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“Ava,” Isaac and I reply simultaneously.
“I can’t let her risk her job or anything there. I don’t think the firm would take clients on opposite sides of the case.”
“You never know until you ask,” Isaac suggests before pulling out his phone.
I zone out while he’s talking to his sister, my mind reeling with questions about what’s going on. And then my phone dings, and I swipe it open to see a selfie of Chance with his friend. They’re both grinning with blue mouths, which I’m assuming are from ICEEs.
A new determination builds in me to do what I have to do for my son, no matter what, and when Isaac hangs up the phone and says, “Ava wants to meet with you,” I’m ready to go.
When we walk into Cohen, Jenner & Stone, Ava is waiting for us in the lobby. It feels like I haven’t seen my friend in ages, and I definitely haven’t seen her since I started whatever this is with her brother. Shit, I haven’t had a chance to talk to her about it at all. But Isaac’s hand is firmly wrapped around mine, and her eyes lock on our intertwined hands immediately. Her eyes widen, flashing to mine, but then her face softens, and she gives me a small smile. Some of my nerves calm after that, and I return her smile.
“If you’ll follow me to my office.” She turns, and we fall in line, her heels echoing around the open room.
Once we’re inside, she shuts the door behind us. Ava gives us each a quick hug. “It’s so good to see you guys.” She steps back, a sneaky grin on her face. “Together.”
“We’re—” I start, the same time Isaac says, “I wanted—”
“Oh, I’m thrilled. Now you can take care of each other, right?” she quips, and we both laugh.
“Fair enough,” Isaac agrees, squeezing my hand. We take our seats, and Ava claims hers behind her desk.
“So, here’s what we know. Greg is suing for full custody. As for the man around your house, I’ve got someone on that. We’ll find out something as soon as possible.”
“Can you represent me, though?” I scoot forward in my seat. “I mean, Ivy is Greg’s lawyer.”
“That doesn’t matter. She just can’t be your lawyer, so it’s all good. Are you wanting to countersue for full custody?”
“No, no. Chance loves his dad. I don’t want to take either one of them away from the other. I just want us to reach an agreeable arrangement of some sort. Whatever works for our son.”
My heart hurts at the thought of Chance being torn between us. I can’t have that happening. Even if I don’t like Greg, I do know he loves our son. But for him to use Chance as a pawn like this is ridiculous.
“I just don’t know what’s gotten into him. We’ve always agreed on this stuff.”
Ava clicks away on her keyboard as I talk, but she pauses for a moment. “I’m not sure either, but we’re going to find out.”
TWENTY
THE BEAR NECESSITIES
“We won’t have long before it closes, you realize that, right?” I point out to Isaac as we approach the ticket booth for the zoo. Although, judging by the website, it’s unlike any “zoo” I’ve ever been to. It’s not paved, for one, to preserve the animals’ natural habitats. The whole idea behind this place is to make animals feel like they’re truly at home, and it’s really a beautiful thought.
“Oh, we’ll be fine. I know the owners, so they’re not going to kick me out,” Isaac says as we walk up the steps. He takes them carefully, making sure Quinn is secure in the baby carrier. They’re built onto the side of what seems to be a house, and when we reach the window, my guess is confirmed. They’ve built their ticket booth onto the side of their house.
“So they live here?” Chance pipes up, emerging from his phone for the first time since we got into the car.
“They do. Isn’t that cool?”
“It would be cool to live around animals all the time, wouldn’t it, buddy?” I ask.
“I dunno. Not when it comes to their…you know.” Chance wrinkles his nose.
After our meeting with Ava, Isaac suggested we get out and do something fun with our kids. And while we haven’t had a discussion yet, the comment at Ava’s office seemed to have solidified the fact that we’re now together. And we’ve already met each other’s kids, so it’s not too fast.
Though a part of me still wonders…
Isaac pulls out his wallet, and when the man comes to the window, he flashes a friendly smile at him. “Hey, man. How are you?”
“Isaac!” the other guy exclaims. “I haven’t seen you in ages. Where’ve you been?”
