Chapter 2
Chapter two
Emma
What a precious Little Tulip.
~ The Next Day ~
I flutter my eyes open as the sunlight filtering through the window blinds my vision, and I quickly squeeze them shut. The massive headache I’m sporting is pounding at the back of my skull.
I ended up leaving my room, after a few hours of self-pity, and made my way to the nearest liquor store.
Because yes, this cheap hotel doesn’t even have a place to drink attached to it.
They do have room service, which I ordered from, but honestly, I wish I hadn’t.
And yes, I changed out of my clothes before heading out.
After getting back to my room and downing an entire bottle of wine to myself, I finally had the courage to look at my phone that hadn’t stopped going off.
I did end up responding to my dad, telling him I was okay but needed time, although I ignored every single call and message from Tommy telling me that I’m being immature and to come home right away.
He also left me a pretty nasty voicemail about how furious he was that he had to crawl through a window to get inside his house because he didn’t have a key for the backdoor.
Then he went on to yelling at me for the state of his house, because yes, he was calling while crawling through the window.
He called me every single name in the book and then claimed I was going to have to pay for all the repairs.
If he thinks I’ll be paying a single cent off that repair bill, he can go suck a dick.
And then there was that beautiful message from my dear old mother. The one that told me I was acting like a child and that I needed to learn to control myself and apologize to Tommy for my behavior.
Then she went on to say that she was outraged and embarrassed. Of course, she had to make it about her. And wanting me to apologize to him for what? For catching him cheating on me!? God! I hate that woman! Why my dad even puts up with her is beyond me.
My mother and I have never been close. There was a time when I craved her attention and affection, her motherly love, but I quickly learned I’d never get any of that from her. She simply isn’t capable of loving someone other than herself.
Still, despite my hatred toward her, I still find myself doing as she says and trying to please her. Trying to do what she deems is right. I hate it. I hate that I can’t just shake her off and tell her to go to hell.
But this? This, I won’t do. I’ve let a lot of things slide by with my mother, but if she thinks I’ll go back to his unfaithful ass to please her, she can fuck right off along with him.
After that message, I lost my shit once more and spiraled from wrath to depression, finishing the night once more in a puddle of tears.
I don’t often let myself break down like this; I try my best to stand strong all the time and hide my emotions. But after everything that happened yesterday, after spending hours going over every single little detail and interaction in my mind, I knew pouring my heart out was inevitable.
But now it’s done. No more shedding tears over someone who doesn’t deserve them. I didn’t fuck this up—he did. This sappy crying nonsense isn’t me. I’m strong. I’m a fighter. I don’t cower to men and their demands.
But isn’t that what I’ve been doing? Cowering to him, to my mother.
No more. I’m done.
With determination to start my new life right and get back to the old Emma, I whip the cover off my body and stand from the bed.
I quickly pull on a pair of black leggings and a simple white top from the duffle bag.
Then I brush out my hair with the brush I found while going through the bags in my car after getting that much needed bottle of wine.
I didn’t bring my makeup up from the car, so I’ll have to forgo that, but at least I look decent enough.
Once I have all my stuff packed, I leave the hotel and get back inside my Mercedes, ready to find a place to have breakfast while looking at much more suitable hotels. Preferably one that has a bar and a restaurant.
It’s just past ten by the time I’ve filled my belly with delicious food and sit at my table waiting for the check.
I’ve already reserved a hotel in New York City for the next week and plan on looking into condos for sale tomorrow.
It’s not that I care about living in a hotel or all the money I’m wasting.
Money is never the issue when you’re a Mackenzie.
But I’d rather have my own place where I won’t have to keep all my bags in my car and depend on the restaurant in the lobby to eat.
I just want somewhere that feels like home again…
My phone notifies me of an incoming text chain from ‘Puck Bitches’ as I scroll through my social media.
It’s what I had named the girls’ group chat when we were all still close.
I haven’t left it. I just never reply to any of their messages, no matter how many times they try to reach out.
I don’t even look at them anymore, but today I give in and open the conversation.
Cecilia
Mimosas at my place while the boys are at practice?
Morgan
Already on my way!
Aubrey
Class ends in 30, be there after!
An unsettling knot forms in my stomach as I read their messages.
I miss them so much… But it’s not like I can just show up at their place out of the blue after months of ignoring them.
They’ll have a thousand questions about what happened, and honestly, I’m not really in the mood to talk about it right now.
I just want to move on from my shitshow of a relationship.
I’ll have to find a way to slowly integrate myself back into the group, hoping they’ll still want me…
Cecilia
You’re not with Gracie?
Aubrey
No, she’s with the boys at the rink.
I frown at the two new messages that come in. Who the hell is Gracie? This is the first time I’ve heard about a woman by that name. She hasn’t been added to the group chat from what I can tell, so my guess is she’s still new. I swear, if they’ve already replaced me, I might lose my shit again.
Although I’d probably deserve it…
Aubrey said this Gracie chick is with the guys at practice.
Maybe I could go over to the rink where the hockey team practices and check out who my competition is.
It’s only fifteen minutes away from here after all and gives me something to do rather than sit here waiting for time to pass.
She must be one of the guys’ new girlfriend or something for her to be hanging out with them.
I can’t picture Gabe or Noah, the twins in my old friend group, settling down any time soon, so it must be Greyson, Aubrey’s brother. I mean, the guy is also a real womanizer, but maybe he’s going through some midlife crisis and finally found the one.
Yup, this sounds like a smart plan. I’ll just sneak in, sit in the back, and get a quick look at her, then leave before any of the guys notice me.
Totally a good plan. I know I could probably just scroll up the conversation and see if maybe they’ve mentioned who she is higher up, but I’d rather see for myself.
I quickly pay the bill and jump back in my car, then make my way over to the practice center.
Once inside the building, I head to the ice rink, where I know the guys will be.
I look around quickly before taking a seat for this Gracie girl.
There are a few other people here watching the boys practice, but no one stands out more than the others.
I’m about to sit down away from view, thinking she might be in the washroom or something, when I notice Shane Jefferson, the head coach, with a baby carrier around his body. That’s odd… I didn’t know he had a child.
Being overly curious, I decide to go investigate and walk down to him.
When I get closer, I finally have a peek at what’s being held by the carrier.
A cute little baby girl dressed all in pink, with a little pink beanie hat with two puffy pompons on her head.
She seems to be fussing against his chest as he tries to soothe her by bouncing up and down.
“Hey Shane, didn’t know you and baby Brey had gotten that serious,” I joke, even though I know that’s not her kid.
I haven’t been gone that long to miss out on such big news.
Although if it were the case, it wouldn’t surprise me with how infatuated he and Aubrey are with one another despite their denial of it.
He turns pale, eyes wide as he glances toward the ice where his players are doing drills. He clears his throat, looks down at the child, then back at me, and laughs nervously. “Not my kid.”
“So, now you’re not only a coach but also a part-time nanny?” I smile as I look down at the girl and let her grab hold of my fingers. “Hi, sweetie. Where are your parents?”
“Her dad doesn’t always have someone to watch her, so he brings little Gracie here, and we take turns. I’m on babysitting duty today,” Shane informs me as I play with her.
Ah, so this is the famous Gracie. Now I feel like shit for immediately jumping to conclusions and thinking some bitch had taken my spot. Although I am curious as to whose baby this is. I’m guessing Aubrey must babysit once in a while for the dad, since the girls assumed she had her today.
Shane looks at the ice, and I can tell he’s being held back from doing his job properly because of the baby. “Do you want me to take her while you guys finish up here?” I offer.
He regards me with uncertain eyes, hesitation in them.
I get it. Even though he’s their coach, Shane is almost the same age as Silas Hayes, Cecilia’s husband, and Clay Burkley, Morgan's husband.
He knows everything that goes on and probably noticed my absence from the group over the last few months.
“Are you sure? We still have about an hour before I can let them go home.”
“Of course. I was planning on staying for a little while.” Not exactly true, but now that I know no one has taken my spot, I guess I can stick around a little longer.
“Besides, it’s not like I have anything better to do, plus it’ll be nice to spend some time with this lovely little lady. ” I smile at her at the same time.
He studies me for a beat, then nods. “Okay. Yeah, sure. That would be really helpful. Thank you.” He begins to unclip the straps of the carrier so that I can remove her from the harness.
“Her stroller is right there if you want to walk around or put her down. And the diaper bag is underneath with everything she may need. There are also little toys for her in the basket.” He points to where everything is as I take little Gracie between my hands and hold her up.
“Hi, Miss Gracie. Well, aren’t you just the most precious Little Tulip I’ve ever seen!
” I bring her nose to mine and rub them together, the action instantly making her giggle.
I plop her on my hip with an arm wrapped around her back securely, and she immediately grabs onto my damp red locks and starts to pull on them.
Shane smiles at the little girl before talking again. “There’s a bottle in the front pocket of her diaper bag that I just heated up. But if you need more, there’s some in the mini fridge in my office. You can help yourself, and if you need a quieter place to settle her down, you can stay in there.”
He seems nervous with the idea of leaving me with Gracie. I try to ease his worry by placing my hand on his forearm. “I’ll be fine, I promise. If I’m not sure of something or need help, I’ll come see you right away. You have nothing to worry about.”
That seems to make the concern from his features lift a bit. “Okay. Thank you again.”
“No need to thank me.” I smile, then turn toward the stroller as I babble along with Gracie.