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#Chapter 17 One Little Slip
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Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 18 Awkward
I heard Rebecca talking with one of Arthur’s dog walkers.“I can’t believe she actually finished putting that makeup on him,” the dog walker, John, said so loudly that I was obviously meant to hear it.“What was she going to do? She was running out of time.” Rebecca’s mocking tone cut me to my core.“It’s just so hideous. She shouldn’t have even kept it in rotation.”“We all make mistakes. None usually so big, mind you…”The two share a laugh. My first clenches as I resist the urge to punch them both.“I doubt that even Arthur’s favorite will get away with this one,” Rebecca continued.I should have known that they hated me for how gentle Arthur was with me, especially when the rest of them had been working for him for so much longer. It wasn’t my fault that I had made friends with my boss. Still, even I doubted that this seeming favoritism would get me out of trouble this time.“That’s enough.”I turned to see Arthur step out from behind the folding room divider. I died a little insi
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 19 Crazed and Confused
I couldn’t believe I had heard him right at first. “What about who pretending to be my what?” I asked.“Me. Pretending to be your boyfriend. Do you need me to?” That time, I knew I had heard him right. “No, I don’t think so.” Arthur’s smile faltered, but it never disappeared. “Are you sure? With this whole Barnett and Julia situation, I figured that a fake boyfriend would be the perfect cover to throw the paparazzi and Julia’s crazy fans off your scent.” “That’s really sweet, but I couldn’t impose on you like that.” “Of course not. You’re too considerate to impose on anyone.” He took my hand in both of his and ran his thumb along the top of it. Heat flooded my cheeks. His smile seemed to grow wider. “I…It’s getting late, don’t you think?” Arthur didn’t answer. Instead, he merely called the waitress over and paid the check. I hoped that would be the last time we would mention the subject.•* * I ha
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 20 Lily the Spy
Now I knew Lily was just being delusional. I shook my head. “No, that’s not possible.” I was well aware of the ever-growing gap between me and socialites like Barnett and Julia. There was no way that Barnett would be interested in some upper-middle-class-if-her-divorce-settlement-paid-off worker like me. Not old money like him. There was the fact that Barnett and I might have had the same dream, but that didn’t mean anything. Honestly, I didn’t even know what his dream was about. It might not have even been the same as mine.Everyone was right. There was too much of a gap between us—age-wise, financially, and socially. “You don’t know him too well.” Lily smirked. “He never wastes a second on useless people.” “It’s probably because I brought him trouble.” I took a drink of my flavored water and shrugged. “I’m sorry, really.” “Trust me, sweetheart, you wouldn’t even have the chance to bring him trouble without his permission.” Lily
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 21 Justice
Inside the office, Julia appeared ready to pounce with her assistants barely restraining her, if they were even trying. Barnett, meanwhile, made certain to keep his desk firmly between him and his crazy ex. His eyes darted to a nearby corner, where a hulking figure stood in waiting.“Jack, can you please diffuse the situation?” Barnett asked, motioning towards Julia and her two assistants. Barnett’s bodyguard stepped forward, gently took Julia’s arm in one hand, and more forcefully grabbed the arms of her assistants with the other. “You can’t do this!” Julia exclaimed, trying to wrench her arm out of Jack’s grip. “Yes, I can.” Barnett turned on the web camera perched on top of his PC and directed it at Julia. He then stepped in front of the desk, in view of the camera. “I am sick of your games. You are nothing but a user and a witch. You only care about what I can do for you, not about me as a person. “You know what else? You haven’t gi
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 22 A Chance Encounter
“Yes, Ms. Leonard, sixty million.” Thompson sounded as elated as though he had earned the money for himself. “That’s…that’s amazing.” “So, if you don’t mind me asking, what are you going to do with your newfound wealth?” What was I going to do with all that money? I didn’t have much time left, and I didn’t thirst for the extravagances that many others seemed to. Then it hit me. “Well, after I pay my fabulous lawyer—” it never hurt to butter up the people who actually helped you— “then I was thinking about donating two-thirds of it, probably to an orphanage.” “You’re going to donate forty million dollars?” I thought he was going to choke on that sentence. “Of course. There are so many people out there who have it far worse than I do. Why not help them out when I can?” “Well, certainly. It’s just…that’s a lot of money…” I knew that Thompson would be surprised by my decision and even have a hard time swallowing it.
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 23 Glowing Up
I couldn’t stop thinking about the encounter with Barnett for days. The only things that could distract me were my job and my workouts, both of which I happily threw myself into. I just thanked God that Barnett did not show up to “coach” my workouts during that time. Even without needing the distraction, being a stylist and recording my workout vlogs were only adding to the newfound joy I had in life. Yes, the schedule was hectic and a bit stressful, but it was a good kind of stress—the kind that kept me on my toes, rather than kept me retching from stomach pain. My body fat had dropped to 23%, and I could see the results in my reflection. I was not just getting healthier; I was sexier than ever, too. I had managed to keep my plump, round ass, but my waist had started to shrink. The fat around my arms, legs, and neck had begun to disappear as well. My breasts were a little smaller—enough to not give me back pain—but still big and firm enough to catch anyone’s
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 24 Moving On
“I can’t believe he touched you,” Lily said when I told her about the incident with John.We were having another ladies’ night. I was trying out a new gluten-free recipe, this time cookies with dark chocolate chips. Lily devoured them almost as quickly as the brownies.“I still can’t believe he tried it at work,” I admitted as I set another plate of cookies and a bowl of popcorn on the dining room table. “I’m no stranger to pigs, but that was just…above and beyond.”“It just shows you that there are no limits to how disgusting some people can be.”Lily stared at the cookies longingly before forcing herself to grab a handful of popcorn. She’d had three cookies already, so I was glad I didn’t have to cut her off just yet.“At least Arthur fired him,” I said. “He’s turning out to be a great boss.”Lily grinned. “So, you’d say that you owe me one?”I arched a brow at her. “I don’t like it when you say that.”She stuck her tongue out at me but didn’t say anything.After a minute of silence
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 25 Guess Who
HockeyDude12 and I talked straight through the night and into the early hours of the morning. I didn’t even get to bed until four o’clock. Lily made certain to berate me for waking her up so early.For the next week, HockeyDude12 and I conversed every day. We talked about everything—our hopes, our dreams, our fears. I had never had such deep conversations with a man before, not even Bob.I told him about my divorce and my pledge to donate forty million dollars of my divorce settlement to an orphanage. He didn’t ask me why. He just said that it was the most noble thing he had ever heard.He told me about coaching children in hockey, many years ago. I asked him if he played hockey or coached anymore, but he said that chapter of his life was behind him. He coached someone at a gym, he said, but left it at that.I told him about the sexual harassment at work. He took a long time to reply, long enough that I thought he would be mad at me for it happening. When his reply finally came throug
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Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 80: The Hat Trick
9 years later… I sat down in the first row, my coffee cup balanced in my hands. The rink was cold, and I was bundled up in a sweater and a winter coat. Beside me, Lily sat with my daughter on her lap. Winnie was just three years old, and she was already asleep on Lily’s shoulder, the hood of her pink parka pulled up over her head. The sight of them together warmed my heart.“Damn, she’s getting heavy,” Lily said.I smiled. “I know. They grow up fast.”She nodded. Lily didn’t have kids, and I didn’t think she ever wanted to. She was happy being Cool Aunt Lily, and I thought that was amazing. She still traveled all over the world, bringing exotic gifts back for her niece and nephews.“She asks about you all the time now,” I said. “She calls you ‘wi-wy.’”“Adorbs.” Lily hugged her closer. “We’re going to be besties when she’s older.”“For sure.”“Scratch that. We’re already besties.”The first period was about to start, and I sat up straighter. Both teams were on their benches. I could
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 79: Journey's End
“I’m the father,” he repeated.I nodded. “That’s why I was trying to find you. I wanted to tell you, but after what Julia said, I thought you never wanted to see me again. If not for Lily, I would have continued to think that. Still, I’m sorry you’re only finding out now.”A sad look crossed his face, and he put his head in his hands. “God, I’m sorry.”I stood up and walked around the desk. His muscles tensed, but he didn’t look up as I ran my hands over his shoulders. “You’re here now,” I said.“I should’ve been with you the whole time.”He swiveled around in his chair and hugged me, his face resting lightly against my stomach. I ran a hand through his soft blond hair. “I’m so sorry,” he said. He looked up at me and gave me a wide smile. My heart skipped a beat. “I’m really happy, Anna.”“You are?”“You have no idea.” He still hadn’t let go of me, but I didn’t want him to. I never wanted him to. If I could have stayed in his arms forever, I would have.“I’m happy too,” I said, tears
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 78: The Father
Barnett gestured for me to sit down, and I took one of the plush armchairs across from his desk.“Can I get you anything?” he asked. “Water or something?”I shook my head. “No, I’m alright.”He nodded and sat down in his leather chair. “Either Lily is clairvoyant, or she convinced you to come here,” he said after a moment of awkward silence.“She’s adamant that we talk.”He just nodded again.Another long stretch of silence ensued as I searched for something to say.“You look great,” he said. I wasn’t used to this awkwardness between us. It seemed to squeeze at my throat, preventing the words from rising. So much time had passed, and he felt both familiar to me and completely a stranger.“I heard about your father,” I answered, ignoring his compliment completely. That felt like dangerous territory. “I’m sorry he was sick. Is he doing better now?”“He is,” he said. “It was tough going for a while, but he’s doing a lot better now. Good enough to kick me out, anyway.”“He sounds like a c
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 77: Lovers Meeting
“Barnett, open up!” Lily called.Barnett sighed and got out of bed. It was still early in the morning, early enough that he wanted to yell at her through the door and tell her to go away. He hardly slept as it was. The last thing he needed was an early morning wake-up call.He pulled on his robe and stomped over to the door.“Barnett!” she called again.He yanked open the door and scowled down at her. “Do you know what time it is?”She smirked and shoved past him into his apartment. At least she had two coffee cups with her. She handed him one and he took a sip. It was still hot, and it burned his tongue.“It’s a beautiful day,” she said.“Is it?”He sank down onto his couch and pulled his robe tighter around him. Lily didn’t sit down, she just started pacing back and forth in front of him. He was much too tired to deal with all her energy. Lily wasn’t much of a morning person either, but today she was clearly on something.“Did you sleep at all last night?”“Like a baby,” she said, h
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 76: Setting Things Straight
I’d been home for nearly a month, and people were still talking about my ‘relationship’ with Arthur. It was really starting to drive me crazy. To the point where I knew I’d have to set the story straight if I ever wanted the rumors and speculation to stop.The nursery was mostly finished now, and the rest of the rooms were looking better, too. I had my office set up with a desk and some of my filming equipment. I planned to use it mostly for behind-the-scenes stuff, but it would work if I needed to film a quick video like I did now.I decided to just film a sit-down video. I’d been filming my vlogs at the gym in my building, and while that was going well, I’d avoided addressing everything with Arthur.I knew people were still talking about it because the comments on my videos were mostly about our relationship. People wanted to know why we weren’t traveling together more. If we were going to get married. What we planned to name the babies.Everyone seemed convinced that they were his,
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 75: The Nursery
I wiped my hand across my cheek, realizing at the last second that I had blue paint on my fingers. I rushed over to the bathroom and laughed when I caught sight of myself in the mirror. There was pale blue paint smeared across my cheek, dotted across my white t-shirt. There was even a bit of paint at the ends of my hair that I would probably have to cut off.Deciding to decorate the nursery myself might have been a bad idea, but I couldn’t deny I was having a lot of fun. As much as I was making a mess, it felt meaningful to do it myself. To pour all my love and hope into that one little room.The cribs were arriving in a couple of days, and I already have a tall, white dresser to put in there for all the baby clothes. I bought a changing table from a lady online and it was already up and waiting in my new office. There were still quite a few things I needed before the babies were born, but I was finally on track.After arriving home, I decided that the first thing I needed to do was f
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 74: Unhealthy Obsessions
He couldn’t stop looking at the pictures. He knew he needed to, but Barnett couldn’t turn away. They were all over the internet. Everywhere he went, the photos and videos of them taunted him. They were holding hands on a sailboat. Sitting together on a rock, their faces red from their hike. Having dinner beneath the stars in some far-off place with just trees and mountains for miles, looking far more intimate than Barnett would have liked.One headline caught his eye as he scrolled, and he sucked in a breath.PREGNANT FITNESS INFLUENCER ANNA LEONARD TRAVELS WITH FAMOUS BOYFRIEND ARTHUR STARDUSTHe finally forced himself to put down his phone. Agonizing over it wasn’t helping him. Anna was happy without him. He just had to accept that somehow and move on, even if it seemed like an impossible thing to do. She was clearly in love with Arthur.Just as he placed his phone down on his desk, it rang.He picked it up without checking the Caller ID, half-convinced it was Anna calling. That he’
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 73: Miscommunications
Lily found Barnett at his apartment. She had to knock a few times before he finally came to the door, a slight scowl on his face.“So, you’re back,” she said.He stepped aside to let her in. She closed the apartment door behind her and trailed him into the room. “How was Egypt?”“It was fine. Saw the pyramids.” He looked interested, but she wasn’t there to talk about Egypt. “Have you been online recently?”
Hockey Billionaire's Hat Trick #Chapter 72: Anna’s Letter
I stopped in front of the mirror and pulled up my shirt. A few months of filming later, and I was really starting to show. I kept having to buy new clothes as my size changed. Those jeans I worked so hard to fit into didn’t even make it past my thighs now.I dropped my shirt and looked over my outfit. I had on a pair of workout leggings, sneakers, and a form-fitting pullover that showed off my protruding belly. Arthur and I were hiking today for our segment. My hair was up in a high ponytail, and I had some natural makeup on. Without it, I had dark circles under my eyes from all the early morning shoots.
