Chapter 41
Austin
Four days—not that I was counting—since Isa decided that this was too much.
And while I wanted to see her, I was still a little angry. We hadn’t been together all that long, but the speed and ferocity
with which she could shut down everything that happened between us was painful. Like it meant nothing, even though I knew
that wasn’t true. There was something else going on and she was scared. Instead of coming to me, she lashed out, and I could
see it happening but was powerless to stop it.
Nothing would change until she wanted it to, so I gave her some space.
Zoya and I walked out of the Dawn Capital building in Lower Manhattan. The streets were filled with the normal morning shuffle
of people moving quickly, cars honking, vendors chatting. All the sounds of the city.
“You straightened out everything with Jesse?” Zoya asked.
For the first time in years, she was in a suit again.
Originally, I was a little worried to ask for her help with this since Zoya had found a new normal running her kitchen.
It had been years since she’d used her MBA in a C-suite as the head of a company, and the last time she had it was to run Theo’s start-up.
But she seemed almost excited to be there. And the meetings went great.
We had capital. A lot of it.
Dawn Capital agreed to donate millions to the foundation through their charitable arm but they also agreed to invest in the
academy. That meant everything that had felt far-fetched and nearly impossible for so long could happen. It wasn’t just big
for me, it was pretty unheard of in American sports, so it would be news once the final papers were signed.
Just early enough that we beat the salty humidity that hung over the summer morning, it was pleasant as Zoya and I walked
a few blocks to the car.
“Yeah. I’m going to meet Jesse next week,” I told her. Jesse wasn’t a fan of a career route outside of coaching, and I was
probably still in some hot water with the management firm. But I’d finally found a direction I was excited to go in. I wasn’t
giving it up now. “I think he’ll be more accepting once he sees this.”
“Even if he’s not”—we stopped at a corner, waiting for the light—“you don’t owe him anything.”
“I know, Mom.” I rolled my eyes, unserious. I checked my phone, wondering if Isa had texted.
She clearly needed to work shit out for herself, and I wasn’t going to push what I wanted on her. When—if—she was ready, I’d
be here. Waiting.
“Why don’t you call her and tell her what just happened?” Zoya suggested as we crossed the street to the next block. “She’ll be happy for you.”
“I will,” I answered curtly, tucking my phone back in my pocket.
With the prolonged silence, Zoya pushed again.
“So . . .” she tried again. “What’s going on with Isa?”
“Nothing.”
“Look.” She stopped at the next street corner, taking a few steps to the side to get out of the way of fast-walking commuters
on their way into work. I did the same. “I didn’t bring it up at the kitchen because I knew there was a lot going on, but
you can’t let it fall apart when you’re clearly—”
“We’re in different places. She’s got a lot going on and I . . .” I tried to explain. Every step we took forward was hard-fought
but the backslides were too easy for her. “Maybe it was never something that was supposed to last.”
“Why is that?”
“We’re different people.”
She huffed a breath. “What does that mean?”
“This may surprise you, but I’m trying,” I defended. “I’m not sure she wants me to.”
Zoya’s mouth twisted to the side in thought.
“It doesn’t surprise me.” She smiled softly, patting my cheek, motherly. “That reporter had it right, the Honorable Cade.
You’ve always been a good guy, the kind I would trust with my own friends.”
“Oh, I know.” I rolled my eyes since Zoya had attempted to set me up with a few of them over the past couple years.
“But . . . sometimes moving forward can be a little scary,” she admitted.
Her eyes darted around the street like if she looked at me she’d let me know something she wasn’t ready to talk about.
“Letting go of everything in your past doesn’t mean you’re hung up on it.
Sometimes that hesitance is a little bit of fear.
The present is safer than the future because you can control one of those. ”
Zoya was speaking like it was from experience.
“So, I should wait her out?” I concluded, which made this whole conversation pointless because that was exactly what I was
doing.
“I can’t speak for her, but self-sufficient and successful probably means she knows what she wants and doesn’t want,” Zoya
began. “Sometimes all you need is someone who’s willing to let you spin out so you can recalibrate on your own. Let her know
you’re there for her.”
“Is that what this mystery guy did?”
“What?” Her eyes went wide and her smile dropped.
Zoya wasn’t wearing her rings today, which was odd because it was sort of a big step for her when she took them off the first
time. And now they were off again.
“Zoya . . .” I drawled. “Do you like a boy?”
Her lips formed a line. “I’m not answering that question.”
“Why?” I crossed my arms. “We still have two blocks and a drive filled with traffic for me to bother you.”
Being that Theo had been my best friend, and she was like my sister, it felt a little weird to encourage her to date. But
it had been three years. He’d want her to be happy.
“Shut up.” She turned and looked at the traffic light, her foot tapping on the curb like she was ready to move.