Page 37 of Break

It’s going to be hard to get them happy with me again.

I just hope I can do it sooner… rather than later.

Chapter 9

Marie

__________

Alyssa and Caroline help me with my makeup and hair as we wait for everyone to arrive for the party. I can’t believe how many people are coming but the girls wouldn’t take no for an answer.

They’ve been annoying me for days. They act as if I secretly know what I’m having. Either through intuition or I’m lying about not knowing. I have no idea what I could have done to prove I have no fucking idea. But here we go, the day is here.

I shoo them out of the room so I can squeeze into the gorgeous lavender colored maternity dress I bought last week and smile at myself in the mirror. I already look full-term and am just barely ‘half-way’. I’m uncomfortable and tire so easily, but Dr. Patterson is a lifesaver and hired someone to help me out at the rink so that I don’t have to do much of anything except quick exams, stitches, icing injuries, and yelling at the team about keeping the fights clean. And he gets some days and nights off now.

This is his passion. Hockey. And I have a feeling he’s ready to just sell the clinics and focus his time on the team.

I wouldn’t be surprised.

“Marie! People are starting to show up!”

I bend down to get my gold sandals on my sad, swollen feet and head out to the front door. I smile and hug Logan, his fiancée Bianca, and Blake. Landon and Nolan have been here since eight AM, and just left again to pick up the desserts not too long ago.

I’m not sure who else is coming, aside from the Evans family – including Brenton – and supposedly James. I let Nolan invite the whole team, but I’m only super close to a handful of them.

Mostly the first line because of James, the guys that have been there for years.

“Hey! Thank you for coming,” I step back and show everyone into the living room. There’s a table set up for gifts and another for everyone to sign a book. There’s even a Photo Booth out back, the jacuzzi is lit up and warmed. The smoker is ready, and there are more tables outside, along with standing heaters to keep everyone warm.

We’ve had some snow lately, but nothing too crazy yet.

Bianca winks at me as she heads straight to the gift table and drops off five bags that she’s grabbed from the group she entered with. I roll my eyes lovingly at her and grab a glass of lemonade from the kitchen before I work on putting some music channel on the TV.

Bianca looks adorable in a pair of white jeans, a blue top, and her dark blonde hair is pinned up. Her massiveengagement ring flashes in the sunlight that’s streaming through the windows.

I’m so damn happy for them. Even after all of the drama with the team, the owners, and her management team, they pulled through and are finally getting married. I hope I find that type of love one day.

Blake comes up from behind and hugs me, loudly kissing the back of my head. “Congrats again, little M. You’ll have to let us all take you shopping once the genders are revealed.”

I shake my head and spin around, sending him a look. “No! No shopping. The girls are already itching to spend all of my money on the babies!”

He winks at me and rubs his fingers through his red hair. “Good. We’ll all pitch in.” I stick my tongue out at him and sit down to watch as the girls form a small group with Bianca and Logan, murmuring lowly, little shits. Probably trying to get everyone to help with the nurseries. I never got around to setting up an office space, so I still have two empty rooms. If the babies are opposite genders, then I’ll be putting together two separate rooms. Christ.

They’ll both be in my room with me for several months, probably for the first year from what I’ve read, so I’m not too worried about the separate bedrooms for later on.

About an hour later the house is packed. The entire team showed up, and even James just stepped through. Alone, shockingly.

God he looks so good. Still a little sad, but he cut his hair and is wearing nice clothes. His muscles bunch as he stalks in and glances around, smiling widely at me and the twins.

My brows raised quite high at him actually being alone. I was expecting him to go back on his word. Of course his gorgeous arms are littered in colorful, massive gift bags. Several of them. When did he have time for shopping and a haircut?

Nolan shows him to the overflowing gift table and Dr. Patterson, Annika, and Patti all show up last.

I walk around, giving hugs, making small talk with everyone. The WAGs have always been friendly, but I really only get along with Bianca. I’m actually surprised that Daniel and Charlie haven’t shown up.

Then again, probably not a good idea with how much alcohol is around the house and backyard. It would be a buzzkill for the poor team. He can really be a dick sometimes.

This is incredible, though. I never imagined I would have this much support. After everything fell through with James for all those months, I just assumed that it would all be a mess and I would just be with the girls.

---