"Jesus." I mutter.
"Yeah." Elena sits beside me.
The anchor reappears, speaking in that practiced concerned tone while Logan's team headshot appears in the corner—confident, composed. Nothing like the man I just watched fall apart on stage.
Elena's already scrolling her phone. "It's everywhere." She turns the screen toward me.
Headlines blur together:
"BLADES CAPTAIN'S SECRET CHILD REVEALED"
"MCCOY BLINDSIDED BY PATERNITY BOMBSHELL"
"HOCKEY STAR'S HIDDEN SON"
The comments beneath:
"Another deadbeat athlete"
"How do you not KNOW you have a kid?"
"Poor little boy"
Each one hurts. I yank the phone from Elena's hand and fling it onto the couch cushion between us.
"Hey—"
"What kind of man doesn't follow up?" My voice comes out sharp, jagged. "Doesn't check in? Doesn't make sure she's okay after they—" I can't finish. My throat closes.
Elena retrieves her phone calmly. "You don't know what happened."
"I know he has a three-year-old son he's never met." I'm on my feet now, pacing. I kick off both shoes. "Zero birthdays. Zero first steps. That little boy has been out there his whole life and Logan just—what? Kept living his? Dating women? Building his perfect image?"
"Reese—"
"He didn't tell me, El." I wheel around to face her. "We've been seeing each other for weeks. He's met my students. I've been to his place. And not once—not ONCE—did he mention a child."
Elena leans back, arms crossed. "Because he didn't know."
"How?" The word bursts out too loud. "How does someone with his resources, his visibility, not know? You don't just lose track of women you sleep with."
"Actually—"
"Don't." I hold up one hand. "Don't tell me it happens all the time with athletes. I don't care what's normal in that world."
"That's not what I was going to say." Elena's voice has an edge now. "I was going to say you're spiraling."
"I'm processing."
"You're spinning worst-case scenarios." She stands, moves to intercept my pacing.
"You didn't see what I saw."
"What did you see?"
"A man who had no idea that kid existed." Elena plants herself in my path. "My dad's worked in hockey for thirty years. You think I can't spot someone faking surprise? Logan wasn't faking."
I sidestep her, resume pacing. "Then he was careless. Reckless. He slept with Jessica and never bothered to?—"
