65. Aarya
Aarya
His daughter?
A daughter.
Alexander has a daughter.
I can barely form coherent thoughts in my mind, let alone out loud. “W-hat?”
He stalks out of the kitchen and heads for the foyer. “I don’t have time to explain right now, but I promise, I’ll explain everything to you later.”
It’s like I’m underwater, and everything sounds garbled.
He has a daughter?
He slips his arms into his jacket and snatches his keys off the entryway table. “I think her arm is broken, and I have to go to the hospital. You can stay here for as long as you want. Finish eating, or take it home—whatever you want. But I have to go.”
My mouth flaps open and closed as I blink up at him.
He leans down and presses his lips to my forehead. “I’m really sorry, Aarya.”
And then he’s out the door. I stare at it for a few seconds until Ellie’s wet nose bumps into my leg.
I glance down at her. “Did you know he has a daughter?”
She sits and cocks her head to the side.
“Some help you are.” I dig into my purse for my phone and send a text to the group chat.
Me: Am I the only one who didn’t know that Alexander has a daughter?
Celeste: *zipper mouth emoji*
Cassidy: He told you?
Me: You traitors!!!! *knife emoji* *knife emoji* *knife emoji*
Me: And you didn’t think to tell me this because...?
Cassidy: It wasn’t my secret to tell
Me: I’m your best friend. You tell me ALL the secrets!
Me: Even when you’re not supposed to.
Me: I’m your one.
Me: OMG... am I not your one anymore now that you’re married?
Celeste: *popcorn emoji*
Cassidy: He wanted to be the one to tell you.
Cassidy: Trent says he kept it from the team for a long time too. He’s really private about her.
Me: Ask Trent if he knows he married a traitor
Cassidy: Yes, but she can suck a golf ball through a straw so it’s worth it
Cassidy: Sorry, that was him
Celeste: You look like you’d give good head, Cass
Cassidy: Thanks *smirk emoji*
Me: Can we focus please?!
Me: A fake wife is one thing. But a fake step-mom?
Cassidy: Are you still at his house?
Me: We were having dinner and then he got a call and left
Me: His daughter got hurt and is on the way to the hospital
Celeste: Oh no, what happened? Is she okay?
Me: I don’t know
Me: I didn’t even know he had a daughter until 30 seconds ago
Cassidy: Trenton is texting him now, I’ll find out
Celeste: Poor thing. He’s probably so worried about her.
Me: Have you guys met her?
Cassidy: Only once at her birthday party last month.
Celeste: She’s really cute
Cassidy: Wait, where are you now?
Me: Standing in the middle of his house with his dog
Celeste: I love Ellie! She’s the best
Me: He’s a dog person and he has a kid. Those are some pretty big red flags if you ask me
Cassidy: Stop it. Those are the greenest flags I’ve ever seen
Me: Who’s the baby mama?
Me: Oh fucking Christ... IS HE MARRIED?!
Me: Please tell me he’s not married
Cassidy: Breathe, babe. He’s very much single
Cassidy: This isn’t the same scenario as your father
Celeste: Baby mama is nonexistent, but you should let him be the one to tell you about her
Me: How could he completely omit the fact that he has a child?
Me: Who does that?
Me: When did he plan on telling me—when I moved my things into the spare bedroom?
Cassidy: I know this is triggering for you, but hear him out before you make any rash decisions
Celeste: Don’t give up on him just yet, girl
Ellie’s whimper pulls my attention from my phone.
I follow the sound, and spot her in the kitchen lying down beside an empty bowl on the floor. “You thirsty?”
I fill up the bowl in the sink before placing it back down in front of her. She laps at the bowl until it’s empty, so I refill it again.
“Drink up. But I’m not taking you out on a walk and picking up your shit, so you can forget it.”
I can’t help but think about my father in this situation. He hid his real family from my mother for years—and he hid us from them. What kind of sick person can live a double life like that? How can you lie that much and be okay with it?
Does he ever think of us? Of me?
Alexander doesn’t seem like that kind of guy. Then again, who knows what he’s capable of? I don’t truly know him, despite what Cassidy and Celeste have to say.
Questions swarm my mind. I should leave. I should run out of here and never look back.
But my stomach ties itself in a knot as Alexander’s worried face flashes in my head. He was here, cooking a meal for me, when he could’ve been with his daughter...wherever she was. And now she’s hurt. Who knows how long he’ll be at the hospital for. I should get this all cleaned up for him.
I clear off our plates from the dining room table, and rummage through the kitchen cabinets until I find containers with matching lids.
I scoop the leftover food into them, and stick them in the fridge.
Ellie lies down at my feet while I scrub the pots in the sink and load everything into the dishwasher.
Cleaning helps me relax.
Once the kitchen is spotless, I venture around the rest of the house. I’m technically not snooping. I’m just...looking around.
The living room is next to the dining room, huge with a vaulted ceiling and a plush sectional couch in front of a mammoth-sized flatscreen, of course. It’s too dark to see outside the French doors leading out to the patio, but I can only imagine how lavish the backyard looks.
Ellie follows close behind me as I make my way down the hallway, passing a bathroom and several guest rooms until I get to the two closed doors at the end of the hall.
Peeking inside the first room, I flip on the lights and let out a small gasp as Ellie pushes her way between my legs and prances into the room, jumping right on the bed.
An explosion of pink assaults my eyes. Dolls in dresses; teacups and saucers; frilly pillows; and tiny pink shoes. I stand frozen in the doorway, not wanting to enter the innocent space, as if I’ll mess it up somehow just by being in it.
I try to imagine the large hockey player in this room—having a tea party or reading her a bedtime story—but I can’t.
I can’t picture it because I’m still in disbelief that this is his reality.
Every interaction we’ve had replays through my mind.
But not once has he mentioned or even alluded to having a little girl.
How can he keep her a secret?
My chest squeezes, and it’s all too much. I back out of the room and opt for door number two instead.
Alexander’s scent hits my nose the second I step inside. Everything is neat, simple, and monochrome, much like the living and dining rooms. It’s like his daughter’s room is where the only ounce of color is stored in the entire house.
On his nightstand sits a picture frame, and my feet carry me over to it before I can stop myself. Reaching out, I lift the black frame, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face.
Thick, dark curls and big brown eyes. Pudgy cheeks and little shark teeth.
Her tiny hands wrap around the back of Alexander’s neck as she smooshes her face against his, squeezing him so hard you can feel it just by looking at the picture.
She’s a mini-him. She’s adorable. And the pure joy emanating from his face is breathtaking.
The thought of something bad happening to her twists my insides. No wonder he ran out of here like the house was on fire.
Where is her mother?
Questions continue to assault me as I leave his room and close the door behind me. Ellie doesn’t seem to want to budge from the little girl’s bed, so I don’t bother to try to move her.
I head back to the living room and slump down onto the couch. Damn this thing is comfortable. I stare down at my phone and type a text to Alexander before deleting it, then retyping it, over and over again.
What do I even say?
I shouldn’t bother him while he’s tending to his daughter at the hospital.
Eventually, my heavy eyelids droop closed.
Five more minutes and then I’ll leave.
“I think she’s awake, Daddy.”
My eyes pop open, and I’m met with a tiny human and a large dog—both sitting way too close to my face.
Because I’m still on Alexander’s couch.
Fuck!
“Look. she’s awake! I told you!”
Alexander’s hushed voice enters the room. “I told you to leave her alone and let her sleep.”
The girl frowns as he scoops her into his arms. “But she’s awake now.”
“She’s awake because you woke her.” He glances down at me and gives me an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I held her off for as long as I could.”
Sitting up, I turn my face away as I wipe around the inner corners of my eyes. “I’m so sorry. I must’ve fallen asleep.”
On his couch.
In his home.
With his kid here.
Ellie jumps onto my lap and her tongue slides along my cheek.
I scrunch my nose in disgust as I push her away. “Ew, dog.”
Alexander’s daughter giggles. “That’s how she says good morning.”
My hair is a mess and I no doubt have smudged eyeliner around my eyes. This is not how I want anyone in this room to see me, least of all the gorgeous hockey player who’s looking down at me with amusement dancing in his eyes.
“I should go.” I fling the blanket off my legs—don’t remember putting that on myself last night—and jump up from the couch.
“Wait, we made pancakes.” Alexander’s daughter reaches out for me.
“I cut yours into the letter A for Aarya, and I put it on my princess plate. And you have to sign my cast. See? I broked it jumping on the bed at my friend’s house last night.
You were sleeping when we got home so I couldn’t show you. ”
I pause, lifting my eyes to the bright-pink cast on her little forearm. “Does it hurt?”
She nods. “It hurt-ed really bad when I fell. But the doctor said it’s a hair fraction, so it’s not too bad.”
Alexander rolls his lips between his teeth. “A hairline fracture.”
“Yeah, that’s what I said.”
He presses a chaste kiss to her cheek before setting her down on the floor. “Why don’t you go finish setting the table, and give Aarya a minute to wake up.”
She disappears into the kitchen, leaving me alone with Alexander.