Page 118 of The Puck Stops Here
7a.m.?!
Aiden
Told you it was early
Astrid
OK
She hit send then toyed with asking how Blake was. But asking Aiden would make it known that something was up – if he didn’t know already – and she wasn’t about to kick that hornet’s nest. Especially when they had a game to play tomorrow.
But Blake’s radio silence was driving her as crazy as the guilt. She hated that she’d hurt him, and that kiss… she kept reliving it over and over.
Maybe he’d message after the game. Maybe he’d message when they were back in New York. And if he didn’t, she could ask Aiden in person on Saturday. As for the photographs and the unknown child… she glanced at the pic on her mood board.
Who was he? Or more specifically, who was he to Blake?
And why couldn’t Aiden just tell her?
Her research had drawn a blank; she still couldn’t find their father and she was no closer to getting Aiden to at least admit Sienna had existed!
Some reporter she was turning out to be… muzzled by her own mess.
And speaking of her mess… Bella was heading back into the gallery today, kicking off a new plan to ‘save’ Chase. Fingers crossed it worked. For his sake as much as Bella’s, and her own.
She texted Bella to wish her luck, fired off another to Mum, then went back to her article.
When you first meet these NHL giants, it’s hard to imagine them as boys, lacing up borrowed skates, playing on frozen ponds…
Now towering over opponents on the ice, the Titan Twins command attention with their skill and sheer presence, but behind the fierce intensity and celebrated success lies a story of resilience, a journey that began far from the bright lights of professional hockey…
The cursor flashed back at her… words refusing to come.
All she could see was the hurt in Blake’s face, all she could feel was the intensity of that kiss. With a groan, she pushed away from her laptop, grabbed her trainers, and hit the streets, hoping a run would help and knowing in her heart that it wouldn’t. Nothing would.
Because the one thing she wanted to do – come clean – was the one thing she couldn’t work out how to do.
Not without making everything so much worse and dragging Sissi through it with her. And that girl had suffered enough.
But then, so had the twins…
Her watch buzzed with a message, and she peeled back her thermal top to check the screen.
Aiden
PS Dinner Sunday at Mom’s, 1p.m.? We’ll pick you up…
Her stride faltered. Shit, she’d forgotten about dinner. Another reporter fail! But dinner with Mother Carter, Aiden,andBlake?
She could hardly say no…
Aiden
She’s looking forward to meeting you.
Great. But what about Blake?
19
