“Yeah, but if he’s dying, it wouldn’t matter whether I was in the hospital waiting room, wasting my time, or I’m on the ice with you or my team. Honestly, I think he’d rather I’m on the ice than doing nothing.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, the unwell feeling in my stomach refusing to settle. “We can skip today, Reece. Don’t worry about the competition or your game. Everyone will understand.”
“The distraction will be good for me,” he insisted. “I can’t stay here. I’m losing my mind.”
“Okay.” I still thought he should’ve stayed at the hospital, but I couldn’t force him to stay there. “Please, drive safe.”
“I will, mi princesa,” he replied. “Will you wait outside for me?”
“Of course. I love you.”
“I love you.”
41
REECE
Brooke and I were lucky that we weren’t supposed to be on the ice for another two hours, so when the initial twenty-minute ride over to the arena turned into forty, it wasn’t half as bad.
The first thing I did when I saw my fiancée standing in front of the arena was to just hug her. In Brooke’s arms, everything seemed a little less painful. She was the steady that kept me sane, the support I really could’ve needed back at the hospital.
But I had her now, and that had to have been enough.
“I am so, so sorry, Reece,” she whispered as she buried her face deeper into my chest. I wrapped my arms tightly around her, never wanting to let go.
“It’s fine,” I replied. “I’m fine.”
“Baby, I know you’re not.” Brooke looked up at me, but I just couldn’t bring myself to look her in the eyes. As much as she tried hiding those tears in her voice, I knew they were there… and if I saw them, I’d crack, too.
All I wanted was to go inside that stupid arena, get changed, and be done with this whole day, but even if we’d rushed it now, time wouldn’t have passed quicker.
“Did you tell your dad?” I asked, needing to prepare myself for possible impending hugs.
“Eden knows. He was with me when I called you.”
“Right.” I finally allowed myself to look at my fiancée, slightly pulling away from our hug to give myself a better view of her. “What’s that stuff you said about Millie and Erik?”
Brooke’s red-rimmed eyes rolled. “It’s not important right?—”
“Please, just tell me,” I practically begged. “It’ll keep my head occupied for a bit.”
She sighed softly. “There’s honestly not much to say. Apparently, she’s his stepmom, and she’s not very fond of you. I don’t quite understand why she cares so much about our relationship when she couldn’t even bother to be mymother.”
“I’ll ask Ming to get some information out of Fynn. I’d ask, but I doubt Fynn would even want to speak to me.”
“Their whole family dynamic confuses me,” she admitted. “I mean, Erik is Millie’s stepson… and Fynn’s Erik’s stepbrother. But Fynn can’t possibly be Millie’s biological son as he’s older than me by a few months, and I’m pretty sure Dad would’ve told me if I had a twin brother. It’s… weird.”
“Fynn looks nothing like your dad or Emory anyway.” Aside from the blond hair and the green eyes.
“I love how you compare him to Emory, not that stupid woman.” She smiled at me softly, it wasn’t as bright as always, but given the circumstances, it was more than enough.
Brooke’s smile was something so extraordinary that I couldn’t get enough of it. It melted parts inside of me that I didn’t know could turn into liquids. It was so captivating, it almost brought peace to my racing mind.
“That woman’s not worth mentioning,” I said to which Brooke nodded in agreement. “Let’s go inside,mi princesa. I still have to get changed.”
42
REECE
