Page 50 of Verdict

It had been a few days since I’d last seen Cohen—he was on the road again. This time, I was grateful for the distance. I needed it to get my head on straight.

My maternity leave was coming to a close, and I was dreading my return to the office. I loved being a lawyer, but I could feel myself outgrowing my current firm. I wanted something different. Something with more flexibility now that I was a mom.

I’d seen it happen before—talented women quietly leaving after having kids, all of them voicing the same frustration. The firm just wasn’t mother-friendly. I’d interned there during my summers in law school, and when they’d offered me a position after graduation, I’d accepted without hesitation. Back then, I wasn’t even sure I wanted kids.

Amazing how quickly things could change.

Now I couldn’t imagine my life without Ellie. I’d toured a few daycares, but none of them felt right, which only sent my stress spiraling higher.

I had just settled Ellie down for a nap when my phone vibrated against the kitchen counter. I hurried down the hall, definitely not hoping it was Cohen. He usually texted throughout the day when he was on the road, but I’d barely heard from him.

I grabbed my phone and exhaled when Walker’s name flashed across the screen.

“Hey, Walk. What’s up?”

“Avs! How’s Ellie doing?”

“She’s good. Just got her down for a nap.” I tapped my fingers against the counter, already waiting for him to get to the point.

“So,” he said, stretching the word out, “I was talking to Duke yesterday, and he mentioned he’s looking to add another lawyer to the team’s legal department. He needs someone who specializes in contracts—someone to oversee all the players’ agreements. I might’ve… dropped your name.” Duke Preston owned the Austin Aviators.

“Are you serious?” My pulse kicked up instantly. Working for a professional sports team’s legal counsel would be a dream.

Walker chuckled. “Very serious. Farrah mentioned you’ve been stressed about maternity leave ending and going back to your firm. The Aviators have on-site daycare. I figured being able to see Ellie whenever you needed might make the transition easier.”

My chest tightened. I wanted to cry. This would lift a crushing weight I hadn’t known how to name. My career and my daughter could actually be in the same place.

Okay. Slow down, Ava. You don’t have the job yet.

“And,” Walker continued, “this would also make it easier for Coh to see Ellie when he’s at the field.”

Cohen. Shit.

I hadn’t even considered what working for the team would mean for us. We needed space. Boundaries. Some kind of reset. And this? This would put me directly in his orbit, every day. I wasn’t even sure how he’d feel about it.

“That sounds incredible, Walk. Thank you for mentioning me,” I said honestly. Then hesitated. “How long do I have to think about it?”

He scoffed. “Think about it? Ava, this is a no-brainer. HR will be calling you this week to set up an interview. You can think about it after you get the offer.”

I blew out a breath. “Okay. I can do that.”

“Good. You’re going to crush it, Avs. This is a good thing. Don’t get in your head about it.”

The line went dead, leaving me standing alone in the kitchen, my heart pulled in opposite directions—buzzing with excitement and knotted with dread.

Farrah was in Austin for a quick meeting with Duke Preston. Thanks to her incredible renovation of the Aviators’ clubhouse, he’d hired her to renovate the executive offices as well. The project was already well underway, so she popped in and out of Austin frequently—Walker had kept his penthouse in the city. This trip, she’d brought Hadley with her, and we decided to meet up at a nearby park.

I was settled on a bench overlooking the playground, Ellie snoozing in her stroller, when Farrah and Hadley approached. Hadley immediately took off toward the slide.

“Hi, Auntie Avs! Bye Auntie Avs!” she yelled over her shoulder.

I laughed and stood to hug Farrah. “I’m glad y’all could meet up this afternoon. I needed to get out of the apartment.”

Farrah smiled, tilting her face toward the sun. “I bet. It’s a gorgeous day.”

I nodded toward Hadley. “I’m surprised you brought her since you had a meeting.”

Farrah sat down beside me on the bench. “Duke doesn’t care. He usually insists I bring her. He loves kids, and everyone in the office loves Hadley.”