Page 16 of Make Your Save (Aston Archers Hockey #3)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
HADLEY
S tanding in the doorway of my apartment, I give it one last glance, making sure that I’ve collected all of my belongings. Thankfully, I rented one that was fully furnished, so I only have a few boxes of things, along with a back seat full of clothing and shoes. Rowan already left with my boxes and left me to finish up.
It’s another bittersweet moment where I’m closing another chapter to move on to the next. This little apartment wasn’t much, but it served its purpose. It was comfortable and cozy and was my own space. Now I’m moving into Rowan’s and I’m not sure how I feel about it.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t still mad at him. I can’t believe he actually told his lawyer that he has a fiancée. That I am his fiancée. I understand why he panicked and why he said it, but Jesus Christ. What a situation he’s put me in now...
And now I’m moving into his home to really try and save face.
This is all just temporary and in a few months, all of this will be in my rearview mirror. I do like Rowan. I enjoy his company and he’s highly entertaining, not to mention his daughter is the sweetest little girl. I’ve grown quite fond of the two of them, so my feelings of irritation are a bit conflicting.
I want to stay and I want to help him, but I also know I can’t overstay my welcome.
We can get through the rest of the hockey season and then Rowan will have the time to figure out what comes next for him and his daughter...and I’ll be on a plane to the other side of the country.
After locking the door and loading the rest of my belongings in my car, I make my way over to Rowan’s. He’s standing in the garage with Lucy strapped to the front of his body in a baby carrier. When I told him we needed to get one, he looked at me as if I had two heads. Seems like maybe he’s come around to the ease of having your hands free while wearing it instead.
“Hey you,” Rowan greets me with a smile on his face as he plants his hands on his hips. “So, I’m not sure if you want me to take these things all up to your room or what you’d like to do. We can keep the boxes of things you don’t want to unpack in the garage.” He pauses, shrugging with indifference. “Or, if you do want them all open, we can find somewhere for everything to go.”
I stare at him for a moment, a little shocked by what he’s saying. “I don’t need everything in the boxes,” I tell him, shaking my head at the idea of me taking over his entire house with my own things. “I just acquired a lot more things in the past few months than I thought I would have.”
He lets out a soft chuckle and he absentmindedly lowers his face to Lucy’s head, smelling her soft dark hair. “Well, if you decide to change your mind, the offer still stands.”
Sunlight dances across his face, bringing out the shimmering hues of blue swirling in his irises. His dark hair lays in tousled waves, stopping just above his eyebrows. His eyes scan my face before glancing back at my car. I pull my attention away from studying his striking features and look back to the vehicle.
“Let’s get the rest of your stuff in so you can get settled.” He walks past me, the scent of his cologne infiltrating my senses. “And then there’s somewhere I want to take you.”
I follow after him, my strides much shorter than his. “Oh yeah?”
“Yes.” He chuckles, glancing at me over his shoulder as he begins to lift some of my clothing from the back seat. “And no, I’m not going to tell you where we’re going.”
“I didn’t even ask.”
He elevates his brows at me. “Not yet. You were about to, though.” He winks before walking past me again. “You might think I don’t, but I know you, Hadley Reed.”
My stomach flutters as I hang on to that sentence, the words swirling around in my brain. I tuck his words away into the crevices of my mind before I grab my own bag of clothes and head into his home.
My new home.
I look at Rowan from the corner of my eye, watching him pacing outside of the truck. We pulled up in town and found a parking spot along a side street just as his mother called him. He said he texted her earlier this morning to let her know there was something he wanted to talk to her about. Out of respect and privacy, I decided to stay in the car with Lucy while he talked to her.
And judging by his facial expressions right now, I think I made the right call.
I can’t read his lips because he keeps moving, but every now and then his eyebrows scrunch together or his chest heaves as he sucks in a deep breath. From the outside, it doesn’t look like the conversation is going well, but it’s honestly hard to tell.
Although, I can’t imagine how uncomfortable he must feel, having to tell his mom a truth and a lie.
Grabbing onto the backs of the front seats, I lurch myself into the back seat as I hear Lucy beginning to make noise. She’s awake and looking around with those bright eyes. I stare at her in wonderment, completely amazed by this little person.
In my line of work, I usually only get to see the babies for the first few days and then they’re sent on their way with their families. I first started working in the NICU before I went into travel nursing and that was a completely different experience. The babies there were always so sick and even if they did get to go home, most times they still had a lot of challenges to overcome.
But then there’s Lucy . . . sweet little Lucy Taylor.
Her hair is as dark as her father’s and her eyes look like they might be the same color, but it’s still too early to tell. There’s a pang of guilt in my chest, striking my heart like a fatal blow at the thought of not being around to watch her grow and see her transform.
She’s going to be her father’s little mini-me.
A few minutes pass and Rowan walks back over to the truck, tucking his phone in his front pocket. He moves to the back first, getting out the stroller while I get Lucy covered back up. He comes to the door and pulls it open, watching me for a moment before lifting the car seat out and setting it into the jogging stroller.
I crawl back into the front seat, grabbing my purse before half stumbling out onto the sidewalk. A ghost of a smile drifts across Rowan’s lips and he ducks his head to murmur something to Lucy before we fall in step with one another.
“Sorry that took so long,” he says softly as we dodge a small group of people waiting outside of a cafe. “She didn’t take the news very well.”
I glance at him, offering him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Rowan. I’m sure it’s a lot for her to try and process right now.” I pause for a moment, my footsteps halting as he turns toward a store. I look up at the sign, reading the name but not fully paying attention to it. “Did you tell her about us?”
He inclines his head, pulling open the door for me to go in first. I take the stroller from him, pushing Lucy into the store as he follows us. “She was pissed. She now thinks I’ve kept the whole relationship a secret from her and she thinks we’re moving too fast.”
I stare at him for a moment, my face cracking as laughter spills from my lips. “Dear God, if only she knew.”
Rowan chuckles before dragging his teeth over his plump bottom lip. “She has no idea, but that’s fine. She believed me, even if she wasn’t happy about it.” I watch him for a moment as he lifts his hand and drags it through his hair. “She has to look at her schedule, but she wants to come visit within the next few weeks.”
My stomach falls onto the floor. “What?”
He runs his tongue over his teeth. “Yeah. I haven’t been home since before the season started and she hasn’t been here in over a year or more. We’re due for a visit and she feels now is the perfect time.” He shrugs. “She wants to meet her granddaughter...and my fiancée.”
“Right,” I say slowly, tipping my head as I finally take a look around the store, realizing we’re standing just inside the doors of a jewelry store. I slowly turn around, taking it all in before my gaze meets Rowan’s.
“You need a ring,” he says quietly, his eyes scanning my face. “To make it more believable.”
My heart stalls in my chest for a beat or two and my breathing ceases. “Right. ”
“Do you have any idea of what kind of ring you would want?” Rowan asks, his hand finding my lower back as he guides me deeper into the building. My body doesn’t protest and I move with him.
As a young girl, I used to dream of one day having that perfect life. My parents weren’t the best example for how a marriage or a relationship should look, so I’ve always wanted what they didn’t have. Although, after a few failed relationships, I gave up that dream. Marriage and children weren’t something in the cards for me—at least not anytime soon.
“No.”
“Well, let’s take a look and see which ones you like.”
Rowan leads me over to the counter just as Lucy begins to stir again. A woman walks over to us, a bright smile on her face as she looks at me. “How may I help the two of you today?”
“We’re here to look at some engagement rings to see what she might like.”
The woman smiles even brighter as she looks at Rowan. “That sounds perfect. Come with me,” she says, motioning for me to follow her to a glass case. Rowan takes the stroller, walking over to where the woman stops.
She begins to pull a few different rings out for me to try and see how it looks on my finger. It feels foreign and slightly abnormal sliding the large stones over my knuckle. Every single one just doesn’t feel right. She bows her head and doesn’t argue and instead brings over a small tray of various rings that aren’t as big.
I look up at the woman to thank her when I see she isn’t even looking at me. She’s staring at Rowan, watching him lifting Lucy up into his arms. Irritation licks my veins and I ignore the rock in the center of my stomach. I know the look on her face right now. I’ve seen it from too many women when they see Rowan Taylor.
Rolling my eyes, I direct my attention back to the tray, immediately finding a ring that catches my gaze. It’s very simple, teardrop-shaped diamonds with small stones along the band. I lift it from where it’s nestled in the velvet cushion, sliding it over my finger as I stare down at my hand.
“I like that one,” Rowan says softly as he looks over my shoulder at the ring on my finger. “It’s very much you.”
Turning my head, I look at Rowan. “It is, isn’t it?”
He looks directly at me instead of the woman who’s been eye fucking him the past twenty minutes. “We’ll take this one.”
Tearing my gaze from his, I look back down at the ring on my finger.
The ring that means absolutely nothing.