“She’s dealing with a lot,” I explained.
“If I can offer a word of advice?” I nodded, so he proceeded. “There’s no magic spell that can erase the damage a bad ex leaves behind, even long after he’s gone. Patience is key, letting her deal with it at her own pace and being supportive no matter what. It takes time, and even years later, the triggers remain. The trauma of being mistreated will never leave her; it’ll resurface when you least expect it. Your job is to be there for her through it all. Be the one she can depend on, even on her bad days. That’s what she needs, but she’ll never ask for it.”
Jaxon spoke as if he knew from experience. And maybe he did. I didn’t know much about his wife’s ex-husband, but it couldn’t have been an amicable split for Jaxon to have adopted the man’s children.
But if what he said was true, I’d done the exact opposite. I’d pushed her away, telling her what she needed instead of asking how I could support her. And if the look on her face outside that lingerie shop in Beverly Hills were any indication, I’d hurt her with my rejection.
She hadn’t spoken to me since that day—outside of a handful of interview questions with lots of witnesses present—and dread settled in my gut. In trying to decide I knew best for her, had I lost my chance?
My chest felt tight, and I struggled to breathe as the thought of losing her sank in.
“Fuck, man,” I breathed out. “I think I messed this all up.”
“Been there. But the one thing I learned? You’re not going to fix it by keeping your distance. If you want her, go get her. She’s right there.”
“Thanks.” I downed the rest of my drink and handed the empty glass back to him.
Heart racing like a teenager approaching his first crush, I moved toward the redhead who had turned my world upside down.
Bristol was so engrossed with the baby in her arms that she didn’t appear to notice when I sat down opposite her on an adjacent loveseat.
“Who do we have here?” I reached out to tickle the baby’s tummy.
If she was still angry with me, it didn’t show. I might have to thank the chubby cutie in her arms for being the perfect distraction.
There was a longing in her brilliant blue eyes when they met mine, and she gave me a soft smile. “This is Theo Mason. He’s Benji’s baby.”
“Ah.” I nodded. “Another future all-star, then.”
“Probably.” Her light laughter rolled over me. I was itching to switch seats to sit beside her, but I had no right after the way I’d treated her. “They’ve got hockey sticks in hand before they can walk around here.”
I chuckled. Several Speed players who were fathers had come and gone during my tenure with the team. Family skates with the team were greatmoments when the kids got to come out and play. You were hard-pressed to find a player’s child who couldn’t skate from a young age. They all wanted to be like their dads, including the girls. Jaxon’s daughter, Charlie, was a prime example of that, and I knew she would take advantage of the rapidly expanding girls’ game.
Staring at the woman I was quickly learning I didn’t want to live without, I asked, “So, youdolike kids?”
Confusion flickered across her face. “What made you think I didn’t?”
Shit. Had I put my foot in my mouth again? Why couldn’t I get this right with her? I’d been so smooth the night we met.
Yeah, because there was nothing on the line other than sex. It’s more now.
I pulled on the back of my neck. “Um.” Clearing my throat, I realized I was in too deep now to cover my ass, and the truth was the best course of action. “When we were in Pittsburgh, I made a joke about a secret love child, and you said that was your nightmare.”
Bristol’s eyes widened, and her mouth parted. “You remember that? It was months ago.”
Shrugging, I laid my heart on the line. “I remember everything about you, Bristol.”
Her breathing hitched, and she stood suddenly, tucking baby Theo into her side. Glancing around the room, she seemed almost panicked as she rushed to say, “I need to find his parents. Excuse me.”
Turning her back on me, she scurried away, leaving me alone and no closer to figuring out how to fix whatever had been growing between us. I dropped my head into my hands, letting out a heavy exhale.
Who knew relationships could be sodifficult?
Jaxon received a text from Braxton, letting him know they were on their way back from the Comets’ practice rink. I guess they had a history there, so that’s where he decided to take her before proposing.
When they got closer, Natalie dimmed the lights, turning them off completely once the audible sound of a car door shutting reached us.
The plan was simple. We waited in the dark and let Braxton handle the rest.
