Page 13 of Betrothal or Breakaway

They all groan.

“Oh, I hate that!” This comes from Mel.

Noel glances across the ice and bursts into laughter. “Don’t look now, but I think Mitch ‘The Machine’ is a little terrified.”

We all look up and see Mitch, West, Colby, and Ford staring at us. Mitch’s eyes are wide, and his skin is pale. He’s clearly a little freaked to see his fiancée doting over a baby.

Andie grins at him and blows him a kiss before returning her focus to Nella.

Colby says something to Mitch, and they all break into laughter, except Mitch. The joke must’ve been at his expense.

I chuckle. “Mitch realizes babies aren’t contagious, right?” I ask in a teasing tone.

“He’ll be okay.” Andie grins. “It’s good for him to be a little scared once in a while, ya know?”

“When is your wedding?” I ask, having a hard time picturing the large, grumpy athlete marrying this bright ray of sunshine.

“Right after Christmas! I can’t wait.” Her gaze flits up to her fiancé again, who’s now holding a kitten while a photographer moves him in front of the cameras.

Mel snickers. “Mitch with a kitten is something I never thought I’d see. He’s usually plowing into his opponents. Sometimes after a hit the other player will fly several feet before landing.”

Noel and I grimace. But Andie looks on and sighs happily. “I love how powerful he is.”

“Better wear a helmet on your honeymoon,” Mel teases, making Andie laugh.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be prepared.” Andie winks.

“Ew.” Noel rolls her eyes. “Okay, my turn with the baby.”

Noel’s face morphs into a gooey expression as she reaches for Nella. Nella is sleeping through all the fuss. Up until now, Nella had been held by myself…our doctors and nurses, my daycare lady, and Ford.

I kind of wish she was awake to appreciate it all, I think to myself but regret it a few seconds later when she abruptly wakes up. Noel is trying so hard to hold Nella in a way that will make her comfortable, but it’s just not working. I wrinkle my nose and stand to take her from Noel.

“Sorry, she’s probably getting hungry.”

Noel reluctantly hands her back to me.

CHAPTER

SEVEN

FORD

“Moms are hot,” Bruce says, his eyes as wide as they can possibly go as he stares at the girls sitting on the bleachers. The girls who are taking turns cooing over and adoring the baby.

I swallow, suppressing the sudden urge to slam my fist into his sharp jaw. She’s my friend. There’s no reason to be jealous. She’s my friend.

Colby studies me with concern, an astuteness in his eyes that wasn’t there before he met Noel. Before Noel, he thought only of himself most of the time.

I clear my throat, which Bruce either doesn’t hear or completely ignores. “I mean, wow. I would’ve never guessed she just had a baby.”

West slugs him in the shoulder, and since he’s not wearing his goalie padding, he rubs at the area where West’s fist landed. “What was that for?”

West, Colby and even Mitch glance at me. Am I that transparent? Surely, the feelings I’ve harbored for Amber since I was eight aren’t that obvious. What if Amber has sensed them all this time and felt sorry for me? The thought makes my gut twist.

Colby elbows Mitch in the side. “I think your girl wants a baby, dude.”

Terror washes over Mitch Anderson’s face before he eases it back into his familiar scowl. “One year of wedded bliss, then I’ll give her all the babies she wants.”

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