Chapter 7

I"m skating hard across the ice, but my thoughts keep drifting back to Presley. The news she dropped on me weighs heavy on my mind.

I could be a father.

I grit my teeth and push forward. I won"t leave her to handle this alone, even if she insists the baby isn't mine.

"Weston, focus!" my teammate yells as the puck sails past me, snapping me back to reality. I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. It's been a few months since I had my Holidates meeting with Presley, and then I walked away from her because she insisted that she was okay on her own. To be honest, I'm still in shock with what she laid on her parents that weekend, but I can't shake the connection we have. It's got my head all kinds of fucked up.

"Sorry," I mumble, racing to catch up with the play. I can feel my coach"s eyes on me from the bench, no doubt noticing my lack of concentration. This game was supposed to be a big one, but right now, all I can think about is that tiny life growing inside Presley.

"Get your head in the game, Halliday!" Coach barks, making me wince. I nod, determined to do better.

"Weston, pass!" another teammate shouts, jolting me out of my thoughts once again. I barely manage to send the puck his way, my usual precision nowhere to be found.

"Nice save," he grunts, shooting me a concerned look before focusing back on the game.

"Thanks," I say, feeling sheepish. My performance so far is embarrassing, and I know it. But I keep failing at blocking out of my head the look on Presley"s face when she told me about the pregnancy. Strong, independent Presley, owner of Slash and Dash Doggy Grooming salon, suddenly vulnerable and unsure.

"Come on, guys, we can still win this!" our captain yells, rallying the team as the clock ticks down. I take a deep breath and force myself to put everything else aside. There will be time to sort out my feelings and my future with Presley later. Right now, I have a game to play.

"Let"s go!" I shout, throwing myself back into the chaos of the rink with renewed determination. I won"t let my team down.

The buzzer sounds, signaling the end of the game. We didn"t win, but at least we put up a good fight. As I skate off the ice, my thoughts immediately return to Presley and the baby. There's too many things to process all happening at once.

"Weston!" I hear my mother"s voice calling from the ends of the stands at the tunnel entrance we walk off the ice at, and I look up to see her waving enthusiastically. She"s always been mine and my brothers' biggest supporter.

"Hey, Mom," I say, giving her a hug. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course, sweetheart. You did your best out there." She gives me a knowing smile, as if she senses that something is on my mind.

"Thanks, but you're supposed to say that, cause you're my mom. Actually, can we go grab some food? There"s something I need to talk to you about," I tell her, desperately needing her advice.

"Sure thing," she replies, concern etched on her face.

After I dodge the press conference, a quick shower and change, Mom and I find ourselves at a nearby diner, sitting in a cozy booth. We order, and then I take a deep breath and say, "Mom, there's a girl…" I pause, trying to gather my nerves to say this out loud. "She's pregnant."

Her eyes widen. "Oh, Weston! That"s... unexpected. Are you sure the baby is yours?"

I shake my head. "No, it might not be. But even if it isn"t, I don"t want Presley to go through this alone. She"s an amazing woman, and I think there could be something real here if we give it a shot. What do you think, Mom? Should I walk away or trust my heart and go for it?"

My mom takes a moment to consider before answering. "You know, Weston, love can be messy and complicated. But if you truly care about Presley, you should pursue her. Life is too short to let such opportunities pass you by. I know that all too well with losing your father. I also know that you'd love that baby like it's yours, and I"ll be over the moon to have a grandchild."

"Thanks, Mom. I needed to hear that," I say, feeling a weight lift off my chest.

"Of course, sweetheart. Now, let"s call your brothers and share the news!" she insists.

"Okay, okay," I laugh, pulling out my phone to video call them both.

My hands tremble slightly as I tap their names on the screen. Nervousness grips me, knowing that my brothers" reactions could either boost my confidence or bring me down. The call connects and Cole"s face appears on the screen.

"Hey, Weston! What"s up?" he asks, his dark hair tousled from a long day.

"Hey, Cole! I guess Bennett is busy, so I"ll go ahead and share some news with you and catch him up later," I say. "I, uh… I might be becoming a dad."

Cole"s eyes widen in surprise, and he leans back in his seat. "Wait, really? Are you sure?"

"Presley is pregnant. The baby might not be mine, but I don"t want her to go through this alone," I start to explain.

"Wait, hold up. Did you just say Presley? As in hotel girl Presley? How, when, did you see her again?" He rapid fires questions, clearly missing the key component on Holidates.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you. On New Year"s Eve, you know you guys told me I should have at least gone on a Holidates event so I could have had something to do to celebrate. Well, I got on there and chose an assignment, and it happened to be Presley."

My mother gasps at the newfound knowledge.

"So, Mom's here and we've been talking. We both think I should pursue a relationship with her."

"Wow, that"s huge, man," Cole replies after a moment, taking it all in. "Well, alright… Keep us in the loop, okay?" he says.

"Will do," I promise, knowing that my family will support me, just like Presley's seem to. As the call ends, my heart pounds, and I decide to take the next step. I dial Presley"s number, waiting for her to pick up.

"Hello?" she answers hesitantly.

"Hey, Presley, it"s Weston. I was wondering if you"d like to go on a proper date with me sometime soon?" I ask, hoping she"ll agree.

"Weston… that sounds lovely," she replies. "I"d like that."

"Great! I"m looking forward to it," I say, feeling relieved. It's crazy how I've never had an issue picking up women in the past, yet how nervous I was just to ask this one woman out on a date.

"Presley, how about we go for dinner at that Italian restaurant you mentioned once on our trip to your parents'? I think it"s called San Daniele," I suggest, trying to impress her with my memory.

"Weston, you remembered! That would be perfect," she responds enthusiastically. "I"ve been wanting to try their lasagna ever since I heard about it."

"Great, let"s plan for Friday evening then. Does 7pm work for you?" I ask, hoping the timing works for both of our schedules.

"Friday at seven sounds wonderful. I can"t wait, Weston," she says.

"Me neither," I admit, feeling a smile spread across my face. "I"ll see you then, Presley. Have a great day."

"You too, Weston," she replies before we say our goodbyes and hang up.

As I put down the phone, I feel a sense of elation blended with nerves. This date means more than any other date I"ve ever been on. This could be the start of something life-changing, not just for me, but for Presley and possibly our child as well.

"Mom, we"re going on a date this Friday," I inform her, unable to contain my enthusiasm.

"Weston, that"s fantastic!" she exclaims, her eyes shining with happiness for me. "I"m so proud of you for following your heart."

"Thank you, Mom. I really appreciate all the support and advice you"ve given me today," I say gratefully, feeling more confident and ready to face this new chapter in my life. "When do you have to leave to go back home to Florida?"

"Oh, you know me. I'm popping onto a plane first thing in the morning to go watch Bennett's hockey game tomorrow night," she admits.