Page 28

Even during moments of success on the ice, he wears a mask of irritation. I score a goal. He wants another. We win a game. He’s prepping for the next one. The only person who brings a huge smile to his face is Aurora, and my heart surges with hope.
Then, his gaze fixates on the caller ID, and the scowl returns, deepening the furrow between his brows. He signals for me to keep my mouth shut, sets the phone on his desk, and puts the call on speaker.
“Ricky,” he says, as curt as ever.
Now I understand Ethan’s abrupt mood shift and my need to stay quiet. Aurora’s bodyguard is one more person who hates me.
“You busy?”
Ricky’s urgent tone grabs my attention, and I lean closer.
“No.” Ethan adjusts the knot of his tie, loosening it from around his neck. “Everything okay?”
“She’s sick and in a panic about not being at work.”
Ethan’s sharp gaze meets mine. “Sick how?”
“Throwing up and running a fever. I found her passed out on the bathroom floor.”
My shoulders stiffen, and my heart thumps wildly. “I’ll go,” I insist on a whisper.
If she’s not well, one of us needs to be there. She loved me through my addiction, withdrawals, and countless hangovers. It’s time I step up and care for her.
“Make sure she stays in bed.” Ethan puts his finger to his lips to silence me. “Put her on the phone.”
Ragged breaths fill the line, and I rake my fingers through my hair, tugging on the strands. She’s having a panic attack.
“Baby, you need me to come get you?”
A shaky exhale, and, “No.”
My throat constricts. Fuck, I’d give anything to be there, to wrap her in my arms.
“What’s the matter, love?”
“A…bad day.”
Her voice cracks, and it takes everything in me not to grab the phone. Only the fear of her hanging up holds me back.
“Just breathe for me.” A few inhales and some sniffles. “Good girl. Tell me what’s going on.”
Her reply comes out in a burst of sobs. “I’m sick and missing a photo shoot. I can’t?—”
“Yes, you can,” he soothes in a low rumble. “And if you’re sick and not resting, I’m a five-hour flight from bringing you home.”
“My contract?—”
“Don’t care.” He shakes his head, although she can’t see him. “Nothing is more important than you and the baby.”
I nod in agreement. At least we’re on the same page there.
His voice softens. “How about I send you someone?”
There’s a long pause, and I suspect she knows he means me. “Who? Emily?” Bitterness and sarcasm lace her tone, but there’s also a tinge of interest.
Ethan must pick up on it too. “Will that help?”
“A lot more than who you’re thinking.”