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AMELIA

I never thought I would be here, in this car, heading back to Barrington, Kentucky. With a baby in my back seat.

Though, to be fair, I should have known my whirlwind romance with Dexter Rose, number 69 for the Saltsville Stingrays, would crash and burn eventually, because that’s what Dex is.

A five-alarm fire that burns through everything in his path.

One look at the rearview mirror tells me our daughter, four-month-old Lyla, is still out like a light, which makes me feel a little better about the long drive.

After finding out about Dex’s wife , and his three other children—with other women—I didn’t know what else to do. I could have forgiven him for not being at the hospital. Maybe I could have even worked past the cheating with some counseling or something. But being married and having kids with her and two other women? Abso-fucking-lutely not.

The memory tries to slip back into my psyche, but I push it away, instead reaching for the radio. I flip through the stations, but almost everything is static. Everything except the sports station, which is talking about the Stingrays’ home game and Dex’s “scandal.”

The minute I hear them discussing my life like they know me, I turn it off. I’d rather drive in silence than be reminded of Dexter Rose and his betrayal.

Lyla coos in her car seat and I let out a sigh. I don’t know how I’m going to do this.

How I’m going to raise a four-month-old baby on my own.

My parents simply aren’t an option, what with them cruising through Europe right now for their retirement, and the only other person I’m close to in my life is my best friend Sam. I’m lucky that Sam was able to get me a month-to-month lease at an apartment in town, since her one-bedroom condo isn’t really equipped for a single mom and a baby, but I’m not sure how long I’ll actually be able to afford staying at Little Creek Apartments if I can’t find a job.

I’m not sure about anything anymore, honestly. All I know is I have to keep moving, because if I don’t, it won’t be good for either of us. Me or my daughter.

I know Dex’s family is still there, since his two brothers still play for the Badgers, but I don’t know them well. Dex is practically hockey royalty. His father played hockey, and before Dex got traded to the Stingrays, he played for the Badgers alongside both his brothers—Dane, and their older brother Richard. Oh, and their stepbrother, Tripp, plays college hockey.

Three months after we met, Dex was traded to the Stingrays, and he asked me to go with him. A month after that, I found out I was pregnant with Lyla. But after everything that’s happened, I’m sure I am the last person his family wants to see, what with my face—along with the faces of Dex’s other three women—played all over the news since the scandal broke. They probably think I’m the problem. That I’m the damn home-wrecker.

I mean, he is married, apparently. And when I met his family, he didn’t even introduce me as his girlfriend, which should have been my first sign.

Red flag number one, Mia.

It’s nearing two a.m. when I finally make it to Little Creek Apartments. I don’t have time to unpack everything, but I make sure I at least get Lyla’s pack-n-play up so she can rest while I get a few hours of sleep before she wakes up.

Two hours. That’s all I’m able to steal, because I swear, somehow she knows we’re no longer home in good old sunny Florida.

By the time I’ve got her fed, changed, and down in her bouncy swing, it’s after eight a.m. I could use a coffee, but I didn’t pack much more than Lyla’s essentials, which reminds me I need to hit the store at some point…

I pull up a stool in front of the kitchen island to check my email while she bounces in her swing, my eyes going wide when I see that the local Barrington Bugle has gotten back to me about my application I submitted yesterday when I stopped for lunch on the drive up. A smile graces my face as I read that they would like to interview me, but that smile disappears near instantly when I see they’re only doing their interviews…today!

Fuck. I bite my lip as I try to figure out a game plan, because honestly, this is my dream job. Writing articles and covering local stories is what I really want to do, and this position combines writing and social media management. I don’t have a ton of experience with the latter, but they want to interview me, so that must mean I’ve done something right. Especially if I’m hearing back this soon.

Yet as I scroll through my contacts, I’m reminded that I’ve been gone for a little over a year, and I’m not sure who there is left to call except Sam…

I dial her number, hoping she might be able to help in a pinch. I hate that my first reunion with my bestie is me needing something. I hate needing anything from anyone, but…

“Hey, girl!” her voice calls with excitement. “Where are you? Did you?—”

“I got in last night…er…this morning,” I say. “Two in the morning to be exact.”

Sam whistles on the other end. “Shit…it’s like, barely eight, have you even slept?”

I sigh, shaking my head even though she can’t see me.

“Not really. I got maybe a couple hours tops before Lyla was up.”

I twist my lips as Sam groans, “That sucks.”

“Actually, that’s why I’m calling…” I say, clearing my throat.

“You want to go on a coffee and donut run?” she says with excitement.

“Not quite,” I say with a laugh. Though the lure of caffeine and sugar is tempting, I know I have to budget until I actually get a job. When I met Dex, he turned my entire life upside down. I left my corporate job in the city to move with him to Florida because I thought this was it. This was the fairy tale I’d been waiting for, but it was a nightmare in disguise.

And I didn’t really go back to work after having Lyla, not with Dex and his trading deal. For the first time in my life, I felt comfortable. But that all went up in flames along with Dexter Rose and his lies.

I let out a sigh, hoping Sam will be able to help.

“I may have a job interview today…”

“May?” she asks in surprise. “What do you mean may ?”

“Well, apparently the Bugle is only doing interviews today from noon to four, and being as I just got here, and Lyla isn’t even set up yet…” I blow out a breath.

“The Bugle? That’s a big deal for you. You’ve wanted to work there ever since I can remember.”

“Yeah, I know…” I say, chewing on my bottom lip. “I was wondering if you’d be able to babysit, possibly? Just for a few hours…”

Sam sighs, and my shoulders tense. I know that sigh. It’s the sigh that means “Here comes the bad news.”

“I can’t, Mia. I’ve got a huge meeting at noon with the board of executives about the merger as unfortunately my boss is an idiot, so…”

I close my eyes in defeat. The remorse in her voice only makes me feel worse. I know Sam’s been working her ass off with her company’s latest acquisition, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t sometimes miss the excitement of working a fast-paced job like Sam does.

But unfortunately, I need something that I can either do from home, or that offers hybrid and pays enough for daycare.

And Sam’s job might pay well, but it also means high stress, and long hours. Not great for a newly single mom…

“It’s okay, I’ll just…message them and tell them I can’t make it. Maybe we can do a donuts date another time…”

“What about Dane?” she asks nonchalantly.

My body freezes at the very mention of my ex’s twin. Dane Rose, number 24 for the Barrington Badgers.

Sam’s words make me a bit anxious. If there’s anyone my ex is close with—aside from his secret wife—it’s his twin. I only met Dane a few times in person, the first being the same night I met Dex. My thoughts threaten to wander back to that night, but I shut them down. The last thing I need to think about is what would have happened if Dex hadn’t shown up to sweep me off my feet.

Sure, Dane and I have talked a few times, over text, usually about movies…or he’d text to see how Lyla was and I’d send him photos here and there to share with Dex’s family back home, but that was it.

After the news broke about Dex’s secret second life, I went dark. Changed my number, packed my things, and…left. I haven’t spoken to anyone, except Sam, since.

“You do still have his number, right?” Sam asks.

“I do, but…”

I’m not certain the Roses want anything to do with me. Especially Dane.

“Call him. I mean, it’s his niece, and his brother’s the one being a total dickwad, so…”

“Yeah, dickwad doesn’t even begin to cover it,” I say through my teeth.

“It’s just a few hours, right?” she says, her voice light, coaxing.

I don’t really have a choice unless I take Lyla with me. Which, if Dane says no…

I sigh, not wanting to admit defeat just yet. It’s a last resort. It’s not like it’ll become a thing, and yeah, maybe Sam’s right. Though, I don’t want to admit that, so I won’t.

“Yeah, sure,” I say, forcing a smile onto my face.

She doesn’t press me much after that, just gives me a sweet sigh and says, “Next time, I promise, sweetie, just…not today.”

“Fine. You owe me an extra donut though if Dane says no,” I say lightly, even though I feel like shit.

“He won’t,” Sam says, but before I can ask how she knows such a thing, she hurriedly tells me she has to go, and hangs up.

I glance at Lyla, twisting the phone in my hands. “What do you think, peanut?” I ask, but of course Lyla only coos and jumps with excitement in her swing.

Chewing my lip, I search through my contacts until I land on Dane’s number. My fingers hover over it, and I don’t know why I’m so nervous.

Actually, yes I do, and it doesn’t have anything to do with Dex…

But I shove those thoughts aside and hit the little green button, knowing I need to get this over with. There are two rings before he picks up.

“Mia?” His voice is surprised, but smooth as silk. Just like I remember.

“Hey…Dane…” I steel my resolve, trying not to let my voice betray any inkling of nervousness.

Hockey players can smell fear, I swear.

“How…how have you been?” he asks, that familiar Fudgsicle voice threatening to make me melt. His voice…that was what drew me in the night we met. Dex and Dane may look alike, but that’s where the similarities stop.

I’m taken aback by his cavalier tone, by his question. The desire to tell him about all of it—about the scandal, my fight with Dex, my decision to leave and get off the sinking ship—is stupidly alarming.

I shouldn’t want to tell him any of it. I push the desire aside, forcing out the simplest answer I can.

“Fine.”

Fuck, that’s a lie. But I don’t need Dane Rose to know how I’m really doing. I just need him to do me this one favor, and then I can rock my interview, and get Lyla and myself on the path to my comeback.

“Liar,” he says, but his voice isn’t mean or bitter, just humorous. I shake my head even though he can’t see me. Lyla screams with excitement, and he laughs.

“Sounds like someone’s having a good time,” he says, his smooth-as-butter voice making me reconsider more things than just asking for a favor.

No. Bad idea, Mia. Bad fucking idea. You do not need the double-your-trouble deal with the Rose twins.

“Actually,” I bite out, “that’s what I was calling about…”

Heat flushes my neck, making its way up to my cheeks, and soon I feel the onslaught of sweat as I force the words out of my mouth.

“I uh…kinda need to ask you a favor…”

I can hear him shifting his position, rustling on the other end of the phone.

“Anything,” he says, almost breathlessly, and I’m reminded of Sam’s words.

He won’t.

Swallowing my nerves, I spit out the words. “I uh…I just got back. To Barrington, last night and…I have this interview today, and?—”

“Done.” He doesn’t even let me finish before that melting tone of his takes over.

“You don’t even know what I was going to ask,” I say.

Dane chuckles. “You need someone to watch Lyla, right?”

“Yes.” The answer is simple, solid. Confident.

“Then consider it done.”

“You don’t have like…practice or?—”

“No,” he says sternly. “And even if I did, family is more important than any game.”

His words are not lost on me, but they don’t make me feel better. Instead, they only tear at the fresh wounds left by his family.

But I don’t want to argue with Dane. Not today.

“Did you want to bring her over, or?—”

“No,” I say without thinking. The thought of going to the Roses’ home, after everything…is just too much. It’s bad enough, hard enough knowing I’m going to see Dane . I’m not sure I can handle the entirety of the Rose clan so soon after everything that’s happened.

“I’m uh…I’ve got a place over at Little Creek. You can watch her here.”

Dane breathes a contented sound, and I hate to admit that it makes my stomach flip. I swear the guy should have been a voice actor instead of an athlete. I bet he’d make a killing with his voice saying dirty things.

My cheeks flush as I realize I’m thinking about his voice saying dirty things, which is highly inappropriate. Focus, Mia!

“Sounds good. Text me the address and time, and I’ll be there,” he says.

“Fine. Thanks.” I hang up before I can spiral deeper from this conversation.

I sigh as I tap out the address and time before heading to grab my daughter. She looks at me with those big, round blue eyes.

“I hope I’m not making a huge mistake,” I say, but I’m not sure who I’m trying to convince.

The doorbell rings at precisely eleven a.m. on the dot. I stop, mid gloss application, realizing this is it. He’s here.

I suck in a deep breath, every step through my apartment feeling like an eternity. Exhaling, I tell myself it’s fine. It’s just a couple hours. And then I open the door and suddenly it’s like I’ve gone right back to that night.

The night I met Dane.

The night my life changed forever.