Chris laughs sheepishly, “what? She’s much less likely to hurt a pregnant woman than her big brother.”
Pause.
Tash is pregnant?
“You’re pregnant” I gape.
She glares at Chris before looking back at me, “surprise! We were going to wait to tell you, but I guess not anymore.”
I start to smile, “awww. I’m so happy for you- hold up. Nope, I can celebrate later.” I continue my march towards Chris, “explain” I growl.
Chris straightens and starts word vomiting, “I swear this isn’t my fault. Dad sent photos of us to the press and they’re eating it up.”
Freezing in my spot, I close my eyes. My dad, of fucking course it was him. “How bad is it?” I sigh.
“Claire I don’t-“ August tries to say, but I shush him the moment he speaks.
“They’re mostly just asking a bunch of questions, it’s nothing crazy, but they’re trying to say that your success is linked to mine. We can have a press conference organized by the end of day tomorrow… if you want of course.”
I take a moment to process. On one hand, I knew this was a possibility. On the other, the idea of talking to a shit ton of press about my personal life is scary as fuck.
Whatever, I don’t need to explain myself to them. They can think whatever they want,Iknow what the truth is and that’s all that matters. “It doesn’t matter. They don’t get to dictate my life any more than dad does, let them believe what they want.”
“Wait really?” Everyone asks in unison.
I shrug, “being a pro figure skater would be a dream, but I don’t know if that’s what I want to do anymore.” This is the first time I’m telling anyone other than my coaches what my plan is, I don’t really know how they’re going to react. “I’m thinking of starting a skating program after college, helping kids who can’t necessarily afford to skate otherwise. I have the ability to do that now, seeing as I own the arena and all.”
Chris smiles while the rest of them gape at me, “that’s my girl” he says.
“You own the fucking arena?” Davis yells.
Miller knits his eyebrows, trying to piece something together, “so you’re like… the owner of our hockey team?”
Nodding my head I smirk, “watch your ass Miller, I could boot you at any time.” He shrinks into himself and I laugh, he knows I would never do that to him.
The door slams behind me, Steph storms into the house “Claire Taylor I swear to god you need to learn how to answer your phone!” She yells, pulling me into a bone crushing hug.
She continues to bitch me out, which is how I learn that the guys —and Chris— had told her what was happening. When I didn’t answer, she went ape shit outside the arena on all those nasty reporters. I laughed theentiretime she told me. I can’t wait to see articles about her going nuts on all of them.
Tears start to form in her eyes after she asks how I’m feeling, and when I tell her the exact same thing I told the guys only moments ago, she wraps her arms around me again. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help it. A couple months ago you would have let todays events be all consuming, you wouldn’t be able to see any bright side to anything, and now you’re brushing it off and looking for the good despite all that. I’m so lucky to have you as my best friend, and I’m even luckier to get to see you change into the woman I’ve always known you could be.”
Stephanie Saunders will always be my best friend, not because we giggle like little girls, or because she knows me better than anyone… but because she’s stuck by my side through it all. She’s been there through the worst days of my life and there’s nothing anyone can do to break the bond we’ve built.
She wipes her tears and snot on her sleeve, “these boys really did a number on you, in the best way possible. Even though they fucked up more times than they should have, they forced you into becoming a badass who rolls with the punches.”
We both look to the boys, who are clearly uncomfortable with all the emotions going around right now, “they’re idiots, but they’reouridiots” I giggle.
The boys pull us into a group hug, despite being weirded out by the tears. I glance over Augusts shoulder and see the picture of us all at the party. That feels like a million years ago.
We’ve grown so much since then, we look like babies.
“Do I get a hug too?” Tash asks, standing up from the couch and walking towards me with open arms.
“Of course” I smile, breaking away from my friends and hugging the mother of my future niece or nephew. “You’re going to be the best mom” I tell her.
forty-five
CLAIRE
