“Oh my gosh, you're Enzo Rivers’ wife!” one of them exclaimed. The other girl’s gaze darted between Lori, Jessica, and me, her excitement morphing into mischief. “Wait, were you guys talking about a baby? Is there going to be a little hockey star on the way?” My heart raced, panic setting in. Th
All around me, the stadium echoed with the intensity of the last few minutes of the game. The players moved at a frenetic pace, each moment on the rink more nail-biting than the last. Enzo’s team was a goal down, but I knew better than to lose hope, especially with Enzo’s uncanny ability to pull s
There was a mix of cheers and murmurs, but eventually, the stadium’s atmosphere shifted to congratulate and support Matt, who looked both humbled and elated. Lori and Jessica looked at me, their expressions a mix of shock and sympathy. “Did you know he was going to say that?” Jessica whispered.
The cold, sharp bite of the ice-rink’s air faded as the sounds of the crowd grew deafening. Making my way down toward the rink, I felt the surge of warmth wrap around me long before I realized it was Enzo, embracing me tightly amidst the throng. His uniform, still damp with sweat, clung to him but
“We did good,” Enzo corrected with a grin. As Matt and Enzo chatted about their final victory together, I glanced over, distracted from the festivities, and my gaze settled on a familiar figure. Luke stood by himself, leaning against the dimly lit wall. His posture, though relaxed, belied the conc
Nina The bathroom door swung closed behind me with a resounding thud, its finality echoing through the tight space. I looked at Lori and Jessica, who stared back at me with an intense scrutiny in their eyes. “Alright, alright, go ahead,” I groaned, leaning against the bathroom sink and folding m
“But would that really be what you want?” Jessica asked, her tone cautious. “A secret abortion? It’s a huge decision, Nina. One that you’d have to live with forever.” “Look,” I snapped, feeling cornered. “I don’t even know for sure if I’m pregnant yet. So there’s no point in having this conversati
Nina The night air had grown chilly by the time Enzo and I arrived at home. I put our pickup truck in park in the driveway and glanced over at Enzo, whose cheeks were red from one last drink at the bar with his teammates. “Your cheeks are rosy,” I teased, nudging him with my elbow. Enzo grinne
Nina The warm summer breeze brushed across my skin as I stood on the patio, clutching my robe tightly around my body. Laughter and splashes echoed up from the pool below, where our friends were already gathered for our big end-of-summer party. I should have been down there too, soaking up the ve
“What... what do you mean?” He braced his hands on the doorframe, leaning in closer with a heavy sigh. “I mean, by the time I caught up to them this morning, I only saw them long enough to get that photo before they were boarding a speedboat and taking off. Hell, I’m still not even totally sure wh
Nina My breath caught in my throat as I pulled open the front door expecting to see excited party guests, only to be immediately met with the sight of Luke’s grim expression. His brow was furrowed in a deep frown, his lips pressed into a tight line—clear signs that something was very wrong. “Luk
Nina I huffed out a breath as I hoisted the oversized cardboard box higher in my arms, carefully navigating my way through the living room. Strings of fairy lights poked out haphazardly from the top, and I could feel the weight of glass jars and other assorted decor inside shifting precariously wi
Then, at the last possible second, the scout seemed to find an extra burst of speed. He surged forward, hurtling between two towering oak trees and vanishing into the cover of the forest beyond. “Dammit!” I slammed my palms against the rough bark of the nearest trunk, powerless to do anything but
Enzo The crunch of leaves and snap of twigs echoed through the trees as Matt and I tore after the Schreiber scout. Our breaths came in ragged gasps, the hot summer air burning our lungs. Overhead, a little red bird chirped and flitted through the green canopy of trees; Daphne. But even she wasn’
Shaking my head, I turned without another word and stormed out of the fitting room. I took the two strides across the hall to Jessica’s fitting room and knocked on the door, folding my arms across my chest. “Jess? You in there?” There was a muffled thump in the fitting room, followed by the soun
Nina “How’s it looking in there?” I called out, rapping lightly on the wooden door of Jessica’s fitting room. “Um… decent, I guess?” her muffled voice floated back a moment later, although I could sense the uncertainty in her tone. “Decent? That’s it? Come on, Jess, this is your wedding gown w
Had I really known him at all, I wondered? Or had I merely been too self-absorbed and naive to see past the facade of unshakable command he projected? After a long silence, I found my voice. “Why didn’t he ever tell me that?” “He didn’t want you to see his weakness, I suppose,” Angelica replied