Page 23

Chapter 23

Jacob

W alking up to Nonna’s front door, a mix of nostalgia and anxiety bubbles in my chest, just like the sauce I'm about to make.

Every creak of the old wooden floorboards of the porch takes me back to childhood days spent with Gio and Gabi.

I think of the countless summers we climbed up to that rickety treehouse behind Nonna's house, spinning wild tales together about the adventurous lives we'd lead as grown-ups.

Never in those stories, though, did we factor in the bitter tang of grown-up conflict or the complexity that now stains my relationship with my best friend's sister.

Now here I am. Standing at a crossroads where my connection with the De Luca family could either deepen or shatter.

Nonna’s house, once a sanctuary of carefree laughter and secret whispers, is now a battleground for my damn heart.

If losing Gio’s friendship wasn’t bad enough, the thought of losing my place in this family is almost unbearable. I’ve dared to step into uncharted territory with Gabi, and the stakes have never been higher.

As I step into the kitchen, the familiar aroma of basil and tomatoes hits me like a nostalgic wave, momentarily soothing my nerves.

I watch Gabi move with purpose, a maestro in her grandmother’s domain, already working on the pasta.

With a sigh, I turn to my own task—preparing the lasagna sauce, a recipe I've adapted from Nonna’s own recipe. It’s a recipe I swear by.

If only the sauce could cure other things besides hunger.

"All right, sauce genius, don’t let me down now," I mutter under my breath as I start chopping onions.

On the other side of the kitchen counter, Gabi shoots me a sideways glance. “Talking to your ingredients again, Jacob?”

"Just making sure it turns out perfect."

My knife hits the cutting board rhythmically—chop, chop, chop—with my mind swirling just as fast.

"Perfection or madness, the line seems pretty thin, Jacob," Gabi quips, lifting her eyes from her work to gauge my reaction.

"You're telling me." I clear my throat. “So, how is Nonna doing? Really. Still as feisty as ever, despite everything?"

"Of course." Gabi smiles, but it quickly fades. "You know her, she'll probably outlive us all, just to spite the doctors."

We fall into a silence laced with the aroma of simmering tomatoes and the biting scent of freshly cut onions. It would almost be comforting, this ritual, were it not for the storm clouds hovering between us.

"About earlier with Gio—" I start, but she holds up a hand.

"Save it. He's always been overprotective."

I nod, even though it's pointless. It's as if the air itself crackles with unsaid words.

Needing to change the subject, I decide to bite the bullet. I turn to look at Gabi directly now.

I drop the knife to the cutting board. "I can't fucking do this."

The sound startles Gabi who looks up. She frowns. "Do what?"

"This. Pretend like things are even remotely all right. Pretend like I'm not dying to touch you." I glance down at her swollen stomach. "Pretend like I don't want to hold you in my arms and never let go."

Gabi's face softens. "I know," she says simply.

"But what are we supposed to do? We can't ignore this forever." I gesture between us.

"I know, Jake."

"Jesus, Gabs." I take a step closer. "Don't tell me 'I know' once more time. It's like you're shutting me out."

Mirroring me, Gabi turns to face me as well. "I'm not shutting you out. I just...don't know what to do either."

"I think you do," I accuse her. She meets my gaze, surprised by my sudden seriousness. "Why didn't you tell me about...being the father?"

She freezes, the wooden spoon in her hand hovering over the simmering pot. Her eyes widen, and for a moment, I think she's going to bolt out of the room. Instead, she takes a deep breath and looks down at the sauce, stirring slowly.

"Jacob, it's not that simple. I didn’t know how to tell you, or if I even should. So much has happened, and I didn’t want to complicate things even more."

"Complicated? Gabi, this is way beyond complicated. You should have told me. I deserved to know."

She sighs, turning off the heat and setting down the spoon. "And now you do. So now what?"

"You tell me! I've been wanting to make this thing official. You're the one who's been holding back."

Gabi scoffs, her green eyes narrowing. "Seriously, Jacob. 'Official'? I...I mean, have you ever made any relationship 'official' in your entire life? And you're wanting me to, what, bet that you've made a change overnight?"

I take a step back, feeling like I've been slapped in the face. "Wow, Gabs. Way to give me the benefit of the doubt."

She lets out a frustrated sigh and runs a hand through her long hair before looking at me again. "Look, I'm not saying you haven't changed. But I know you. Every 'relationship' you've had in your life ends up in the tabloids. Or ends as a disaster."

"That was then. This is now." I reach for her hand, but she pulls away.

"Is it? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like nothing's really changed."

I feel a surge of anger and frustration rising in me. I hadn't changed after the game. I'm still sticky from the sweat and ice, the long shirt and compression pants clinging to my skin.

I still haven't showered yet, and I'm sure Gabi can smell the sweat and desperation oozing from me.

And yet she's still standing there, green-eyed and gorgeous even after the long day she's had. But she's telling me that nothing's changed.

"I have changed, Gabi. Maybe not overnight, but I'm trying."

She looks at me with a mix of doubt and longing in her eyes. "I want to believe you, Jacob. I really do. But it's hard when everything around us is so chaotic."

"I know it's not easy." I take a step closer to her again, the heat of the stove just a foot away from us. "But we can make this work."

"How?" Gabi nearly screeches. "How can we make this work when we're constantly in the spotlight? This fake relationship has gone too far. We're hurting people, Jacob. Veronica Corso already suspects that our engagement was a lie. And she's right." Her eyes glaze over with tears unshed—tears that I know she's been holding back for a long time. "We lied. About our fake relationship. About everything. You're a liar. I'm a liar."

I reach for her again, but this time she doesn't pull away. She lets me take her hand and I bring it to my lips, kissing the back of her hand softly.

"The only true lie, Gabi," I whisper, "is that we didn't fall in love."

Her eyes widen in surprise and then soften as she looks at me. I can see the conflict within her, the war between her head and heart.

"I don't know if I can trust this, Jacob."

I lean in closer to her until our noses are touching. "Then let me show you that you can." I brush my hand over her jaw. "I'm in love with you, Gabriella De Luca. No matter how many lies we've told, that will always be the truth."

Her lips part and I can feel her breath on my skin. "I'm in love with you too, Jacob Walker."

Her confession breaks the last wall inside me, the wall that's been keeping me focused on nothing but my hockey career all these years. The wall that's been telling me love, loyalty, devotion—and anything like it—isn't worth the risk.

My father choosing my stepmother over me, over my mother's memory, had scarred me in ways that, even as an adult, I don’t want to admit.

It convinced me that love is just an illusion and loyalty is nothing but a word people like to throw around without truly understanding its weight.

But here, with Gabi in my arms, I know all of that is wrong. Love and loyalty exist—true and powerful.

And for this woman, for our child inside her, for this love, I'm willing to risk everything for them.

Now knowing that, I take her face in my hands and press my lips to hers in a kiss that feels like coming home...and finally, finally, I know that this is where I belong.