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I’d be so down for bossing him around as his captain. Payback.

Jon

Hockey was fun and all. But I’ve found my calling.

I look up at where she’s still standing in the entryway, and we both laugh.

I wave a hand in front of me. “Let him have his cake and eat it too.” Checking the time, I realize I’ve only got ten minutes before I meet with Mark and Nina.

“Since the boys are on an away series, I invited Luna around to ours for a movie night. I actually came in here to ask you if you want to join. Jon’s at a late-night practice and, knowing him, won’t be back much before midnight.”

Walking toward her, I plant a kiss on her cheek. “Yeah, that sounds perfect. Just don’t drink wine in front of me, and I’ll be good.”

“So these are currentlyyour open cases?” Nina pulls the folders towards her and begins flipping through the pages.

“Yes, that’s right,” I reply confidently.

“I assume the Plaintiff has filed a complaint in all these?”

I sit up straighter. Is she trying to look for holes in my work or simply understand the cases better? “Yes, that’s right.” I repeat.

Nina nods but doesn’t look up at me as she takes another folder and flips through the paperwork. A lot of my files are paperless, but she insisted that she wanted them in front of her so she could make notes on each one.

Mark Preston folds his hands together on the table and offers me a warm smile. “Are you still aiming for a six-month maternity period, Kate?”

“I am, yes.”

“My sister-in-law had twins,” Nina pipes up, never once taking her eyes from the file. “She’s a professional too. Initially, she anticipated a six-month leave, but that soon turned into twelve.” She closes the files and looks at me for the first time in several minutes. “Then she returned part-time.” Her tone is icy and judgmental.

I feel one of the babies kick and I inwardly smile.

That’s right, Bubba, sock it to her.

“I’m pleased she got the time off she needed. It sounds like your sister-in-law made all the right decisions for herself as both a mom and a professional.”

I don’t miss the slight narrowing of her eyes. I’m sure Mark missed it, but this woman clearly has an agenda, and I fear I’m the potential victim. Who the hell does she think she is judging others?

Mark clears his throat. “We also need to discuss what your return to work will look like, Kate, including updating all the correspondence since I assume you will be taking Jensen’s surname.”

I fight back a smirk, imagining his response if I kept my maiden name for work purposes…tempting.

“Yes, Kate Jones.” It’s the first time I’ve said it out loud. Again, I wait for my panicked response, but there’s nothing—only warmth.

“We will also need to discuss client generation for you on your return,” Mark adds.

“Well, we have many referrals, and as long as new clients are aware of my return date, I can start taking on inquiries.”

Mark shifts in his chair and then looks across at Nina. “Do you have any more questions for Kate?”

She taps her pen on the table. “Has the judge for each of these cases issued schedule orders?”

“For some, yes.” I lean across and point at the tabs. “Each file labeled green is at this stage. You will then find a detailed breakdown of the timelines and dates on each page.”

I can tell my response is both satisfying and annoying to her at the same time.

That’s right. I know my shit too.

“Okay, no more questions.” She gathers the folders up. “I’ll let you know when I do.”