Page 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

BODE

Dax

Have you seen the news?

Bode

What news?

Dax

About you and Stevie

Fuck. What happened?

Noah

I thought we decided to wait and tell him at practice?

Dax

I thought we said we were going to tell him before

Graham

Do I need to send you a screenshot of our text?

You guys have a group text without me? Fuck off

Marcus

It’s only because we were discussing what to do

Jasper

Or in this case, what not to do, Dax

Will someone tell me what’s going on?

Jasper

There’s a photo of you, Stevie, and Caleb after the game

Dax

It looks like you’re dating

We are dating

Noah

Well, if you didn’t want word getting out about you two, you did a bad job of it

Graham

And there’s a lot of questions about Caleb

Fuck

What are they saying about him?

Marcus

It’s mostly about you and Stevie

Jasper

But the comments are nasty

Dax

Which is why I thought he should know before practice

I appreciate you telling me

Noah

No names were dropped, but there’s a lot of speculation

Jasper

I wouldn’t go reading it if I were you

Like that’s going to happen

Marcus

We’re here if you need us

Dax

What he said

Noah

Ditto

Graham

Ditto? Really?

Noah

What? I agree. It means the same thing

Jasper

Ignore them. We’re all here for you if you need anything

Bode: Really not making me feel better about this

Jasper

Sorry. But you should know we’ve got your back

I appreciate it

Thanks guys

A lead weight settles in my stomach. An article about me, Stevie, and Caleb? Fuck. That is the last thing I want. I thought it would be okay to have Stevie bring him to a game. I wanted Caleb there. I know he won’t remember the game, but I’ll never forget having him here.

Seeing his happy face after the game, in a daddy jersey? I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment. Sharing it with Stevie? It made it that much better.

All those good feelings are wiped away as I type my name into the search bar and wait for the results to come up.

Holy shit. Article after article comes up. There’s a grainy photo from the game of the three of us outside of the arena last night. I’m pushing the stroller and Stevie is looking up at me.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I thought we were being careful. I know every way out of the rink and took the one that fans don’t know about.

But someone saw us and snapped a photo.

Opening my social media accounts, my messages are flooded. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many comments before.

Women sad that I’m off the market.

Others calling Stevie a home-wrecker. Not sure how that term applies, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less.

A few are even saying their kids are mine and photos are sent. A can of worms has been opened. I wish I could stuff it all back inside and rewind the last twelve hours.

I have to tell Stevie. I can’t let her be bombarded like this. I left her sleeping in my bed.

It was the perfect evening. We ordered takeout, played with Caleb, had dinner with our grandmas, and then spent all night wrapped up in each other.

“Everything okay?” Stevie stretches out next to me.

It’s still dark. Caleb is still fast asleep after his big day out, but the buzzing of my phone woke me up.

I flip on the bedside lamp, the soft light bouncing around the room.

“Can we talk?”

A look of dread washes over her face as she sits up. “Is everything okay?”

“Between us? Yes,” I clarify. “But there’s a photo circulating of us from the game last night.”

“What? How? I thought we were in a restricted area?”

I shake my head. “It’s when we were leaving. I thought we were okay, but turns out?—”

“Oh my God. Is Caleb’s face out there? Do they know he’s your son?”

This has me grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her in for a hug. I bury my face in her neck and breathe in her sweet scent, letting it sink into me and settle my nerves.

Her concern for Caleb is why I’m so far gone for Stevie, it’s not even funny.

“It’s blurry, but his face is there. They haven’t figured out his name, or yours, but it’s only a matter of time.”

“Are you okay?” Her warm hands rest on my back, her fingers rubbing soothing circles on the exposed skin there.

“Not really. People are being cruel. The comments are…well, I don’t even want to share them.”

Stevie pulls back, cupping my cheeks. Her eyes are sad and angry, mirroring my own. “What can I do?”

I kiss the beating pulse of her wrist. “Can you not go looking for it? I don’t want you seeing some of the comments out there.”

“Done.”

“Really? Just like that?”

“If it’s as bad as you say, I don’t need to.”

“It’s bad.” I sit back, checking my phone to see that Caleb is still asleep. “The worst part of all of this is him getting dragged into it. He didn’t ask for his dad to be a hockey star.”

“We’ll do everything we can to protect him. Me, Nan, Eve. You’re not alone in this, Bode.”

“I love you.”

I can’t help it. I can’t keep the words in any longer.

“You what?” Stevie looks stunned.

“I didn’t want to blurt it out like this, but it’s true. I love you, Stevie. The way you care for not only me, but Caleb? You’re one of the only people in my life who doesn’t care that I play hockey. I love you, Stevie, and I wish I could protect you from this, but I can’t, and for that, I’m sorry.”

“Stop it.” She places her hand over my mouth. “Bode, I love you. I love Caleb. As much as you think this is your fault, it’s not. Whoever decided to out us? It’s their fault. They can say whatever they want about us, but we know the truth.”

I smile against her hand and pull it off. “You love me?”

She runs her hands through my messy hair, rubbing my cheek. “Of course I do. You’re the only person who has never made me feel less than because of my past. I feel my most authentic and beautiful with you, Bode, and I never want to lose this feeling.”

“I love you, Stevie. Even if you think you’re really good at board games, when it’s just luck.”

“Hey.” She smacks my chest. “I am good.”

I nod, smirking at her as I push her back into the soft pillows of the bed. “Okay, babe.”

“See if I play any more games with you.”

I laugh, easing the tension that’s gathered in my shoulders.

“This is why I love you.”

“Because I beat you at board games?”

I kiss her, soft and sweet. Maybe the best kiss of my life. “Among other things.”

Stevie sighs, pulling me in close. “So, what do we do?”

We .

I’m not alone in this. It’s the two of us.

“I’ll work with the PR team to get ahead of it, but it might get worse before it gets better.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’ll have each other to weather the storm together.”

“God, I love you.”

Now that I’ve said it, I can’t hold it back. I want to shower Stevie in all the love I never got. To let her feel it every single day.

Whatever happens, come what may.

We’ll handle it together.