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Chapter Sixteen

Troy

The baby’s wailing slices through the stillness of the morning, pulling me from a restless sleep. Rubbing my eyes, I sit up, trying to shake off the fog. “What the hell, Noah?” I grumble, swinging my legs off the bed.

I stumble into the nursery, where the little guy is kicking and squirming in his crib. “Hey there, buddy,” I murmur, reaching down to scoop him into my arms. He’s squishy and warm against my chest, but his cries pierce right through me.

“Okay, okay. Let’s see what’s going on.” I lift him to check his diaper, and sure enough, the kid’s soaked. “Great. Just what I wanted at six in the morning.”

I set Noah down on the changing table, unfastening his onesie. “All right, let’s get you sorted.” I’m about to grab a fresh diaper when Noah lets loose, soaking me with a fountain of baby pee.

“What the?” I jump back, laughing uncontrollably. “You little monster!” I wipe my face with my arm, half-amused and half-disgusted.

Just then, the door swings open, and Savannah rushes in, wide-eyed. “What’s going on in here?”

“Noah decided to give me a shower,” I say, still chuckling. “I was changing him, and he peed all over me.”

She laughs, shaking her head. “Need help?”

“Yes, please.” I pull off my shirt and toss it aside, the cold air hitting my skin. “This isn’t exactly how I envisioned my morning.”

Her eyes dart away, and I can’t help but smirk. “Just grab me the wipes.” I like the idea of her being affected by seeing me naked. It strokes my ego, I won’t lie. She has not seen the best version of me the last few days so, this feels like a little win for me.

“Right.” She’s quick to help, moving to the changing table. “Okay, little man, let’s get you cleaned up.”

I step into the powder bath to wash my face, then I come back to watch her work, noting how she’s gentle and focused. It’s kind of incredible. “You’re a pro at this,” I comment.

“Just a lot of practice with my cousins,” she replies, her concentration unbroken. “And my brother’s kids.”

“Lucky Noah.” I can’t help but admire how natural she is with him. “You’re a natural.”

Once she’s got him all cleaned up, she lifts Noah into her arms. “Let’s feed you, huh?”

“Yeah, okay.” I nod, grabbing another shirt from the pile on the floor. “Why were you up, anyway?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” she admits, glancing at me as she prepares the formula. “Too much on my mind.”

“Same.” I lean against the counter, watching her. It’s nice being here with her, even if it is a chaotic start to the day. “You’re doing really good with him, you know that?”

She smiles at me, and I can’t help but return it. “Thanks. You are too, Troy.”

“Yeah? I’m still panicking half the time,” I admit, scratching my head. “I don’t want him to feel unwanted or anything.”

“You’re doing better than you think,” she says softly. “You want to try feeding him?”

“Sure.” I step closer, taking Noah from her. He nestles right into my arms, and it’s a wild feeling, like I’m doing something important. “How do I do this?”

“Just hold him like that and tilt the bottle,” she instructs, guiding my hand. I follow her lead, and Noah starts sucking greedily. “See? You’ve got this.”

“Man, this is kind of nice,” I say, watching the baby’s little face. “I could get used to this.”

“Me too.” Savannah’s voice is warm, and I glance up at her, catching her smile. “I think he really likes you.”

“Noah’s just smart,” I chuckle. “He knows a good dad when he sees one.”

“Dad? Is that what you’re calling yourself now?” She raises an eyebrow, teasing.

“I have been toying with the idea of it. I know Jamie thinks I don’t want this kid. Maybe you do too, but I feel like you guys don’t understand just how much energy a baby needs.”

“We get it…” she says.

“I don’t think Jamie does. See, one of my friends, Axel, he’s on the team with us. He is married to Jared’s sister. He and the Coach and another guy on the team married her…long story…but they recently had twins, and damn! Axel is dead on his feet every day.”

“Twins?” she asks.

“Yeah. And with all the help he gets, they are still scrambling to stay afloat. Now imagine me and Jamie. It’s a lot of work.”

“Jamie gets it, Troy. He’s not as shocked as you are. He is so excited by the idea of a baby that that is all he is choosing to focus on.” Savannah leans against the counter, crossing her arms. “Your feelings are valid, though. You clearly care about Jamie. And I can tell you care about Noah, too.”

“Yeah, I do.” I sigh, glancing down at Noah. “It’s just…I don’t know how to handle all this. It feels like everything’s happening too fast.”

“Maybe it is. But you’re doing the best you can.” She steps closer, her eyes soft. “How about I come with you to the hospital visit tomorrow?”

I look up, genuinely touched. “Really? You’d do that for me?”

“Of course. You shouldn’t go alone,” she says simply. “And since it’s six and we’re already awake, how about I make us breakfast?”

“Sounds perfect.” I smile.

As I watch her pull out eggs and bacon, it’s like a scene from a movie. The way she moves, focused and confident, makes my chest warm. “You’re really good at this,” I say, leaning against the wall.

“Thanks. Just trying to help out,” she replies, not looking up from the stove.

“How’d you end up single? You clearly feel very strongly about having a family, and you mentioned that none of the guys you are ever with want kids. How does that even happen?”

“Long story, bad luck, I don’t know.” She chuckles. “It’s been one hell of a ride.”

“Maybe I’ll get the full scoop over breakfast.”

She glances at me with a playful smirk. “If you’re lucky.”

“I’d say I’m pretty damn lucky already.” I can’t help but smile as I watch her work, feeling a sense of comfort that I didn’t expect.

“Are the holidays your favorite time of the year?” I ask her as we wander back to the kitchen.

She grins at me over her shoulder. “Oh gosh, yes. My mom always made a big deal about them. We always had this massive tree that we could barely get lights on, and my mom and I would bake treats for days. It was so special.”

I smile. “That sounds really nice.”

She frowns a little. “This past Christmas was…bad…but I am vowing to make this Christmas the best one ever.”

“Well, you have some months to plan it out, for sure,” I say with a laugh.

She wags a finger at me. “Christmas takes a whole year to plan if you want it to be epic. I’ve already started Christmas shopping, and I’ve updated my Pinterest boards a zillion times. I have so many ideas.”

“Well, I can’t wait to see them,” I tell her, and I mean it.

She shoots me a look I can’t quite decipher, but then nods.

Savannah’s at the stove, humming softly as she works.

Noah, who’s wide awake, gives her his full, fascinated attention from his position in my arms.

“Almost ready, little guy,” she says with a grin, reaching out to brush his tiny hand. He coos, kicking his legs excitedly.

I can’t help but smile at the scene. Savannah’s got this weird calming effect on everyone, including me. Watching her with Noah, I feel something settle in my chest. For once, things feel…manageable.

I’m pouring coffee when there’s a knock at the door. Savannah glances over, eyebrows raised, but I just shrug, walking over to open it.

Jamie stands there in full gear, his Icebreakers jersey on and bag slung over his shoulder, looking like he’s stepped straight off the ice. But what catches my attention isn’t Jamie. It’s Savannah. Her whole demeanor changes. Her smile fades, her shoulders stiffen, and she looks anywhere but at him.

“Jamie,” I say, surprised. “Didn’t think you’d be back this soon.”

“Yeah, well,” he says, stepping inside and dropping his bag near the door. “Thought I’d swing by and check in. Plus, I’ve got something for you.”

I glance back at Savannah, who’s gone back to the stove, her attention focused a little too intensely on the pan in front of her. Something’s up between those two.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. But what, exactly? That part’s still fuzzy.

Jamie walks into the kitchen, looking around like he’s trying to gauge the vibe. He nods at Noah, giving him a little wave, but his eyes keep flicking to Savannah, who’s staying as close to the stove as humanly possible.

“Everything okay, Savannah?” I ask casually.

Her head snaps up, a forced smile plastered on her face. “Yeah. Just focused on getting breakfast ready.”

Jamie raises an eyebrow, glancing between the two of us, clearly noticing the tension. But he doesn’t say anything, just moves to the counter, grabbing a coffee mug.