Chapter 50

CHAPTER FIFTY

Jordy

It’s Saturday, and it’s only been a few days since I saw my girl at Wade and Kali’s wedding.

Scratch that, not my girl.

Lola.

Wade’s sister.

That’s all she is to me now.

Yet here she is tonight at the game and she’s wearing my jersey, which is just fucking with my head.

Pushing me away for weeks, she’s made it abundantly clear that she doesn’t want me.

What happened to the feelings she said she caught for me?

The sorrow in my bones makes them ache. I wish she had stayed home tonight because I can’t concentrate, my focus is shot to pieces.

Wade bolts across the ice in front of me. Having had a month off, he brought his A-game on steroids tonight. “Where’s your fucking head at tonight?” he bellows, shooting past me again.

“Sorry.” I pull my mind back into the game.

Tonight’s game against the Panthers has been bittersweet. Wade’s back, which I’m buzzing about, but at the same time, he’s a reminder of why Lola and I aren’t together.

Because she isn’t employed by the Eagles anymore. She’s working for Wade directly, meaning we could have been something. Everything.

Now we’ll never be anything because she’s Wade’s sister, and she has no intention of telling him about us or she would have by now.

“One minute to go.” Wade zooms past me yet again. He’s running circles around me tonight. Skating backward, he asks, “Ready?”

I smile, even though my heart is heavier than a rock. “Yeah.” My excited response doesn’t match how I feel. I want tonight to be over.

“Then let’s win this fucker.” Wade races off and knocks the puck away from Wicker, the Panthers' dirtiest defenseman, and I’m moving at speed to assist.

The crowd cheers because they know if we pull this off, we’ll win the game.

Wicker is hot on Wade’s tail, but when the puck slips out, Wicker is too slow, missing, and Wade is right there to pick it up. Spinning around, Wade’s back to Wicker, he passes to me and I’m crossing in on the right wing, flying toward the goal. I glide it over the ice and take the shot. The puck goes straight through the Panthers' goalie’s legs and flips upward, hitting the top of the net. The goal horn blows at the same time the Klaxon sounds, and it’s game over. 5-1. Eagles win.

Thank fuck.

Now I can get out of this gear, do a quick post-game cooldown, and shower.

I’m praying I don’t get selected to do media tonight. I want to get the hell out of here as quickly as I can.

I wish I could go home to paint, but I can’t even do that, which is ludicrous given I have an exhibition coming up in the summer. I don’t have a creative block. I have a Lola-sized blockage in my heart that’s shutting everything down.

Wade, Spike, and the rest of the team crowd around me, slapping me on the head, congratulating me for the win, but quite frankly, I don’t feel one bit joyful.

Splitting up with Sienna never felt like this.

You didn’t split up with Lola. It wasn’t a thing to split.

Wade pulls up to my side as I try to make a swift exit off the ice. “What’s up with you tonight? That was a fucking epic goal. And you look like you’ve swallowed a hornet’s nest.”

I’m in love with your sister. “Nothing,” I reply.

“Right, well, that nothing makes you look like a miserable bastard. Fix your face for the fans, will you?” He winks and skates across to the boards to see his family. To the spot Lola is sitting, but I can’t bring myself to look at her. All I can bear to do is hold my stick in the air limply for the cheering crowd, pretending to celebrate.

“So, you’re absolutely certain there is nothing wrong?” Wade asks, bumping my shoulder with his as we walk down the corridor while he throws M&M's in the air and catches them in his mouth.

He’s too fucking happy.

I blow out a breath. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Wade, it’s Lola.” Kali appears at the end of the corridor, eyes wide with what looks like stress, concern written all over her now pale-colored face, her voice echoes through the empty space.

My heart rate shoots through the ceiling.

“What about Lola?” Wade and I both say at the same time as we rush down the hall toward her.

“The baby,” she wails, holding onto her stomach.

“Shit,” Wade hisses.

“Baby? Your baby?” I point at Kali. “What the fuck has your baby got to do with Lola.” Confusion weaves its way through my brain cells. “What’s wrong with Lola?” I ask, frantic now with worry.

“She’s just told me she’s three months pregnant,” Kali cries. “And she’s bleeding. They called an ambulance, but it was taking too long, so Piper and Daryl took her to the hospital. We have to go, Wade.” She waves him to her urgently. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“She asked me not to say anything until she’s told the father. I’m sorry, Kali, but I made a promise.” Wade grabs her hand, and they power walk down the corridor, animated and talking fast before disappearing through the exit door.

Baby?

She’s pregnant?

Three months.

The corridor starts closing in on me.

Which means… She’s having my baby.