Page 60 of Power Play
"Lacey's little sister Savannah's nursery was a woodland theme. We hadn't talked about it... but I thought it'd be nice..."
Lacey sobs a little harder against my chest. I hold her head to my chest and simply breathe with her. I'm glad we have Ben. I never would have known that about her sister. I wouldn't have even known what to ask.
I give Ben a nod. He did good with this.
Instead of placating her - something I don't have the patience for - I drag her to the middle of the nursery and sit, crossing my legs, on the floor. I pull Lacey on top of me so she's straddling my lap.
Jonesy takes one of the gliders while Ben sits behind her, offering a comforting hand on her back.
"Darling?" I ask, tipping her head backwards and wiping the tears from her cheeks. Her face is red and blotchy from crying, and I hate any amount of pain she must feel, but we need to have this conversation. "Why are you crying?"
She sniffs, her lower lip quivering. "I... I..." her face screws up adorably, like she's almost confused by the question.
So, Ben answers for her. "She's not used to having people in her corner. People who consider her and her needs. People who want to take care of her. I did what I could when we were kids, but I didn't have the time or the means to really care for her the way she deserves. She's just figuring out what that looks like."
She gasps. "That's it exactly. I never thought I'd have anyone, let alone three someones, that take care of me so well. I was pretty certain I'd spend the rest of my days alone... working and alone..."
I nod, letting the silence settle in between us.
Until Ben speaks up. "Do you ever think that maybe Savannah had something to do with this?"
Lacey's head perks up as she turns in my arms to consider him. I wrap both of my arms tight around her waist and hold her against me. She tilts her head in question at him.
"Like, maybe she saw how alone you were, so she sent you three men to love and adore you and not one, but two babies to raise in all that love?"
Lacey runs her hands over my forearms in thought.
"That's it, isn't it? Divine sisterly love from the grave." Garrett snarks, but it doesn't hold the bite it usually does.
I squeeze her tighter, resting my chin on her shoulder. "What Jonesy'stryingto say," I narrow my eyes at him, "…is that no matter what happens, you have alotof people in your corner now, and you always will. We can't control or predict what will happen, but no matter what, you're here, you're protected, and you're loved."
I haven't said those exact words to her yet, but I squeeze her again for emphasis. I want her to be in a better mindset before I break out the whole 'I love you' and 'will you stay with me forever' conversation.
But she has to know that's where we all are, right?
Chapter thirty-four
Lacey
Another fairly uneventful month flies by. The babies are the size of plums and my morning sickness is almost completely gone. I'm only left with an insatiable appetite for the three men in my life and a craving for limes.
We've honestly all been so busy with work and travel and Ben's rehab and exploring this new, complicated relationship without rules, that I haven't had the time or energy to spiral, stress about my sister, or worry about the pregnancy.
Small blessings in disguise I guess.
Tracey still watches me every time we're in the same room together, but she's stopped going after my guys. Which kind of feels like the calm before the storm, but I'm taking it a day at a time and focusing on what I can control.
We're in Vegas on another long away leg. How the fuck do pregnant women do this? Exhaustion doesn't even begin to express how I feel. Mybonesare tired.
And I'm starting to show. I've been easily hiding my bump under scrubs one size too large, but now even those don't hide it anymore.
Okay, that part makes me smile. I've got the cutest little baby bump. Which is a feeling I never thought I'd feel. I'd never dreamed about marriage and a family.
Tonight is Ben's first day back on the ice. He followed every instruction and his range of motion looks good. As long as he can avoid another fall like that, and maintains his shoulder, he should befine. It still makes me anxious, but that's the life of a hockey girlfriend, I guess. They get hurt. A lot. It's part of the job.
Garrett is late for our meeting. We're supposed to meet before our game against the Vegas Golden Knights to discuss his warm-up routine and plan a better recovery routine.
It's not like him to be late. In the beginning he was an ass to me professionally, but he's been so much better. I'm seeing more and more of Garrett, and less and less of Jonesy. He still hasn't confided in me why he's so defensive and standoffish to the general public, but I trust him.
