Book Read Free

Baby Daddies: Puck Buddies Series

Page 14

by Tara Brown


  “But if there was a chance.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Well, I’m glad we met and that we’ll be pregnant together. We can do yoga and classes and all the things pregnant people do.”

  “There’s classes?” I ask, making her giggle again.

  She hugs me. “I think so.”

  “I’m sorry I missed your wedding.”

  “Honestly, I missed my wedding. It was all so much. But there’s videos and pictures, so we can sit with some cake and watch it later.”

  “You mean since we’ll be sober and all those assholes are going to be drunk?”

  “Except Liz. She’s further along, four months.”

  “There you are!” Sami bursts into the bathroom, interrupting us. “Okay, so I’m kinda mad that Jenny knew before me. No offense, Jenny.”

  “None taken.”

  “But I get it.” Sami’s got an agitated vibe about her, which makes me wonder if she’s nervous apologizing to Nat. “Matt explained it to me. You wanted the wedding door to close before you opened the baby door. And you didn’t want me to freak out.”

  “I had a plan on how I’d tell you,” Nat says as she wraps her arms around Sami and sighs. “But as usual, my mom had to go and mess things up.”

  “She has a knack for that. And Jenny,” Sami’s eyes dart to mine, “I’m grateful you took the blame for the test, even if it messed things up for you. You have no idea how much you saved that entire wedding.”

  “No problem.”

  “How bad was Lori?” she asks the one question I don’t want to answer. Apparently, my expression says the words for me. She stares for a second before nodding slowly. “Men are shit. Matt was an asshat about it too. And obviously it went well with Brady.” She glances at Nat who rolls her eyes.

  “I love that they think it’s some kind of plot against them,” Nat scoffs. “Like I did this to his career and his goals and his timeline.”

  “Oh, Brady,” Sami whispers with an exhale.

  As if on cue Brady shouts, “Banks!” His voice rings through the room.

  We all freeze, eyes wide and breath held.

  “You can’t stay mad forever!” he barks.

  Her eyes narrow and Sami slips her hand into mine, pulling me to the door and past him as Nat shouts.

  “Yes, yes I can. You’re being a dick. A selfish dick—”

  “You sprung it on me!”

  “You think taking the test with Lori and Millie, it wasn’t sprung on me?”

  Sami lets go of my hand and closes the double doors. “I doubt they’re coming to karaoke.”

  “She’s going to murder him.”

  “Yeah, but Lori has people on staff who can get rid of the body.”

  I laugh because it’s something Nat and I might have said minutes ago to make fun of the rich but now there’s a chance Sami’s not joking.

  I’m not sure how I wandered into this world with them, but it’s going to take some getting used to.

  20

  Not my mile high club

  Tuesday, August 1

  Lori

  “Look, I might have to sleep at your house,” Brady mutters as we board the plane.

  “No, dude. You need to grovel like the rest of us. You got married two days ago, this can’t already be a situation.”

  “I’ve groveled. She’s pissed at me for caring about my career more than her and the baby.”

  I stop on the stairs and look at him. “She’s wrong though, right? You don’t care more about hockey than the girl of your dreams?”

  “What?” He furrows his brow. “No. She’s wrong.” His tone and the way he forces his words makes me groan.

  “Go to the bathroom. I’ll meet you there.” I shove him up the stairs and follow him inside the jet. He walks to the bathroom as I pretend to check inside my bag for something. I take a minute before I join him. The two of us squished into the small bathroom is outrageous but we manage.

  “How does joining the mile-high club help me out?” Brady asks, trying to joke but still visibly upset.

  “Just a sec.” I pull out my phone and dial Bev, putting her on speakerphone.

  “What in God’s name could you possibly want now, Lawrence?” she snaps her greeting. “I’m about to get my first taste of beach sex. So this better be important.”

  Brady and I grimace simultaneously but I stay on topic. “It’s not me. It’s Brady.”

  “What is happening right now?” Brady pulls back from the phone. “What are you, Matt?”

  “Shut the hell up, Blowjob. Let me guess, you’re not feeling the news about the baby and you’ve made an ass of yourself and hurt your wife-of-one-day’s feelings?”

  Brady’s jaw drops and I nod.

  “Dude, I get it.” Bev takes a deep sigh. “All you pucks are the same, thinking you’re living some lifelong dream to be part of something legendary and epic. Something only the elite experience. But at the end of the day, one serious head injury. One blown knee. One car accident. One small friggin’ thing and this is gone. Then what? You’re holding your dick, standing alone in your fancy house.”

  “It’s not like that. She just doesn’t understand how big of a deal this is for me. She’s not acknowledging my side of it,” he whispers into the phone. “I’m not ready for a kid.”

  “Wow, okay I guess you need someone to recognize life isn’t fair and that you’re upset. Do you really need us to agree with you that this is crappy timing, and you’re feeling like the less special one in the relationship now? And that bothers you?”

  “No,” Brady mumbles but the obviousness of Bev’s nail on the head is painful.

  “You dipshits are all the same. None of you deserve the women in your lives and yet, here we are. I guess girls really are attracted to big, dumb, and cute.” Bev sounds exasperated. “I know in school they taught you how babies are made. I am being generous saying you’re at least fifty-percent responsible for the baby. Which means if you’re mad at Nat for this happening, you best be equally angry with yourself.”

  “This isn’t helping—”

  “I’m not here to stroke your dick, Brady, and the advice is free. Take it or leave it. But do you think when your daddy died, your momma looked at you and your brother and said I didn’t sign up to be a single mom? This isn’t fair? No, she went to work, got a second job, and busted her ass. And you know what else?—if your pouting and being ridiculous ruins the one real thing in your life over some bullshit sport, you are not the man I assumed you were.” She ends the call and Brady scowls at me.

  “Dude, why?”

  “Because you needed a real talk and Bev’s good at hitting hard below the waist, and her accent makes all those insults hurt more.” I whack him in the nuts as I open the bathroom door. “Now, buck up, Nancy, and go apologize for being a bitch.” I walk from the bathroom and take my seat with Jenny.

  “You okay?” she asks.

  “Yeah.” I lean in and kiss her. The guilt of my response has been highlighted by Brady’s shitty reaction to the news.

  Between him, me, and Matt, we’re zero for three in acting like a gentleman as far as these babies are concerned.

  But Bev’s right.

  There’s no way Sami, Nat, or Jenny got the results of their tests in the moments they did and were excited. Sami was going through the worst experience of her life. Nat was days away from getting married. And Jenny’s whole life was in the toilet.

  I slip my fingers into Jenny’s and lift her hand, kissing the back of it.

  Using the white reflective wall, I watch for Brady in the back of the plane until I see him leave the bathroom. He takes his seat next to Nat. I perk up my ears and listen as he begins his journey into redemption.

  “Banks,” he whispers. “Banks, I’m sorry. You caught me off guard and for a minute I forgot that we’re a team and this isn’t a one-man show. I’m so sorry. I should have been excited.”

  “No, Brady, I never expected you to be excited. I wasn’t
excited. You can ask Lori. I cried in the bathroom for like an hour. I just expected you to shoulder part of the problem with me, not snivel on about how your life’s going to change as if mine isn’t.”

  She is angry and it doesn’t end there.

  “I’m not like you. I’m not selfish and inconsiderate. Do you honestly think I’d expect you to ruin your career over a baby? Loads of players have kids.” She gets up abruptly and walks to the back of the plane.

  I turn and point at him to follow her as Matt says, “And that was your cue to get up and follow her so the fight can be more private.”

  “Fuck me,” Brady grumbles as he stands and heads back to the bathroom, forcing himself in the door.

  There’s yelling we can’t quite understand through the doorway. Her voice is the dominant one and it goes on for a while.

  The yelling slowly quiets and there’s a bang, followed by more bumping and thumping.

  I turn back, getting a smirk from Carson and Matt at the same moment.

  “Are they banging on my plane? I haven’t even—” I start and stop, not sure talking about sex with other people is a smart move.

  But Jenny laughs.

  I turn back to her as we listen to the bathroom banging become louder and more aggressive.

  “Oh my God, you need thicker walls in there!” Sami says, also laughing.

  The mood lightens and everyone starts giggling, everyone but me.

  All I can think is how I’ll explain to the cleaners that I need special attention paid in the bathroom while not looking like a pervert.

  There’s no world in which they won’t think it’s me.

  21

  The end of summer camp

  Jenny

  Leaving Martha’s was depressing. I loved being so close to the beach. It was like stepping out of time and reality. A vacation from this situation.

  Landing back in New York makes everything real again.

  That feeling is intensified by all the guys being upset. Brady and Lori hug for a weird amount of time. Matt joins it. Eventually, Carson is in there and the four of them say goodbye as if this is the end of summer camp. The end of something magical and juvenile that they will never get back. And I don’t know why, but it breaks my heart to see. Maybe because I feel partly responsible.

  They smoosh kisses into each other’s cheeks and hit one another. Nat offers me an eye roll as Sami barks, “Matt! My mom has Eli down for a nap, if we hurry we can nap too.” She starts walking to their limo where Charles is standing. I wave and he waves back.

  Rich joins the embrace and somehow manages to smuggle Carson from it, dragging him to another limo with a driver I don’t know standing next to it. Carson shouts something and earns a middle finger from Lori and Brady.

  The boys break up their huddle and separate, each walking in the direction of us girls. Brady scoops Nat up and kisses her as he fishes the keys to his SUV from his pocket. She giggles and I smile as Lori gets the door for me.

  Before I can get in, he pins me to the frame and kisses me once, inhaling the way he does. It’s not a passionate kiss. It’s more like those first couple of seconds on the therapist’s couch where you try to gather your thoughts and prepare to unload.

  “Let’s go home,” he mutters against my cheek and kisses once more.

  “Okay.” I nod and climb into the car. He waves and shouts something I can’t fully hear before he gets in and sits for a minute, staring at the parking lot.

  There’s a slight decompression that happens in the silence. My mind is stuck on the baby I don’t know how to cope with. I notice a lingering amount of guilt, almost as if I believe I am trapping him. It’s uncomfortable but I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve done this to him. I’m ruining his life.

  He sighs but his words surprise me, “That was a crazy awesome wedding.” He turns to me and smiles but it’s not the grin. There’s too much emotion for him to be cocky or funny. His eyes flicker from my face to my belly and he swallows a lump in his throat. “Are you seriously going to sleep in the guest room?”

  “Do you want me—”

  “No.” His answer is breathy, almost a whisper. It takes me too long to realize what this is. It’s the end of the wedding. I promised him we’d talk about me leaving. I assume he’s scared and avoiding the conversation but also wants the closure of knowing.

  My eyes lower to my stomach. It’s insane that I’ve leased the space to someone else and now the decisions I make affect all three of us. “You don’t have to worry. I’ve already turned down the job in Van. I’ll stay in New York and find a job and an apartment, and we can figure this out. Because even if we don’t work as a couple, we should be close by to co-parent.”

  He exhales deeply, his hands do that flexing thing. “But you’ll stay with me for now?” He sounds hopeful.

  “If that’s okay.”

  “More than okay.” He reaches over and takes my hand in his, swallowing it up. His is clammy and heavy suggesting the nerves have him sweating now too. I can relate. “I’ll have your movers put your stuff in my storage for now.”

  “Did you already email them?” I arch an eyebrow. “Is that why they canceled?”

  “What?” He does that high-pitched, super guilty tone he and Brady have mastered. The cocky grin joins the conversation. “That would be presumptuous of me.” He starts the car. “Anyway, we can figure out your stuff at a later date.”

  “When I move into my own place after I have a job.” I laugh at his presumptuousness.

  “Not to be a downer, but do you think anyone’s going to hire you pregnant?” He glances at me as he slowly pulls out of the parking lot.

  His words sink in and I bite my lip. “Stan will.”

  “You’re not working for Stan again,” he says it as if he has a choice in the matter.

  “You don’t get to tell me who I can work for.” I laugh but the statement is a serious one.

  He laughs too but it’s throaty, almost a growl. He revs the engine and pulls out onto the street, driving too fast and making me grip the seat. “You would take that job back?”

  “Not the NHL part of it. But the company is massive. I could work anywhere there, and Sukii said Stan is basically waiting for me to come and ask for my job.”

  “After everything he said and did?” He sounds disgusted.

  “It’s an option and like you said, who’s going to hire me pregnant?” I shrug, hoping he’ll let the conversation die.

  He does but the results are unpleasant. He’s quiet and annoyed, his driving reflects it. When we pull into his parking spot at the Plaza, he gets out abruptly and grabs our bags. I climb out with a sigh.

  “Lori, why are you being grumpy about it? We both know I need a job.” I point out, following him to the door that leads to the service entrance.

  “Because it’s insane to me that you are so stubborn and independent, you would take that soul-sucking job back, rather than let me take care of you. You would risk this, us, for a job you don’t even like.” He drops the bags and I regret everything.

  “No, that’s not what I said.” I put my purse next to the bags and walk to him, standing on my tiptoes so I can hold his face and force him to look at me. “I said it’s an option. I would work there under strict and clear conditions. Nothing would come between us. No more Liams or NHL contract or any of those things that might put us in a compromising spot.”

  “You hated that job.”

  “No, I hated making up lies to cover for bad people. And honestly, I didn’t even hate that part of it until it came back to bite me in the ass. I didn’t mind the marketing spins. And nothing will come between us. If I can’t find a job and have to let you be my sugar daddy for a while, then I guess that’s what I have to do.” The words taste like ash and death but I say them for him. I sacrifice my pride and self-respect.

  He loses the battle and smiles, though the fierce look remains in his eyes. He fights whatever shitty comment is brewing in his mind and takes the wi
n with a kiss on my forehead.

  “Let’s go before someone takes a picture of us. You’re a liability.” I grab my purse and bag, but he takes the bag from my hand and picks up his. “I can lift bags.”

  “Mmhmm.” He opens the door and holds it for me.

  “I can open doors too.”

  “You’re a one-woman show of amazing feats.” He mocks me as he scans the card for the elevator.

  “And you’re a crabby dick who’s sad because his band broke up.” I step in front of him. “You, Carson, Rich, Bev, Brady, Matt, Cap, and Mike have had these amazing couple of months for the weddings and now it’s over. Matt and Brady are going on honeymoons. Bev’s with Geoff. Mike has to go back to Florida. And you’re pissy.”

  I stand on my tiptoes again and kiss his lips delicately.

  The elevator opens and I walk in, offering him a sexy but defiant smirk. “But if you wanna blow off some of those feelings, I can help.”

  His eyes widen and he rushes me, dropping the bags on the floor of the elevator. His hands are rough, digging in fiercely as he lifts me into the air, resting my butt on the railing at the back of the mirrored wall.

  All my elevator fantasies come true in a whirlwind of violent delights.

  He reaches between my legs and pulls my underwear down as I fumble with his shorts, undoing the belt and zipper. Our kisses are savage, as fingers cling and his body enters mine. I gasp, never quite ready for the size of him. But he’s impatient and fired up. He thrusts with all the emotion he’s wrestling with. It’s pent up and he doesn’t know how to cope with it. He uses it. He fucks me against the wall, fingers digging in, teeth biting down, cock pummeling. It is everything I imagined an elevator would be, violent and rushed and explosive. My legs wrap around him, my skirt is up around my waist as the railing cuts into my ass and his fingers grip so tight, I’ll have bruises.

  But the pain and the pleasure join, driving me to the brink of insanity.

  Each thrust draws a moan from my lips until I’m the one moving him as I need. The pleasure hits hard and fast, it’s too much. I’m barely clinging to him and the wall as I orgasm, crying out in overwhelming pleasure.

 

‹ Prev