Page 146 of ICED
Sophie winces and grabs the back of a chair, staring at the floor. “Okay. That one was real and my waters just broke. We should go.”
Maya steps forward. “You need anything?”
Sophie nods. “Can you text my mum?”
Maya pulls out her phone. “Already on it.”
Murphy shouts back as Mia herds him and Sophie out the door, “Don’t let anyone touch the brownies!”
Ollie salutes. “Godspeed!”
The door slams.
And then there were five.
Lila looks up from her seat. “Is the baby coming?”
I scoop her into my arms. “Looks like it, Jellybean. Auntie Sophie’s going to have your new favourite cousin.”
She gasps. “Can I name him?!”
“I think that’s up to Uncle Murph and Auntie Sophie.”
“Mr Bear Jr.,” she declares.
Maya chokes on a laugh.
Ollie claps once. “Right. Back to business. I’m not goinganywhere until this whole Jamie mess is sorted. I’ll sleep on the couch. Keep watch.”
I eye him. “You serious?”
He shrugs. “Dude. That creep threatenedour family.”
My throat gets tight.
Ollie claps me on the shoulder. “Besides, you think I’d leave knowing your sourdough starter is unguarded?”
Maya grins. “Dave is sacred.”
“Exactly.”
I look around the room, at Ollie with his ridiculous charts, Mia’s half-empty brownie tin, Lila yawning in my arms.
And Maya. My girl. Brave as hell, even when she doesn’t feel it. We’re not out of the woods. But we’re not alone either. And for tonight, that’s enough.
Dylan lingers by the door, his coat already on, helmet under his arm. He’s been quietly gathering empty takeaway boxes, doing the dishes no one asked him to. His energy’s been gentler than usual all evening, a bit softer around the edges.
“Alright,” he says, stepping toward Maya with a hesitant look. “I’m gonna head out. You good?”
She nods, arms folded loosely around herself. “Yeah. I think so.”
He leans in, wrapping her in a tight hug that lifts her slightly onto her toes. “You’re not alone in this, yeah? You don’t have to be. Coach and the management team are all over this. The legal team are looking into options and we’ll tie him knots. He won’t get near you at the rink, and we’ll cover the rest. We’ve got you.”
Her voice is quiet when she answers. “Thanks, Dyl.”
He nods once at me as he pulls away. “You call if you need anything. Any hour. I don’t care.”
“Appreciate it,” I say, clapping him on the shoulder.
