you don’t want to be a part of that?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came out.

He took a step closer. “Ava,” he said softly, “I love you.”

The words knocked the air straight out of my lungs, and for a moment, the room spun. I had imagined hearing those words before. Late at night. In the quiet moments between feeding Ellie or sitting on the couch together, but never like this. Never when everything felt like it was about to break.

My knees nearly gave out. I pushed away from him, shaking my head. “No, you don’t.”