Page 5 of Secret Baby with My One Timer

Chapter 2

Taylor

Two Years Later

“Oh, that was brutal,” I groan into Holly’s hair. Watching my friend, Mia’s husband, Adam, darting around the ice, dodging sly hooks and being checked into the boards.

“I know.”

I know the game terrifies Mia. Sometimes emotions run wild. Sometimes old rivalries run harder.

Tonight is the same. Mia is screaming at the players. At least any of them who go anywhere near to her husband. He’s been hurt before. Head concussions, broken limbs, and too many bruises to count.

It doesn’t stop him. He loves the game.

But tonight he is playing against his biggest nemesis, Oliver Peckham of the New York Stars. The man responsible for one of his past injuries.

The crowd roars when a player is hook-checked, resulting in him landing with a thump on the ice. The referee calls a penalty, sending the guilty player into the sin-bin. I’m just glad for the game to stop for a moment and my heart rate to slow.

“Someone is going to get hurt.” I shake my head and look at the cartoon on the iPad screen. Glad that Holly is wearing her noise reducing earphones that look enormous on her little body.

The game starts again. And being a player up, New York has the advantage and takes ownership of the ice. Oliver skates past us, showing off his exceptional skills, darting through our team’s defense with lightning speed. He flicks the puck to Oscar Bridge.

I know who Oscar Bridge is. Mainly because his father is the owner of the very club where I sold my virginity, Club X. Resulting in this little girl in my arms.

Mia screams beside me when Oscar slides the puck back to Oliver, setting him up with the perfect scoring opportunity. He finds the back of the net with the puck, the horn blasts, and the New York fans make as much noise with their cheering.

The game restarts.

Adam tackles and wins the play. Mia sits on the edge of her seat, biting the inside of her cheeks as she nervously watches her husband push himself hard with every shift.

I get as uneasy as Mia does whenever Adam plays. I can’t forget the night Oliver Peckham knocked him into the board, knocking him so hard it knocked him out. It was a dirty tactic to get him out of the game.

The energy in the arena changes. Fans stand, waiting with bated breath as our team glides in unison across the ice.

The puck passes to Adam, who quickly flicks it to his teammate, setting him up with the perfect scoring opportunity.

Mia’s hand lands on my forearm as she waits with a scream sitting on the edge of her lips. And when the puck sails past the goalie’s outstretched hand and slams into the back of the net, she yells and the crowd erupts.

The final buzzer sounds, and despite the New Yorker’s brilliant goals near the end of play, it’s Adam’s team that emerges as winners.

Mia screams as her husband skates to the glass. She rushes toward it, and they give each other air kisses, obviously not touching the glass.

The other players skate around the ice, clapping their hands at the crowd. I stand next to Mia, placing Holly on the ledge, smiling as she bangs on the glass, trying to get Adam’s attention.

“Well done,” I mouth to Adam over the blaring of the arena.

“Cheers,” he says as Oliver slaps him on the back.

“I hate that man,” I say to Mia, side eyeing him.

“He’s settled down now. He isn’t so desperate for his place. Hockey players are hungry for their place. I get it now.”

“Mmm.” I’m not convinced.

Oliver may be one of the best at what he does, but I still don’t like the way he got there. “I’m desperate to go to the bathroom,” I say. Not wanting a conversation about him, anyway. “Then I need to change Holly.”

“You go first. I’ll take Holly with me, and I’ll see you next to the changing rooms. Your VIP pass will get you through.” Mia takes Holly in her arms.

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