17. Brock

"Good morning," I say gruffly as I feel Layla stirs beside me.

"Good morning, I wish I could stay but I promised Breckin, I'd meet him and Eric at home."

"No worries, I'll see you at the game later."

I pull her down into me and kiss her gently. She pulls away and grins back at me.

"I could get used to this," she giggles.

She climbs out of the bed and gets dressed quickly before she leaves. I lay in bed for a few minutes staring goofily after her.

After a quick shower and breakfast, I settle into the living room, my phone in hand. I dial my agent"s number, hoping for positive news about my potential transfer to Boston.

"Hey Brock, what"s up?" Zayden's voice crackles through the line.

"I was just wondering if there are any updates on the Bruins deal," I reply.

"Yeah, actually, we"re close to finalizing everything," he responds, and a surge of excitement courses through me at his words. "They seem pretty interested, and I think we"re on the verge of making it happen. I"ll keep you posted as soon as I hear more."

A grin spreads across my face as I thank him for the update, feeling a rush of adrenaline at the prospect of being in Stetson Falls for good. With newfound motivation, I quickly get ready and head out to Breckin"s hockey game, eager to show my support and spend more time with him and Layla.

As I arrive at the rink, I spot Layla in the stands, her attention focused on the players on the ice. A surge of affection washes over me as I make my way towards her, but before I can even say a word, she stands up abruptly, her expression guarded as she avoids my gaze.

Confusion gnaws at me as I watch her walk away, joining a group of other moms further down the bleachers. I"m left standing there, feeling a mix of hurt and bewilderment at her sudden rejection.

Feeling like I"ve been punched in the gut, I take a seat by Jack.

"No Janet today?"

"No, she's not feeling well," he answers gruffly.

"Give her my best," I murmur. "Is everything good with Layla? She seemed to run out of here when I came over."

"She's fine," he answers.

I glance over at him, but he refuses to meet my gaze, his attention fixed firmly on the action on the ice.

Breckin, along with the other five-year-olds, takes to the rink, their small frames clad in red and gold hockey gear, their faces alive with excitement and determination.

The puck drops, and the game begins with chaos. Breckin, skating with confidence, darts across the ice, his eyes fixed on the puck as he maneuvers through the opposing players. His movements are a blur of speed and agility, showcasing the skills we've been working on.

As the play progresses, Breckin finds himself in a prime scoring position, the puck at his feet. With a swift flick of his stick, he sends it soaring towards the net, the crowd holding its breath in anticipation. The goalie reacts quickly, diving to make the save, but Breckin"s shot is too powerful, finding its mark in the top corner of the net.

The crowd erupts into cheers as the puck hits the back of the net, the sound echoing throughout the rink. Breckin"s teammates swarm around him, congratulating him on the impressive goal. His face lights up with a grin of pure joy, his confidence soaring with each passing moment.

My heart swells with pride. He's been working so hard, that goal was definitely earned.

But the game is far from over, and as the action resumes, Breckin remains focused and determined, his eyes locked on the puck as he continues to push forward. With each shift, he showcases his skills, weaving through defenders and creating scoring opportunities for his team.

With a burst of speed, he dekes past the opposing defenseman, leaving him in the dust as he bears down on the goalie.

With the game on the line, Breckin unleashes a blistering shot, the puck rocketing towards the net with pinpoint accuracy. The goalie stretches out in a desperate attempt to make the save, but it"s too late. The puck sails past him, finding the back of the net in a flash of victory.

I'm on my feet hollering. I've never been more proud in my life. The final buzzer sounds, signaling the end of the game. Breckin"s teammates rush onto the ice, surrounding him in a sea of high-fives and hugs. His face is a picture of pure elation as he celebrates the hard-fought victory with his friends.

As I watch Breckin revel in his triumph, a swell of pride washes over me. He may be young, but he"s already proving himself to be incredible on the ice. And as I cheer him on from the stands, I feel so much excitement for the bright future that lies ahead for him.

I watch as he skates to Eric and Tyler, high-fiving and hugging them both excitedly. Afterward, he takes his skates and pads off before running to Layla. She engulfs him in a hug as well, talking animatedly to her as I make my way toward the ice.

He turns to look for me and grins widely as he sees me. "Mr. Brock! Mr. Brock! Did you see my goals?"

"I did. All your practice has paid off. I'm so proud of you, buddy!"

"Thank you, sir. Are you going to Pizza Inn to celebrate with us?"

"Mr. Brock can't come tonight, Breck. He has another engagement. Maybe another time."

"Aww, darn it. I'm going to go say hi to Grandpa."

He takes off like a shot to Jack. I glance back at Layla questioningly.

"What's going on? I don't have anything else going on but you guys."

"Fuck off, Brock. Don't ever speak to me again unless it has something to do with Breckin."

She walks away quickly.

"Layla!"

I start to go after her when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"I wouldn't do that."

I turn around to see Eric behind me. His face is angry, and his eyes are narrowed. He pulls back and crosses his arms in front of his chest.

"What's happening?"

"You have a lot of fucking nerve showing up here after what you did."

"What are you talking about? What did I do?"

"Did you think she wouldn't find out that you proposed to Tierney? I don't understand why you wanted to do a fake engagement with my sister while you were planning on proposing to Tierney all along. My sister isn't someone you can just use for your gain."

"I'm not engaged to Tierney."

"Her social media says differently. As do all the media outlets. Do you have any idea how hurtful it was for my sister to be walking into the rink today and get bombarded with texts from people sending her the screenshots and links?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't propose to Tierney. I'm not sure what her social media or anything else says."

"She has pictures of the two of you together the other night at your parent's house. You told Layla you saw her. I'm not sure why you're lying about this."

"Eric, I have no clue what's going on, but I'm not engaged to Tierney."

"I'd like to fucking deck you right now but I don't want my nephew to see it. Stay the fuck away from them," he growls before he walks off.

I step out of the rink, the chilly air hitting me like a slap in the face, momentarily pulling me out of the whirlwind of emotions swirling within. With Layla"s rejection still fresh in my mind, I make my way to my car, a heavy weight settling in the pit of my stomach.

Sliding into the driver"s seat, I pull out my phone, intending to see what Eric is talking about. As I scroll through my social media feed, a notification catches my eye – Tierney has tagged me in a post. I tap on it, my curiosity tinged with a sense of dread.

My eyes scan the screen, and my heart sinks as I read the words plastered across the screen – "Engaged to the love of my life ??." The image accompanying the post shows Tierney, her hand adorned with a sparkling diamond ring, her smile radiant with happiness.

I feel like I"ve been punched in the gut as I realize what this means. Tierney has publicly announced an engagement to me that's not even real. Anger simmers beneath the surface as I decline the tag and proceed to block her on all social media platforms, my mind reeling with a mixture of disbelief and frustration.

But the bombshell doesn"t end there. As I continue scrolling, my heart sinks even further as I come across headline after headline proclaiming my engagement to Tierney, quoting her words as if they were gospel truth. My jaw clenches with fury as I realize that she"s orchestrated this entire charade, using me as a pawn in her twisted game.

With a sense of determination burning within me, I make my way to my parents" house. It"s time to confront Tierney once and for all, to demand answers and put an end to her deceit.

As I step through the front door, the familiar scent of home envelops me, momentarily calming the storm raging inside. But there"s no time to waste – I need to find Tierney and get to the bottom of this mess.

I find her in the living room, her expression smug as she lounges on the couch, her phone in hand. My blood boils at the sight of her, but I push down the rising tide of anger, forcing myself to remain calm as I approach her.

"What the hell, Tierney?" I demand, my voice laced with barely contained fury. "Did you leak those lies to the press?"

Tierney looks up at me, her gaze cool and calculating. "Yes, I did," she admits, her tone unapologetic. "It was the only way for you to see Layla"s true character. She doesn"t deserve you, Brock."

I feel a surge of disbelief at her words, my hands curling into fists at my sides. "You had no right to do that," I seethe, struggling to keep my temper in check. "You manipulated me and used me to further your own agenda."

She shrugs, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "I did what I had to do to protect you, Brock," she says, her voice dripping with false sincerity. "And if you don"t end things with Layla and come back to me, I"ll make sure you regret it."

My blood runs cold at her threat, the gravity of the situation sinking in with a sickening realization. Tierney is capable of anything, and if I don"t play her game, she"ll stop at nothing to destroy me.

But I refuse to let her win. With a steely resolve, I meet her gaze head-on, my voice firm and unwavering. "Delete those lies and tell the truth, Tierney," I demand, my words ringing with authority. "And if you ever try to come near me or Layla again, I"ll make sure you regret it."

"I'm pregnant."

"No, you're not. If you were you wouldn't have been getting drunk with my mother a few days ago."

"I didn't know then."

"You approached Layla with that lie before you were getting drunk with my mom," I hiss.

"She doesn't deserve you. She's not good for you."

"You're not good for me," I sigh.

"You're going to see who she really is."

"I finally see who you really are."

"You're going to come back to me."

"I'm not."

"Don't test me, Brock. I will say whatever I can to that woman to get her to leave you."

"Don't test me, Tierney. I am not the person to mess with. You will not go near Layla, do you understand? I've sat idly by but I have all the proof I need to ruin your life the way you're trying to ruin mine. This doesn't make me want to come back to you."

"You're bluffing."

"I'm not. Stay away from me. Stay away from Layla. Leave town, there's no reason for you to be here."

I shake my head and storm out of the house. I need to fix things with Layla and make sure she knows that Tierney is making it all up.