HAVEN I had resented Benjamin Evans for many things over the years, but the feeling of dread that now bubbled in my gut when I drove to work was the cherry on top. This job was finally something I had outside of my home that I had worked hard for, and that made me happy, and he made me not want t
HAVEN “That’s not possible,” I said, shaking my head back and forth. This room was too small for us to hash this out now. I felt like I couldn’t breathe with Ben so close, and his body heat made me uncomfortably warm. “Look at me, Haven,” Ben demanded, and I ripped my eyes away from the stack o
BEN My heart twisted in my chest. After seeing her picture, I knew in my gut that Siri was mine, but Haven had lied so many times that even hearing what I had wanted to hear, I wasn’t sure I could believe it. “There wasn’t anyone else?” I repeated. If there wasn’t anyone else, then Haven hadn’t
BEN My hands were sweaty, and a chill went through me. I couldn’t trust anyone. Not my parents, staff, or even Haven after her repeated lies over the past week. If she had told the truth this time, I would be in serious trouble. My staff had access to everything that controlled my life. I wou
HAVEN “Hey, have you guys seen my…” Calum said as he trailed behind the security guard who stormed past us, but he stopped in our way when he saw my face. “You’re crying?” “Not now, Calum.” He ignored her, but I didn’t want to discuss this with him. We were just co-workers, not friends. He fli
BEN I wasn’t sure when I decided to return to the city. Still, I found myself pulling up to Alex’s house five hours later, my back irritated from being in the car for so long, and only one text from the manager of the rehab center checking in and asking if they could get me anything since I missed
BEN Bailee gently hit his arm with the back of her hand as she walked by him to a cabinet to grab a glass, and I laughed. “It was a week ago. Where is Brinley?” I asked, looking around for my adorable niece. She would probably love to hear my news with them. “She said she had to go find her train.
HAVEN The second I walked into the break room the next day, Bonnie and Calum jumped from their seats, asking if I was okay. Suzie had sent me home yesterday for the rest of the day unpaid, and while I wasn’t expecting my badge to work this morning, it did. “How are you?” Bonnie asked, and I shr
HAVEN “Mommy,” Siri said, pulling her headphones off and letting them and her tablet fall to the floor as she looked around the room at all the strange faces. Her arms wrapped tighter around Ben, and I looked around the room, too, seeing how she could be scared. “This is not a conversation that
HAVEN “I worked for Ben for years, but in reality, I worked for your entire team,” I said, and Coach Dawson’s face tightened. “I did everything ever asked of me, regardless of who asked from your team, the cost, or the time it would take. Your wife’s bake sale, when over half of the team wives and
HAVEN “That was years ago, and it wasn’t like I was being reckless and having a fling with some random employee!” Ben yelled, and my breathing became faster. “I loved her! I was planning on marrying her as soon as she agreed! People wouldn’t care about us sleeping together if we had gotten married
BEN Coach Dawson’s unwavering glare made me uneasy as I sat across from him in his polished, oversized office. His desk was far larger than needed for a man who spends most of his time in a conference room with the other coaches discussing strategy, in the film room, the gym, or by the rink. He
BEN Seeing Siri and Haven sitting in my kitchen, eating the food I made for them, filled me with so much happiness that I would remember this exact moment forever. We then spent the next few hours building Siri’s furniture together. I hadn’t expected Siri to want to be involved, but she sat in my
BEN “How long will you be staying?” Bailee asked as she sat at the dining room table, her feet on the chair next to her. It was nice to see Ben fussing over her, refilling her water, and putting a pillow behind her back, but it also made me sad that I never got that with Ben. Max had been incred
HAVEN I was nervous about seeing Bailee again after so many years. I had hated her when I worked for Ben because she had always blown him off. Now that I knew it was because her abusive ex-husband had been isolating her, I felt guilty that I had hated her so much, but I didn’t know how to interac
HAVEN I was nervous about seeing Bailee again after so many years. I had hated her when I worked for Ben because she had always blown him off. Now that I knew it was because her abusive ex-husband had been isolating her, I felt guilty that I had hated her so much, but I didn’t know how to interac
BEN There was a knock on the front door the next morning, and I quickly pulled up the security cameras to see Bailee there with her hand on her stomach and a pained look on her face. It didn’t take me more than two seconds to cross the house from the kitchen to the front door, wiping my hands on