Cold as (N)ice (Sticks and Vows #1)

Chapter 19

19

COEUR

“Hey Coeur! You’re needed off the ice and in the boss's office!”

Barrett looked up during practice – and gasped two seconds later as a puck hit him in the belly. “No chipping!” he grunted, dragging in his breath and wincing at the pain as he skated off the ice. That was going to leave a bruise.

Coach Starnes was waiting there, next to a woman dressed formally in a suit, and Barrett already knew what this was about. She was the team’s attorney with whom he’d requested to speak about Irene’s ex-husband. Nodding silently, he shot off the ice and followed her, murmuring his thanks to the coach.

“You can use my office,” Coach Starnes called out. “Coeur, I want you back on the ice shortly – we’ve got a game in two weeks.”

“Yes, sir!”

As the woman entered the office, she shut the door behind him and then moved to take a seat, getting out a small device and pressing record.

“Elizabeth Bergeron speaking with Barrett Coeur of the Quebec Wolverines regarding his request for a cease and desist letter, combined with a harassment suit of his wife, Irene Coeur against Irene’s ex-husband, Eric Kanen of Dallas, Texas – is this correct?”

“Yes,” he replied and sat down carefully in the chair, realizing this was going to take a few minutes.

“I want to make sure I have everything correct, and that’s why I’m recording so I don’t miss a thing when I file everything. You mentioned harassment – what kind.”

“Texting and calling her – and he’s threatened her if she didn’t come back to Dallas.”

“Was that part of the divorce settlement Irene had?” the woman asked sharply. “Some states require that the separated partner reside in the same county if there is a child.”

“She has custody.”

“In Texas? They usually split parental control fifty-fifty unless there’s a good reason and…”

“Abuse,” he answered swiftly. “He was going to hit her and admitted to it in court. He also didn’t want custody of their child because Stephen is deaf. He didn’t want to learn sign language.”

“Winner,” the attorney muttered under her breath, jotting down notes before looking up at him. “So he wants her back in Texas but mentioned nothing about the boy?”

“No,” Barrett replied quietly as it suddenly dawned on him that she was right, and neither caught it – Eric didn’t want Stephen. It was about getting Irene back under his thumb.

“Got it,” Elizabeth nodded again, writing. “So we’ve got harassment, no basis for the request, and extortion – is that correct? He tried asking you for money, threatening Irene?”

“Yes.”

“Anything else?”

“Just make sure there is no more contact with my wife – she doesn’t deserve to have him harassing her. It could affect the baby and…”

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Barrett replied easily – and then hesitated, looking at the attorney. “In full transparency, the baby is Eric’s.”

“Hmm – sticky,” she frowned, nodding. “Does he know?”

“Yes. He told Irene to get rid of the child.”

“Perfect,” Elizabeth smiled coolly and nodded. “Don’t worry about it, and make sure your name gets on that birth certificate as the father.”

Barrett swallowed and hesitated once more.

“Yes? Is there something else I need to know about this… tangle you’ve got, Mr. Coeur?” Elizabeth practically iced the room with that cool tone to her voice, and Barrett flinched. It wasn’t an ideal situation, and he could only imagine what it looked like to someone who didn’t know Irene or Stephen. It was also very intimidating to meet with this woman who looked like she could verbally skewer anyone within a ten-mile radius for looking at her sideways. “I don’t have all day.”

“I want to adopt Stephen as my own,” Barrett blurted out suddenly and realized it was true. It had dawned on him the other day, and he pushed it down, thinking that maybe there would be some hesitation or cause Eric to become a bigger problem – but now seemed the right moment to ask about it. “If I adopt Stephen, will that cause problems for my wife from her ex-husband?”

“The man has signed away his rights already,” Elizabeth replied, her tone gentling with obvious approval of his request. “I think now would be an excellent time to effectively cut any remaining ties and to show that you’re serious about it. I’ll draw up papers for both.”

“Thank you,” he murmured appreciatively.

“Just make sure your wife and son are on the same page as you, and I’ll reach back out when I have everything ready for signatures.”

“Perfect,” Barrett replied, moving to his feet. “Can I have your business card? How much do I owe you? I didn’t ask what the retaining fee was or anything when I mentioned that I needed an attorney…” and stopped speaking as the woman chuckled, interrupting him.

“You can’t afford me,” she said proudly and extended her hand toward him, waiting to shake his hand. The moment his hand made contact with hers politely, he felt like he was making a deal with the devil as she leaned in, smiling wider, and spoke again – her voice low and telling.

“I’m a private attorney for the Wolverines – and one of the perks of being on this team is that I already work for you… mon Coeur,” Elizabeth taunted as his mouth fell open in shock before she winked and let out what could only be described as an affectionate cackle that gave him goose bumps. “I hate your agent, Coeur. He’s a slippery one. Hang onto that man because he thinks too much like I do – and we’ll both take care of you. Now, I’ve got to get back to work, and you are needed on the ice.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’ll be in touch – and don’t answer the phone if Eric calls or texts. Just leave it unread and bring me the telephone.”

“Will do.”

Elizabeth nodded at him and pushed the stop button on her device, gathering up her things as Barrett stood up. He was almost out of the room before he heard the attorney’s voice once more.

“I’m proud of you wanting to adopt Stephen. It shows that you care, want to take care of him, and that you are putting his care first.”

“He’s a great kid and already feels like my boy,” Barrett said proudly. “He’s a joy - both Irene and Stephen have changed my life. How could I not want him as my own?”

“It’s a good look and will help things in front of a judge, too,” Elizabeth replied, nodding. “Don’t worry about a thing. It will take me about a week to get everything prepared and filed, a week to serve him, and I can pull a few strings to get this through the courts quickly.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, go practice – and you all need to win the first game. I’m bringing my husband,” she smirked and shooed him off.

Barrett walked off, smiling, back toward the arena where they were practicing with almost a fervor of excitement. He couldn’t wait to see Irene and Stephen in the stands, wearing his name, and knew that all the ‘bumps’ along the way were finally smoothing out for their family.

T wo weeks had passed, and Barrett could no longer keep his secret. It had been sitting in his chest, pressing against his ribs, swelling inside him until he felt like he might burst. He had wanted to wait for the right moment, to find the perfect time to tell them, but there was no perfect time for something like this. There was only now.

The kitchen was warm, filled with the quiet sounds of morning—spoons scraping against bowls, the clinking of glasses, the soft hum of the refrigerator.

Barrett stood at the counter, forcing down a smoothie packed with enough vitamins, minerals, and protein powder to fuel him through the game later that day. He grimaced as he swallowed, the thick, chalky mixture sticking to his throat like wet cement. Across from him, his untouched omelet sat on a plate, golden and inviting. His stomach clenched. That omelet looked like heaven compared to the sludge in his cup.

His gaze flickered to Irene, who was gently stirring blueberries into her oatmeal, and then to Stephen, happily shoveling cereal into his mouth. He had no idea how this conversation would go, no clue if Irene would cry, if Stephen would understand the depth of what he was about to say—but he had to say it.

Barrett exhaled and set his smoothie down with a decisive thud.

“Can we talk?” he signed, his fingers moving fluidly, his voice steady despite the nervous energy buzzing in his veins.

Both of them looked up. Stephen paused mid-bite, milk dripping from his spoon, while Irene lifted her gaze, her brows knitting together in curiosity.

“I did something,” Barrett continued, rubbing the back of his neck, suddenly feeling awkward under their expectant stares. “And I need to run it past you…”

Irene’s expression shifted instantly, concern flashing in her eyes. “What’s wrong?” she asked softly.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Barrett reassured her quickly, as he continued to talk to Irene and sign to Stephen. “But I think you should know that when I spoke to the attorney about Eric—about Stephen’s father—” He glanced at Stephen, watching the boy’s eyes widen as he absorbed every sign with the intensity of a sponge soaking up water. Barrett took a steadying breath. “I also asked them to draw up papers so I could adopt Stephen. If that’s okay with the two of you.”

The room went silent. The kind of silence that felt thick, heavy, like the air had been sucked out of it.

Irene’s spoon slipped from her fingers, clattering into her bowl, splattering oatmeal against the rim. Her hand flew to her mouth, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, wide with disbelief. Stephen blinked at him, confusion knitting his small features.

But you’re already my dad—aren’t you? Stephen signed, his little hands moving quickly, earnestly.

Barrett swallowed hard, nodding without hesitation. I am. His throat tightened, but he pushed through. But this would make it legal, too. You would be Stephen Kanen Coeur. Your last name would become your middle name, and…

Yes! Stephen’s hands flew up in excited agreement before Barrett could even finish the thought. Yes! Yes! Yes!

A strangled sound slipped from Irene’s lips, something between a laugh and a sob. She stared at Barrett, her face a mixture of astonishment and raw emotion.

“Barrett,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, “are you sure?”

His chest ached at the look on her face—the way she was seeing him, really seeing him, like she had never expected this, but now that it was happening, she couldn’t fathom a world where it wasn’t. He swallowed past the lump in his throat, his gaze steady, unwavering.

“My name will already be on the birth certificate for our child,” he signed, his expression full of love and certainty. “Why not for both of them?”

Irene let out a shaky breath, pressing her fingers to her lips, her emotions barely contained.

“You want to adopt Stephen?” she asked like she needed to hear it out loud like she needed to make sure she wasn’t dreaming this moment.

Barrett’s lips curved into a soft, almost reverent smile. “I love him,” he said simply. “And he’s mine. I want him to know how much I care, and I can’t think of a better way than giving him my name—just like I gave it to you.” His eyes flickered to Irene, his voice thick with feeling. “I love seeing my name on you. Every time I hear it or see it written down, it does something to me. I want that to be something Stephen wears proudly, too. Because it’s who he is. Because he’s ours .”

Stephen turned to Irene, bouncing in his chair, his face lit up like Christmas morning. Mommy, is that okay? Can I change my name to Coeur?

Irene looked at her son, then at Barrett, and the tears she had been holding back finally slipped down her cheeks. But her smile— mercy, her beautiful smile —was bright and full of something deeper than gratitude, something bigger than words.

She nodded slowly, reaching out to brush a tender hand over Stephen’s hair . I think that is a wonderful thing , she signed, her hands trembling with emotion. And very generous of your dad.

Barrett’s chest tightened as Stephen threw himself into his arms, squeezing him with all the strength his little body could muster. He hugged him back fiercely, pressing a kiss to the boy’s temple, sealing a promise he had made long before this moment. He met Irene’s proud, tender gaze shining with so much love that it was staggering as he nodded, closing his eyes in sheer joy.

He had always been Stephen’s dad since the moment that child walked up to him and said ‘Hello’ so many months ago. That kid had barged into his life, winning him over. Irene took over his world, giving him a future he never imagined… and he was blessed to have a family like this.

But now, the world would know it, too.