Page 24 of The Hockey Stud

“Yeah, sure,” I reply, unable to suppress a grin. I lean casually against the doorjamb, making it clear I’m in no hurry, and add, “No rush.”

Her eyes narrow in irritation, clearly not amused by my attempt at humor. She strides purposefully toward me, her bare feet making soft sounds on the floor, and with one swift motion, she shoves me out of the room. Before I can react, she slams the door in my face, leaving me standing in the hallway, still reeling from the unexpected encounter.

What the fuck!

I remain utterly bewildered when, just five minutes later, she reappears dressed casually in a pair of shorts and a baggy t-shirt. Without hesitation, she introduces herself. “I’m Maggie Hilton. Dover’s sister,” she announces as soon as she appears, her tone matter-of-fact but not unfriendly. “Dover doesn’t know I’m here,” she adds, glancing around as if expecting him to materialize at any moment.

My mouth falls open in surprise, and for a moment, I struggle to process the situation. I vaguely recall Dover mentioning that he has a sister who works as a nurse, though we never discussed her in detail. “The nurse, right?” I ask, hoping I haven’t confused her with someone else.

She nods in confirmation. “Yes,” she replies simply, her expression unreadable.

I hesitate for a moment, unsure how much she knows about Dover’s current living situation. “He’s moved in with his—” I begin, but I stop myself, not wanting to reveal that Dover is gay if she isn’t already aware.

She finishes the sentence for me, her voice calm and unbothered. “Boyfriend,” she says, meeting my eyes.

I wince, feeling awkward for having brought it up. “Yeah, sorry. I wasn’t sure if you knew,” I admit, my voice apologetic.

Maggie shrugs, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips. “I knew before he did,” she says with a hint of amusement. “Although I didn’t know he’d moved out. We haven’t really been in touch for a while,” she adds, her tone turning a bit more subdued as she glances away.

Taking a moment to collect myself, I hand her a bottle of water and lean against the kitchen counter, curiosity getting the better of me. “Okay then. So, why the unexpected visit to Boston?” I ask, genuinely interested in what brought her here unannounced.

“I really needed a break, so I decided on a whim that I’d pay Dover a surprise visit,” she says, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of pink as she speaks. “Looks like I managed to surprise you in more ways than one, didn’t I?” she adds with a nervous laugh, glancing away shyly.

“You could say that again,” I mutter quietly, not quite meeting her eyes. There’s a lingering sense that she’s holding something back, that her explanation isn’t the whole truth, and I wonder what she might be hiding.

The silence between us lingers, growing heavier with each passing moment, until she finally bursts out, unable to contain herself any longer. “I’m pregnant.” Her voice trembles with a mixture of fear and vulnerability. “I lost my job.” She takes a shaky breath before continuing, her words tumbling out in a rush. “And to make things worse, the baby’s sperm donor keeps harassing me, pressuring me to have an abortion. He won’t leave me alone, but I’ve made up my mind—This is my baby, and he can go fuck himself!” Overwhelmed by the weight of her circumstances, she looks at me, her eyes brimming with desperation.

“That’s why you left town?”

She nods, and a silent tear trickles down her cheek.

I’m a sucker for a woman in need.

The End