Page 53 of Seal the Deal

Mrs. Lopez hesitates. “It was about his accent, Ms. Andrews. Some of the kids were teasing him for the way he pronounces certain words. I’ve spoken to the other students involved, and we’re addressing it, but I thought you should be aware.”

My heart sinks. “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll come pick him up shortly.” I hang up, a heavy weight settling in my chest.

Zoe’s frown deepens. “What’s wrong?”

“Noah’s had a rough day.Some kid was bullying him, and he lashed out.”

Zoe’s expression darkens as she swings her feet off the desk. “What the hell? Is he okay?”

“They said he’s not in trouble.” I take a deep breath, staring down at my phone, trying to process it all.

“Areyouokay?”

I nod, but I’m not. I’m stressed, worried, and angry all at once. Noah’s been so excited about school, and now he’s being teased for something he can’t control. And I’m the one who did this. I moved him here, to this new country, and he’s paying the price. And on top of that, this will be perfect ammunition for Alex. The kids need to be happy and settled here, or he’ll insist they come back to New Zealand.

Zoe watches me closely, her usual playfulness gone. “What were they bullying him about?”

I swallow, the words thick in my throat. “His accent. They’re teasing him for the way he talks. He’s been trying so hard to fit in, and now…”

Zoe reaches across the desk, resting a hand on mine. “Charlie, you’re doing your best. Noah’s lucky to have you. And you’re not alone, okay? You’ve got people who care about you and the kids.”

I squeeze her hand, grateful for the support but feeling the weight of my worries pressing down. “Thanks, Zo. I’m gonna head home and pick him up myself today. I need to be there.”

As I gather my things, Zoe stands, still looking at me thoughtfully. “I’m heading to the arena soon, but if you need me to come kick some elementary kid’s punk ass, I will.”

I manage a grin, but the idea of leaning on anyone else right now feels wrong. The fact I even have to text Alex to update him on this is doing my head in. I’ve always handled these things on my own. It’s not just pride; it’s about protecting my kids from any more upheaval.

“Nah, I’ll deal with it.”

***

Jake

The pucks echo off the boards as morning skate wraps up. It’s been a pretty good session. But even as I go through the motions, my mind keeps drifting back to Charlotte. It’s been days now since she came to my condo, and we haven’t seen each other since. I’m not sure how much longer I can go without seeing her, and the thought of it gnaws at me.

As I unlace my skates in the locker room, footsteps echo in the corridor, followed by Zoe’s familiar voice. She’s chatting with a few staff members, but when she spots me, she waves them off and heads straight over.

“Hey, superstar,” she says with a small smile, but there’s something serious in her eyes that puts me on alert.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” I stand, tossing my skates into my bag.

“I have a meeting upstairs. But, uh… I wanted to talk to you first,” she says, her tone shifting from playful to concerned.

“What’s up?”

She hesitates, glancing around to make sure we’re out of earshot of the other guys, then lowers her voice. “It’s Charlie. Noah had a rough day at school. He got into a scuffle with some kids who were picking on him because of his accent.”

A surge of protectiveness rises in my chest. “What?Is he okay?”

She nods quickly, probably noting the fire in my eyes. “Yeah, he’s okay. Charlie’s heading home now so she can go pick him up herself,” Zoe explains. “But she’s spiralling a bit. She feels like it’s her fault for bringing the kids here, for uprooting their lives. And you know how she is—she’s trying to handle everything on her own.”

I frown, shaking my head. “She doesn’t have to handle it alone.”

Zoe sighs. “You know what she’s like, she doesn’t ask for help even when she’s stressing out. And I bet Alex won't help matters when he finds out.”

I let out a slow breath through my nose, jaw clenched tight at the mention of his name. I’ve seen the stress he puts on her, how it weighs on her every decision.

And now, knowing that Noah’s being bullied over something as simple as his accent—something tied to where he comes from, where theyallcome from—it’s no wonder she’s feeling overwhelmed. It doesn’t sit right that she's doing this alone, bearing all that weight when I could be there.

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