She shut the door, and I thought I heard her muttering something about hot, buff guys and panties, but I wasn’t sure.I loitered, desperate to talk to her and feel my daughter move around more.
I ran my hand through my hair, leaving it standing on end.I was past exhausted, thanks to my inability to sleep more than a couple of hours on any of the three flights I’d taken to get here, but I was on a high now.I’d waited over two months to get back here, and seeing the swell of Millie’s stomach, feeling the movement of my daughter, the pregnancy became more real.
I hadn’t been sure about the plan Alyssa and I concocted when I’d first learned about the baby, hadn’t decided if I should fly back to Colombo to make my play yet.Then I watched Cormac and Keelie at their wedding, saw how he interacted with his unborn kid, and I didn’t have a choice.
Not that I’d ever tell him this, but Cormac was one of my heroes.He was an even better man than I’d expected, leading us with a cool head but also willing to lend an ear, a shoulder, hold a punching bag—whatever we needed.
So when I saw him rubbing Keelie’s belly, head bent close as he talked to the baby, I’d known I needed to do that with Bree.I coveted the chance.So I’d changed my flights and come here.
Impulsive, just as Coach called me.I hadn’t thought it through…just known it was right.
And actually, Coach hadn’t called me impulsive since I flew out here the first time.Oh, I’d felt the heavy weight of his stare more than once, but he seemed to be observing me, measuring my responses.
Seeing if I remained a good fit for the Wildcatters.
Considering Wildcatter management had recently offered Reece Hopper in exchange for an older left winger and a draft pick, I thought my first-line position might be safe.
Mightbeing the key word.
I huffed a breath, letting the rightness of this choice settle into me.It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, but Cormac was always telling me to trust my gut.
Exhausted and at risk of confusing myself, I shelved those thoughts.I’d tease them out later.
When Millie emerged from the bathroom, she’d changed into a maxi dress, and I marveled at how much Bree had grown since the last photo Millie had sent me.She’d started texting a weekly snapshot that I woke up early to see each Friday.I looked forward to that message more than anything.
“Bree’s grown,” I said.Much as I wanted to rub Millie’s belly again, I didn’t want to freak her out by pressing my face to her bump.
Millie nodded, a bit stiff.“I thought you meant me.”
I saw the hurt in her eyes.“What?Why would you…Oh.I’m an idiot.I meanther.In there.”I rubbed the back of my neck.“I came because I wanted to see you—both of you,” I clarified.
Millie raised an eyebrow.“I figured that out.What with you being here and all.”
“And I… I hoped I could take you to dinner—a date.You know, so we could, um, talk about us, the baby—whatever you want.”I blushed and slammed my mouth shut, appalled by my less-than-smooth approach.But then, I supposed it was to be expected.There’d never been a woman who mattered as much to me as Millie—or would ever matter as much.Millie was the mother of my child.
Her lips kicked up in a smile and her eyes sparkled.“Luka Stol stammering.Who would have thought?”
Her computer chimed with an incoming video chat, and I clenched my fists.What if it was another man?I couldn’t stand the thought of her talking to, let alonedating, someone else.I wanted to reach through the monitor and destroy any man who thought he was going to take Millie and Bree from me.
“It’s Ida Jane.Hang on.”
She slid onto a chair at the bar and enlarged the app’s screen.
“Idge!”
“Mil-bil!Oooh, who’s there with you?Does Stolly know you have a man in your condo?”
My heart warmed at the censure in Ida Jane’s voice.She and I had gotten closer during the weekly dinners she hosted.But it was our walk after I’d stalked her outside Maxim’s place a couple months ago—when I was too far down the rabbit hole to think of another option—that had sealed our connection.
“Considering Luka’s hovering behind me, I think he’ll be fine,” Millie said, her voice brittle with dryness.
“Hi, Ida Jane!How are you?”I asked, coming up beside Millie.I laid my hands on her shoulders.She stiffened for a moment before her body went slack under my touch.I rubbed my thumbs back and forth on the delicate skin at her nape, and she huffed a little sigh.
“I’m good.We weren’t sure where you’d gone after the wedding.”
“I surprised Mille.”
“He sure did,” she muttered.
