Page 27

Chapter 27

Jacob

I step into the arena, the familiar smell of popcorn and the chill of the ice hitting me hard. The weight of the atmosphere feels heavier today.

With three losses now in the Western Conference finals, Game Four is make-or-break.

With the pressure of the championship looming, I can't shake off this knot in my stomach. My heart races as I navigate through the hectic hallways, past the busy staff and the vibrant banners of the Chicago Blades.

But even the bright colors beckoning me further and further into Blades arena can't erase the last thirty-six hours. Or soothe the ache inside my chest.

An ache that's probably there because there's a Gabi-sized hole in my chest.

Funny. How a man like me, who couldn't commit to one woman for thirty years, is now being emotionally obliterated by one in thirty days.

But if I'm being honest, Gabriella De Luca has been breaking me down from the moment I walked down the street of my family's tree-lined neighborhood and saw her smiling face on the porch outside her grandmother's house. Sure, that smile was missing a tooth or two, but from then on, I'd been hooked.

The feelings haven't waned since then. And it's not just about the wild chemistry or the fact that she's beautiful, smart, and funny.

It's her strength. Her kindness. Her unwavering loyalty to her family and friends.

I've never met anyone like her.

Without Gabriella, I would still be stuck in my destructive ways, hiding behind a facade of fame and fortune.

But now...now I have something real to fight for.

As I reach the locker room, I take a deep breath and try to shake off the heavy thoughts. Today is about hockey. About winning this game and staying alive in the playoffs.

And with my latest pitch to Coach, I think it's possible.

Rounding the corner, I'm ready to put down my bags and prep for the next few hours.

That is, until a hand falls on my shoulder from behind.

I turn, my gaze clashing instantly with George Corso's.

As in the owner of the Chicago Blades. The big boss. The man who could crush my career with a stroke of a pen.

“Jacob,” he greets coolly, a hint of something unreadable in his voice.

I straighten, chin lifting. “Mr. Corso. Good to see you.”

"Is it?" His sharp eyes catch mine below a head of grey-streaked dark hair, and I can practically feel him dissecting me piece by piece. "I heard about....you and Gabi."

I adjust the shoulder of my bag on my shoulder. "Figured you had." I clear my throat. "Of course the press likes to run with bullshit."

"Not just the press." Another pause. "You know how I feel about distractions on my team, Jacob. Especially during playoffs."

"I understand that, sir."

"Do you?" He steps closer, and for a second, I think he's going to sock me one. But instead, his voice lowers, turns almost...confidential? "You know, to be honest, when I heard about the two of you coming together, I had my doubts."

"Doubts, sir? What, uh, whatever for?"

"Well, one of my players dating my new Public Relations Manager? Don't get me wrong. Gabriella seems to be a fantastic woman. But as you now know, having a relationship in the spotlight means things can get...messy."

I don't know whether to be relieved or offended. "Well, sir, with all due respect, Gabi and I have always been professional enough to keep our personal lives separate from work."

"That's what I like to hear. So, this relationship of yours, just to be clear...was never a farce? It’s not some publicity stunt like the press was making out to be?"

I open my mouth and close it again, unsure of how to answer.

Because the truth is, when Gabi and I first started this fake engagement ruse to save my ass from a PR disaster, I'd known something was wrong. Something was off. From the very start.

Because fake relationships shouldn't make you feel the way I was feeling. Like I'd lay down my life and limb just to hear her laugh. Like I'd move the moon and heavens just to see her smile.

Like I'd do anything and everything possible to make sure she was always safe and happy.

Even if it meant she was safe and happy in a life without me in it.

I take a deep breath and meet his eyes. "No, sir. It was never a farce. Not a single moment of it."

"Good. Glad to hear it. Some of us are not so lucky." His own eyes drift before he nods. "Well, that's all I needed to hear, then. Carry on."

And just like that, he turns and walks away.

I stand there for a few minutes, letting his words sink in. About my relationship. About his feelings about love.

Maybe the whole world was faking happiness and love, trying to hold onto something that was never truly there.

But for the first time in a long time, I know one thing for certain.

I've never had to fake a single thing when it came to Gabi.

Not the way I feel about her. Not the way she makes me a better person every day. And definitely not the love that has grown between us, despite all odds and obstacles.

And if I could come to that realization, so could she.

I've been biding my time for Gabriella De Luca for over twenty years now.

As I turn to head into the locker room, I smile for the first time in days, knowing that I'm willing to wait for twenty more if that's what it takes.

Gabi

The glow of the city lights seeps in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm, soft hue on the plush couch where I'm curled up, a bar of dark chocolate in hand.

Strange how, like a kid, I resort to the same old tricks, trying to find comfort in the midst of my chaos.

I guess it's because it feels surreal to be here, nestled in Lexi’s high-rise apartment, the echoes of my night with Jacob still swirling in my mind.

The dark chocolate melts in my mouth. But that rich and comforting feeling I usually get isn't there.

Nothing seems to dull the acute pain still in my chest. Usually, I'd attribute that ache to heartburn from the baby still cooking in my belly, but not this time...

From the kitchen, Lexi's voice cuts through the burn as she lifts a pair of tongs, hazel eyes suddenly burning in my direction.

"Gabi!" she calls out.

I startle. "Yeah?"

"You haven't heard a single word I just said, have you?"

"Oh. Of course I have."

"Okay..." Her blonde curls swing as she leans over her quartz kitchen counter. "Tell me, then. What did I say?"

"You were talking about..." I look at her hand. "Tongs?"

Lexi's eyebrows shoot up in surprise before they pinch together. "Good thing this wasn't a test."

I give her an apologetic smile and she chuckles, placing the rest of the chicken wings on the platter before walking my way. "You know, I've never seen you so distracted before."

"I'm sorry, Lex." My voice softens a little as I set the half-eaten bar of chocolate on the coffee table between us. "It's been a lot to process lately."

"I figured. After you called from my parking lot, letting me know that you were downstairs at an ungodly hour yesterday, I figured things were going left." She sets the platter down on the table, too, and takes a seat beside me. "Is it about Nonna Chiara?"

"You mean Miss Indestructible? No, she's doing well. As always. The hospital is ready to release her in a few days."

"Gotcha. Then it's about that Veronica Corso chick, huh? I knew it. Freaking knew it. She spilled the beans to the press about you and Jacob, didn't she? Man, her husband must really not be plowing her good for her to go to all this trouble to…"

"Lex." I give my best friend a small smile before turning to face her fully. "It's not even about her."

"Ah. So this isn't about Madam Desperate-for-Dick?" I shake my head and her eyes widen. "Then what could possibly be bothering you so much that you can't even focus on chicken wings?"

Lexi's question hangs in the air for a moment before I finally decide to tell her the truth. "It's about Jacob."

"Okay. Now we're getting somewhere." Her hazel eyes soften as she reaches out to place a hand on top of mine. "What happened between you two? Did he do something?"

"He did."

"What was it?"

I sigh. "He...made me fall in love with him, that's what."

Lexi's expression softens even more as she squeezes my hand. "Oh, Gabi. I'm so sorry."

I shake my head, trying to push down the emotions bubbling up in my chest. "It's fine. It's not his fault, really. It's mine. I've taken my eye off the ball. My career, my family, the baby, Hell, even Nonna. I had plans for all of it. Maybe not the best plans, but plans, nonetheless. And now..."

"Now, you're in love." Lexi finishes my sentence for me, just as the TV announcers pipe up about the beginning of Game Four. Jacob's game.

It's all on the line tonight. The Seattle Sparks versus the Chicago Blades.

I haven't missed a Blades game or an event since I became Head of PR for the team. But tonight, I don't think I can handle it. Not when my heart feels like it's about to explode out of my chest every time I think of Jacob.

Not when I've realized that I've fallen for the father of my child.

Not when I've realized that, in order to create a family or a potential future with Jacob, that I might have to sacrifice the family and the life that I currently have.

Lexi's hand tightens around mine as she gives me a soft smile. "You know what they say about love, right? It's unexpected. It often comes when you least expect it and with whom you least expect to share it with."

"I know," I say with a watery chuckle. "But Jacob? I mean, come on. The man's been social media fodder as long as I've known him. The only thing he's ever committed himself to is hockey. How am I supposed to suddenly see him as something more?"

"Maybe because he's always been more, and you just never noticed. Maybe it was easier to believe the hype than to see the real person behind it all."

"And who is he? Really?"

The announcers on the TV begin to ramp up the energy, announcing the starting lineup for Game Four, and it pulls me slightly away from my thoughts.

I wait. Wait for them to announce Gio's name and Jacob's name. Wait for the nerves to twist in my stomach.

But it doesn't come.

The announcer doesn't say Jacob's name. Instead, they announce someone else playing as right winger--a back-up player who has barely seen any ice time this season.

What the hell is going on?

"Is he injured?" I blurt out, my eyes glued to the TV screen.

Lex drops my hand, leaning closer to the screen. "I don't know...I would have heard about it through my job." She blinks. "The commentators are talking about it now."

I'd noticed.

Maybe Coach really did bench the two after their fight.

But if that were true, he would have benched Giovanni, too. My brother was also involved in that fight.

Unless...unless Jacob agreed with the Coach in benching him. Unless he allowed himself to be benched.

Unless he thinks that the team would do better without him.

He's been waiting all his life for this moment. In a Western Conference finals Game Four, Jacob could solidify his legacy for years to come. He could set himself up for a multi-million-dollar contract next season.

But he's not on the ice.

"Jacob is a smart guy," Lex says softly beside me, as if she can read my thoughts. "He knows what's best for the team."

"But what about what's best for him?" I ask, feeling a lump forming in my throat.

"I don't know," she admits. "But maybe it's time we let Jacob figure that out for himself."

As the game kicks off, my heart races, pounding in sync with the tension filling the arena. The Blades stumble slightly in those initial moments without Jacob, their play feeling disjointed and erratic.

The announcers' voices drift into the living room, filling the tense air with their insights as the game unfolds on screen.

“And here we see the Blades coming together nicely despite the absence of their star player, Jacob,” one of them states, his tone surprisingly upbeat. My heart sinks a little more with the words.

“It’s clear the coach’s decision to have Jacob take a backseat, at least for this match, seems to be paying off. The team is managing to find their rhythm, moving fluidly across the ice as though they’ve each stepped into their roles with renewed determination.”

Lex nods, seemingly encouraged by the commentary, though I can’t shake the gnawing feeling inside me.

“It’s like they’re stepping out from his shadow,” she murmurs, her gaze flickering between the match and my face.

I'm not sure my face can hide the heartbreak I’m feeling for Jacob, but I try to put on a brave front.

Is that truly what Jacob wanted? To blend in and support his teammates, while sacrificing his moment to shine?

The crowd roars as the Blades make a perfectly timed play, sending chills down my spine. I want to cheer, but all I can think of is Jacob.

His dreams. His pain. And what he might be feeling sitting on the bench, watching it all unfold without him.

I take a deep breath, feeling the tightness in my chest as the commentators continue to praise the Blades’ newfound unity.

But I know the truth.

This wasn’t just Coach's call. It was Jacob’s.

Even as they highlight the sacrifices being made, they can’t see the weight of that choice resting heavily on his shoulders.

His pride is taking a hit, I know, and the ache in my heart deepens at the thought. Yet, there’s that glimmer of resolve in him.

As I watch the game unfold, a pang of familiarity strikes me.

Jacob has stepped back for the team, just as he has done for me time and again these last few weeks.

Overwhelming guilt washes over me for not realizing the true extent of his selflessness.

I join in the cheering as the Blades score another goal, but my mind is still on Jacob.

“He’s taken a step back, hasn’t he?" Lex whispers, watching the screen. "To support the team?"

I nod, my throat almost too tight to speak. "He's always been like that."

"But you see it now, don’t you? How much he really cares about everyone else? How much he cares about you?"

"More than I ever realized. And now he's not even on the ice to see it pay off."

"Maybe that's not what he needs. Maybe this is the bigger victory for him."

I can see that it is, in a way.

It’s a big deal for Jacob to put the team first and let them find their way, even if it means missing out on the glory.

It's a lesson in his selflessness that I never fully grasped until now.

My throat burns, tears stinging my eyes as I glance over at Lex. "Thank you for helping me see it."

She smiles, squeezing my hand. "That's what friends are for." She looks at the screen, then at the chicken wings on the table, before grabbing her car keys. She sighs. "I really did want those wings. But I'm sure we can catch him before the game is over."

"Catch who?"

"Okay, so I'm going to blame that on pregnancy brain. You know who. A certain sandy-brown haired, blue-eyed, hockey player who deserves a little recognition."

I laugh as a tear takes a tour down my cheek. "Right. Let's go give him the credit he deserves."

Standing, Lex grabs the keys, and we make our way out of her apartment, my heart pounding with anticipation the entire time.