Page 25

CHAPTER

TWENTY-FIVE

DELANEY

C aroline looks adorable with her orange face. We’ve introduced sweet potatoes this week, and she’s a big fan. As always, only half of it makes it into her mouth. The rest gets smeared across her face and in her hair.

“You don’t even look like you got any in your mouth,” I say with a chuckle.

She responds by slapping her palms against the tray, splashing pureed orange mush everywhere.

“Okay, that’s enough of that.” I take the tray away, and she frowns, lips puckering. The tears don’t come until I grab a damp rag and start wiping her hands and face. For a baby who loves making a mess, she sure hates being cleaned up.

“You’re fine,” I reassure her, wiping sweet potato from her neck.

Her screams say otherwise. She would very much like me to know she is, in fact, not fine.

Even wailing, she’s the most precious little thing.

As much as I love Max, I think I might love her even more.

It’s been a couple of weeks since Max and I said the big scary “L” word, and honestly, it’s been amazing ever since.

The three of us feel like a beautiful little family.

I admit, I’ve been thinking about it a lot—probably more than I should, considering we’ve only been officially together a few weeks—but it’s hard not to picture my future here.

If Max and I work out, I’ll be the only mother Caroline remembers.

I would be a mother . Her mom.

The thought is equal parts terrifying and thrilling. The truth is, I already love her like my own. She’s so perfect, it’s impossible not to.

Once she’s cleaned up, I pull her from the high chair and settle her on my hip. “Nap time,” I tell her with a grin.

Let’s be honest—nap time is sacred. Two uninterrupted hours that help me reset my sanity.

I’m just about to carry Caroline upstairs when the doorbell rings.

“Well, who could that be?” I ask the now-grumpy baby on my hip. She’s fussy, and I bounce her gently as I open the door.

“Hi!” A skinny, bleached blonde beams at me. “Oh my gosh,” she squeals, “look how big little Candice has grown!” She bends down, shrieking in Caroline’s face, which makes the baby immediately cry.

“It’s Caroline,” I correct, my voice flat. “Can I help you?” I ask, trying to soothe the seven-month-old now wailing against my chest.

“Oh, you must be the new nanny. Nice to meet you! I’m Brittani with an ‘I.’ Can you let Max know I’m here?”

My chest tightens, a ripple of anxiety flooding through me. “Yeah, one second. Wait here, please.”

I turn and walk down the hall, trying to settle Caroline again. Now that we’re away from the peppy blonde, she rests her head on my shoulder, worn out. Poor girl just needs a nap.

As I approach the office, I remember Jaden’s here today. Their voices drift through the door, and I don’t intend to eavesdrop—but Max’s words stop me cold. I freeze.

“She’s relentless,” Max says. “She DMed me again last week.”

“You didn’t tell Laney about that?” Jaden asks.

“No,” Max replies. “Why would I?”

“Dude, Laney’s smart,” Jaden says. “If she finds out about Aubrey on her own, it might not go well.”

“Yeah,” Max sighs. “I know. I just don’t want to hurt her.”

“Just be honest with her.”

Max scoffs. “Easier said than done.”

I knock gently on the doorframe and step into the office. “Hey,” I say. “You have a visitor.”

He raises a brow. “Who?”

“Brittani,” I reply, then pause just long enough to add, “with an I.”

I don’t wait for his response. Holding Caroline close, I head upstairs, suddenly desperate for the quiet of the nursery.

In just a few minutes, I’ve learned of both a Brittani and an Aubrey.

And while there might be completely reasonable explanations, I feel sick.

Growing up, my dad had a revolving door of mistresses.

I know Max isn’t my father, but he is one of the hottest players on a professional hockey team.

Since I’ve started learning more about the sport, I’ve heard about “puck bunnies.” Apparently, they’re a thing.

A big thing. Given what I know about Max’s past, I probably don’t want to know how many of them he’s been with.

I lay Caroline down and back away slowly. My heart thuds in my chest. I don’t want to go back downstairs. I don’t want to face any of this.

I sink into the glider in the corner and rock in the dim light of the nursery, the sound machine filling the silence. A few tears slip down my cheeks.

There’s a sick, sinking feeling in my gut that I made a mistake dropping my walls. If I’d kept them up, I wouldn’t be sitting in the dark crying over Brittani and Aubrey. Maybe I was wrong for loving Max. What did it get me? Two weeks of bliss... and now this?

Sure, I don’t know who those women really are or what they mean to him. Maybe it’s all innocent. But if it’s not? Is this what my life will look like? Random women showing up at our door, messaging him online, always wondering if someone else will catch his attention?

The worst part is I already knew better.

I told Iris from day one that I don’t mess with jocks for a reason. I’m not here to compete for a man’s attention or prove my worth to him.

I don’t know if I can do this anymore. I don’t want to live in fear of another woman catching his eye. I don’t want to feel on edge. This isn’t who I want to be.

After a few minutes, I pull myself together and quietly leave the nursery. I might be terrified of the conversation ahead, but I’m no coward. It’s better to face it now than wait until I’m even deeper in this relationship.

I find Max in the kitchen.

“Hey,” he says when he hears me enter. The refrigerator is open, and he grabs some ingredients. “I was just about to make a sandwich. You want one?”

“No.”

My tone must have caught him off guard because he freezes, then slowly closes the fridge and sets the food back down.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, turning to face me.

I raise a brow, crossing my arms.

“Right.” He sighs. “Obviously, Brittani.” He runs a hand through his hair.

“She was one of the women I interviewed for the nanny position. The one I told you about—the influencer who was more interested in filming content than interacting with Caroline. I haven’t seen her since that day.

I don’t know why she showed up, but I made it very clear she’s never to come back. ”

“And Aubrey?”

He shifts uncomfortably, his weight rocking back and forth. “Okay, so you heard that too. You have to believe me. Nothing is going on with Aubrey.”

“Who is she?”

“Someone I hooked up with once, maybe a year ago. She showed up at the arena after practice last week and has been DMing me since. I told her I wasn’t interested and blocked her. I swear, Laney, there’s nothing to worry about.” He takes a step toward me and reaches for my hand. I pull it away.

“I don’t know. I don’t think I can do this.”

“Laney, no.” He steps closer and gently runs his hands up and down my arms. “Listen, I know your dad cheated, and that left deep scars. But I’m not him.

I never will be. I swear. I’m sorry those women think it’s okay to reach out or just show up uninvited.

I’ll do everything in my power to stop that from happening.

But I promise you—I’m a one-woman man. I only want you. ”

“For now, maybe.”

Real fear flashes across his face. “No. Forever. You’re the only woman I will ever want, Laney.”

“You don’t know that. Time changes things, Max. What we have now could fade. A new girl could come along, and even if you don’t act on it, she might still get your attention. I don’t want to live like that—always waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

His jaw tightens as he inhales slowly through his nose.

He looks like he’s working hard to keep his voice calm.

“You’re wrong,” he says gently. “I am absolutely sure you’re the only one I’ll ever want.

You know I’ve been with my fair share of women —I’ve never lied to you about that.

But that was a different life. With all those women, not once did I fall in love. Not once did I get serious. Until you.”

He cups my cheek, his voice softer. “You’re different.

You’re my first and only love. I don’t know how to convince you I’ll never want anyone else except to tell you that I won’t.

Because I know myself. And I know what I feel for you.

What I will always feel for you. We have a connection I didn’t even know was possible—and I would never, ever betray that. Never.”

My eyes sting, tears threatening. “I don’t know.”

“If this is going to work, you have to trust me. Trust us. Believe in what we have.” He brushes a tear off my cheek with his thumb. “I know your parents didn’t give you the best example of love, but what they had isn’t what we have. What we have is real. You see that, don’t you?”

“Yeah... I just don’t want to be afraid.”

“Then don’t be. You don’t have to be,” he says, pulling his phone from his back pocket and handing it to me. “Here. Go through it. No password. You can look whenever you want.”

I blink, holding the phone in my hand.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Aubrey. I didn’t want to stress you out over something that meant nothing. But next time, I’ll say something.”

Next time?

As if reading my mind, he continues. “I wish I could promise there won’t be a next time.

But I’m a public figure with a fan base.

If it helps, I can delete all my social media.

I don’t need it. Still, I can’t guarantee someone won’t show up at a game or find another way to reach out.

” He steps even closer. “But I can promise you this…I will never cheat. I will always come home to you. And more than that—I’ll always want to. You are it for me, Laney.”

His words flood my heart, softening the ache gnawing at me. I hand his phone back. “I don’t want to go through your phone.”

He gently pushes it toward me again. “I want you to.”

“I don’t need to,” I say, voice steady. “I trust you.”

His mouth lifts into a smile. “Yeah?”

“Despite my better judgment... yes, I do.” I smirk, the tension between us easing.

“Good.” He wraps his hands around my arms and pulls me into him, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Because you can.”

I circle my arms around his waist and hold him tight. “Thank God you didn’t hire that Brittani chick. I wouldn’t trust her to give Caroline a high five, let alone anything else.”

He lets out a short laugh. “Believe me. I know. I didn’t either.”

I tilt my chin up to meet his gaze. He leans in and kisses my forehead again, slower this time.

“Are we good?” he asks softly, a trace of worry still clinging to his voice.

“Yeah, we are. Unfortunately, as you know, I come with baggage. There will be bumps along the way while we build trust.”

“That’s fine with me. I’ll take all the bumps you throw my way as long as you promise to hear me out.”

“I will.”

And I mean it—because, for the first time in my life, I want to build something that lasts. Even if it scares me sometimes, Maxwell Park is the only risk I’ve ever wanted to take.