Chapter 35
THIRTY-FIVE
“Congratulations.” Galaxy is the first to skate over to me and pull me into a hug. He slaps me on the back twice.
“Thank you.” I still can’t believe it myself. I’m going to be a dad.
Penn is next. Then D-Low.
Travis is the only one who hasn’t moved.
“You okay?” I ask him, a little concerned as he just stares at me. Is he upset? The last I knew, he and Hannah weren’t planning to start a family for a few years, but maybe that’s changed.
“We’re having a baby?!” His mouth finally curves into a wide grin, and his brows lift. “I’m going to be an uncle again?”
Penn chuckles softly under his breath.
“Yeah, man. We’re having a baby,” I tell him.
Trav skates forward with his arms raised over his head.
He hugs me, then pulls back and talks fast. “I am a great babysitter. Whenever you and Whitney need some alone time, I’m your guy.
I cannot wait to teach little Shep all sorts of things.
Do you know what you’re having? I bet it’ll be a little girl.
Boys are fun though. Can I buy their first hockey stick? Can I teach them to skate?”
I’m taken aback by him, but it’s Trav, so I really shouldn’t be. I smile back at him. It’ll be good to have him in my corner, but babysitting? “Uh . . . we’ll see.”
“I’m so stoked,” Trav says, seemingly unfazed by my reply. “Uncle Trav and Little Shep. We’re going to have so much fun.”
“It’s certainly going to be fun to watch,” D-Low says, side-eyeing me with a knowing grin.
“Hey,” Trav fires back. “I’m a great uncle. Tell him, Galaxy.”
“He is,” Galaxy assures me, but he’s chuckling too. “Mostly.”
“What do you mean mostly?!” Trav asks him.
While they’re going back and forth, D-Low skates closer to me.
“I hate to break up the happy moment, but look who’s here.” He lifts his stick to point toward a spot off the ice. D-Low glances at me. “Were you expecting him?”
“No, but something tells me he’s here to see me.” I skate forward and call over my shoulder. “Keep the rest of the guys here, yeah?”
“I’ll try.”
I step off the ice and walk on the rubber mat to Victor.
“You’ve got some balls showing up here,” I say to him.
Victor rolls his eyes at me.
“I obviously didn’t come alone looking for a fight.” He shoots me a small grin. “I would have brought at least one other guy.”
I promised Whitney I would try to get along with him and that’s what I’m going to do. But damn if he doesn’t get under my skin like no one else.
I let out a breath and force some calm into my tone.
“What’s up?” I ask dryly, then freeze. “Is Whitney okay?”
“She’s fine,” he says quickly. I appreciate that he doesn’t keep me in suspense long.
My shoulders fall, and my body relaxes.
“I have to go back to Houston.”
I nod. I guess that means they aren’t going to trade him. Speculation around the league has been rampant since his suspension.
“Whitney says you’re happy about everything,” Victor says with a slight frown. If I had to guess, I’d say he isn’t thrilled I’m the guy that knocked up his sister.
“Ecstatic,” I tell him honestly.
He eyes me warily like I’m a threat. To him—on the ice—sure, but not to Whitney. I realize now why he’s here. He wants to make sure I’m going to look out for her now that he’s going. Maybe he does care about someone other than himself.
“I’ll be here for her.” Always. Or as long as she’ll let me be. Hopefully, that’s forever. “I promise.”
“Yeah, well, if you don’t, I’ll be back to kick your ass.” He pulls a piece of torn paper from his back pocket and hands it to me. I unfold it as he says, “My number. In case she needs anything.”
The idea of calling Victor for any reason still seems too surreal to imagine, but it’s a gesture from a guy I didn’t think was capable of feeling.
“Thanks,” I say as I stare down at the paper.
I expect that’s it and for him to scurry away, but Victor lingers.
“Something else?” I prompt him.
“She’s telling our dad today. I’m not sure what he’ll say, but just in case it doesn’t go well, I thought you should know.”
We told my parents last night. They were as thrilled as I expected them to be and are already planning a visit to look at possible second home options.
Oh, and my mom is determined to throw an epic baby shower.
I was happy to share my parents’ happiness with Whitney but now I’m wondering if it’s only going to make her feel worse if her dad is a jerk.
“I appreciate the heads-up.”
He glances around at the arena, then steps back. “See you on the ice, pretty boy.”
When I’m finished with practice, I head to Moonshot High School. The office administrator gives me a visitor pass and instructions to Whitney’s classroom.
The hallways are quiet as I navigate through them. I’m hit with a million memories—good and bad. I couldn’t wait to get out of high school, but I never could have imagined things would have turned out the way they did. Or that I’d be this happy to be walking in one today.
When I reach the room, I pause outside, listening in. The door is cracked open, and Whitney stands at the front of the room. She’s smiling and staring out at the students. They’re engaged, calling out answers and laughing. It isn’t like any math class I ever took, that’s for sure.
“Close,” she says, then moves to the whiteboard. She explains as she draws out the problem for them. Her free hand rests absently on her lower stomach.
It’s too soon for her to be showing yet, but I can’t wait to see the proof of our baby growing inside her. I’ve always wanted kids and to have a big family someday, but the anticipation is even greater because it’s with her.
As the bell rings, she shouts out a few last reminders over the shuffling of books into backpacks and chairs scraping against the floor. As she watches them file out of her room, she finally spots me.
Whitney’s eyes light up, and her mouth pulls into a smile. I get a few glances from the kids, but most of them are too busy rushing to their next class to give me much notice.
“This is a pleasant surprise,” she says as I finally step into the empty room with her.
I lift my gaze from her to the classroom. It’s brighter than how I remember my high school math classes. There are posters on the wall and shelves filled with colorfully spined books. It’s warm and fun, just like her.
“I didn’t want to wait until tonight to see you,” I say as I reach her. I lean down and brush my lips over hers.
“Is everything okay?” she asks as I pull back.
“Yeah.” I bob my head. “I had a visitor at the arena today.”
“Who?”
“Victor.”
Her mouth forms a surprised O before her lips turn down into a grimace. “Oh no.”
“No.” I chuckle softly. Her reaction tells me exactly how she thinks it went down. No one is more surprised than I am. “It was okay, actually. Strange, but okay.”
Her body relaxes. “What did he want?”
“To make sure I was going to stick around, I think.”
She attempts a hesitant smile. “He’s headed back to Houston today.”
“Yeah. He mentioned that. And he also said you were going to talk to your dad.”
“I called him this morning.”
“I wish you’d have told me. I could have been there.”
“I know, but I felt like I needed to do it on my own. Plus, your parents were so amazing. I wasn’t sure how he was going to take the news and . . .” She trails off. “I didn’t want him to ruin it for you.”
“Did he ruin it for you?” I ask, already annoyed at the possibility. She didn’t tell me for the same reason I wish I could have been with her. We’re in this together. I know I can’t protect her from everything, but I can be present to remind her that she’s good and strong and smart and deserving.
“Nope.” A real smile tugs the corners of her lips higher.
“He was cool?”
“Eh . . . he wasn’t thrilled, but it could have gone worse. To be honest, I think his bar for me is so low that my future doesn’t really concern him.”
“You deserve better.”
“I know.” Her smile stays intact as she lifts onto her toes. “And I have it in you.”
I appreciate her saying it, but I still hate that she isn’t getting that support from her own dad.
“I’m not giving up on him, but I’m okay. I can’t explain it, but I feel more content than I ever have. I love my dad and I hope he wants to be part of this baby’s life, but I’m going to do right by my Little Charming either way.”
She presses her lips to mine and warmth spreads through my chest and down my arms. I wrap them around her and pull her to me.
My lips inch back only enough to tell her the words I should have told her a long time ago. “I love you. You know that, right? I love you more than I thought it was possible to love someone. And more than I think I’m capable of loving anyone else.”
“I love you too.”
A bell rings through the school. Whitney drapes her arms over my shoulders and peers up into my eyes.
“How long until your next students arrive?” I ask.
“As fate would have it, this is my free period.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Mm-hmm . . .”
“Must be my lucky day.”
“Could be real lucky if you’re quick.”
I glance around for inspiration before picking her up and carrying her over to the desk. Whitney giggles as I set her on top of it and crowd between her legs.
“I never got to make out with girls in high school and definitely not the teacher.”
“I think we can do something about that.” She grabs a fistful of my shirt and tugs me closer. She tilts her head toward the door. “Lesson one of making out in school, don’t get caught.”
I step back to go shut the door. And possibly lock it. “And lesson two?”
“One thing at a time, Charming.”