Page 176 of Breakaway Hearts

But Noah and Izzie are coming, so there will definitely be hockey.

I’m typing up a response when my phone rings with an unknown number.

“Hello?” I ask, praying it’s from one of the scholarships I applied for. I’m not panicking yet, but my top choices are too far along in the process to add me.

“Is this Madison Finch?”

“Speaking,” I agree, grateful you can’t get served over the phone.

“It’s Laura Martin. We met at Pruitt & Dobbs.”

“What do you want?”

I don’t mean to sound so defensive, but seeing as they recently helped someone sue me, I’m a little touchy.

“Sorry, I should have explained that better. I’m calling from Martin & Sons, but I met you in the bathroom when we were both interviewing for an internship. You saved me with a tampon.”

“Oh, hi. I’m…” I have no idea where I was going with that, because I have no clue what she wants. “It’s nice to hear from you.”

“I withdrew my application when I saw how those rapist-apologists dropped you as soon as assholes came in wanting to sue you for standing up for yourself and protecting others. I can’t work for a company that flips on a…survivor…as soon as someone else offers more money.”

“You still read my articles.”

“They keep getting better,” she agrees. “I thought I wanted to intern for another firm where I wouldn’t be a nepo hire, figured all the crappy stuff was a rite of passage, but I’ve been made aware that it is not, or at least it shouldn’t be, so I am embracing the nepo of being the daughter of one of the sons in Martin & Sons. They’re building a domestic violence and sexual assault department, with funds allocated for those who can’t afford decent representation, and when it came to the intern position, I immediately suggested you.”

“Are you saying you want me to interview for M&S?” They were at the tops of many lists, but don’t accept interns who aren’t in their final year of law school.

“I’m saying the position is yours.”

“And your dad or superiors are aware that I was sued and haven’t taken down the article…”

“We love all your articles, and I think your legal troubles and how well you handled them are what clinched the deal, even before you turned that monster’s suit into his own jail sentence.” The entire hockey program at Berwick is currently under revision, with at least half the team suspended until their hearings. “I tried to make our offer as similar to what theirs would have been, so it includes our normal package, plus the scholarship.”

“You what?”

“I’m very persuasive. My mom thinks I should be a lawyer,” she teases. “So…What do you say?”

Epilogue

Owen

Pucking perfect

“Hello beautiful,” I say when I answer a facetime call from Madison. I absolutely love the way she still blushes. Normally, she rolls her eyes at me, but today she looks about ready to burst with excitement.

“Martin & Sons wants me!” she squeals.

“Babe, I’m not a jealous guy, but who the fuck is Martin?”

“And his sons?” Jason pipes up from behind me.

“Oh perfect, I was about to text you,” she tells him.

“Congrats Maddie!” Colt is the only one who seems to know what’s going on.

“Thank you.” She beams. “They’re a law firm. A really good one.”

“And they offered you an internship?” She nods excitedly. “Babe, that’s awesome. I am so proud of you.”