Every hockey player will tell you that they want to win the cup in game four. But that’s bullshit. We all live for the pressure. We all secretly love a game seven, when the stakes are higher than ever. We live for nights like tonight. It’s what the years of grueling schedules and training are all about.
Despite it being late, Hailee’s assistant still sits at his desk.
He smiles as I follow his boss toward her office, but he doesn’t say anything. Honestly, I wouldn’t talk to Hailee if I didn’t have to, either.
As Hailee reaches for the door handle and pushes it open, I swear time seems to slow.
She walks inside before turning and gesturing for me to follow her.
My legs move, but without instruction from my brain.
It’s like an out-of-body experience. It’s like I’m watching myself move.
But the second I step into the doorway and look at the woman sitting in front of Hailee’s huge walnut desk, everything comes rushing back to me.
Of all the nameless, faceless women I’ve fucked over the years, of course it’s her.
The woman in my jersey behind the boards at our last game of the regular season.
The woman who turned me down.
The woman who spent longer than necessary pretending she didn’t want me.
The one woman who genuinely didn’t care who the fuck I was, how much money I earned, or what I did for a living.
So yeah…as I walk deeper into the room, my eyes locked on her bloodshot, swollen ones, I can understand why Hailee believes her.
I’m pretty sure the last thing this woman wants in the world is to be connected to me in any way.
Fuck.
This woman is growing my fucking baby.
14
BEATRICE
The second he steps into the room, all the air rushes from my lungs and my stomach turns over. My hands tremble and my body heats as our current situation collides with memories of the last time we were alone together.
His eyes are cold, his expression blank. He’s impossible to read.
He knows. Hailee assured me that she’d tell him before bringing him up here so he had a few minutes to get used to the idea before facing me.
I said that I could wait until after the game. Hell knows I’ve already waited long enough. I’m achingly aware that he’s about to play what could be the most important game of his entire career, and I could very well screw the entire thing up. But Hailee was insistent that he needed to know.
I was trembling with nerves when I first walked into this office, to the point that I almost reached for the trash can to throw up in before taking a seat. But Hailee has been incredible. Sienna had explained who I was and how we were connected, which was what got me through the door. I’m sure she’s said more, but Hailee has been tight-lipped about their conversation, and to be honest, I don’t really care. Whatever it was worked;I’m here, and I’m getting the chance to do what I need to do. All that’s left is to see how he’s going to react.
The air around us turns thick.
“Rett, this is?—”
“What do you want?” Everett barks, cutting Hailee off before she has a chance to say my name.
To be fair, I’m impressed that he didn’t immediately just say he doesn’t recognize me. That’s positive, right?
“I-I don’t—” I cough, trying to clear the giant lump from my throat.
Hailee pushes a glass of water my way, and I reach out with a trembling hand. The water sloshes in the glass as I lift it to my lips, and I curse myself for not getting a better handle on my reaction to having Everett this close.
