Her brow furrowed slightly, but she didn’t pull away. “I figured it was something like that.”
“They’re questioning your role with Miles,” I said quietly. “They took pictures of you two. Leaving a coffee shop.”
“What?”
“Yeah. I don’t know if they followed you or hired someone, but that photo pissed me the hell off. That’s why I played like a machine today.”
“My god, Noah.” Em rubbed her chest, her breathing coming out a little heavier. “That’s…so messed up. I hate knowing they are doing this to Miles. I can take care of myself but a child? I’m never letting him out of my sight again.”
See, this was why I loved this girl. My chest bloomed with pride, and I kissed the top of her head. “They’re threatening legal stuff. Saying I’m being irresponsible, and they might come after you.”
She sucked in a breath, but that was her only reaction. Then, she laughed. “Let them.”
“I’m going to talk to a lawyer,” I continued. “Coach Booth offered help. The team has resources. I’m not letting them control this, and I’m not letting them hurt Miles oryou.”
Her hand found mine, fingers threading through without hesitation. “Good. I’m sure the team can help, and you know I’ll do anything for that kid.”
I squeezed her hand, relief and tension tangling together. “I hate that they pulled you into it. You didn’t ask for this.”
She shrugged slightly, snuggling deeper into my chest. “I didn’t ask for a lot of things, but if you think that’s enough to scare me away? Think again. You just introduced me to orgasms, buddy. You’re stuck with me.”
I laughed, knowing what underneath Em’s comment was. She was using something safe, something funny to defuse the moment—Em’s strength. But her meaning was clear—she was in this with me. It made my heart swell. “Enough about that. Tell me about your online store.”
“Hey, promise me something,” she said, her voice quiet.
“Of course. What is it?”
“Keep me in the loop about the plan. I won’t interfere. I want to know so I can keep Miles safe. If I would’ve known about your parents, I wouldn’t have taken him to the coffee shop.”
Something like guilt crept in her voice, and I ran my fingers over her wrist. “Hey, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I know, but Noah, don’t exclude me, okay?”
“I would never do that.” I cupped her face, forcing her to look at me. “I’m not the shitty men in your life. You can trust me, Em. I promise.”
Her body relaxed, and I promised myself I would never hurt her. I’d never leave her out or make her feel like she couldn’t trust me. She had too many people in her life let her down, and I wouldn’t be one of them.
I held her face for a second longer, thumbs warm against her cheeks, before letting my hands drop back to where they belonged—around her, solid and sure. She exhaled, a quiet release that told me she’d heard me, believed me, and that mattered more than anything else I could’ve said. The tension eased enough for the room to feel safe again.
“So,” I said, shifting slightly so she was more comfortable against me. “Your store. Daniel looked like he’d discovered fire when he talked about it.”
She laughed, softer now, but there was still a tremor under it. “He ran numbers, and it was…life-changing. Told me I have to stop thinking of it as a side thing. Said I need infrastructure, which sounds terrifyingandexpensive.”
“It also sounds right,” I said. “And I don’t say that lightly.”
She tilted her head, studying me. “You really think this can be… real? Like, long-term real?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Em, you moved a hundred pieces in a few days. That’s not a fluke. That’s demand. People don’t throw money at something like that. It’s special. What you do is unique and cool, and people want something meaningful. Sport teams are forms of families. They give a sense of belonging. That’s why fans are so special, and you get to create things for them.”
Her fingers traced idle patterns on my chest, thoughtful. “My dad said it wasn’t a career. That I was wasting time. That I needed something solid.”
My jaw tightened before I could stop it. “Your dad’s a fucking idiot,” I said plainly. “And I don’t mean that emotionally. I mean he’s wrong.”
She blinked, then let out a surprised laugh. “You really don’t mince words.”
“Not when it comes to you,” I said. “He’s looking at the world like it’s twenty years ago. You’re building something that is true to you, and that matters more than anything. Stability doesn’t only come from offices and pensions, and I’m sorry, you’re gonna regret not trying. You could do this and fail, but guess what? You would have tried and lived and learned from it. Not trying? Giving up before you start? No. That’s not you, Em. That might be your dad, but it’s notyou.”
She went quiet again, absorbing that, her gaze drifting to the wall like she was replaying old conversations. I tightened my arm around her instinctively.
