“All you need to know is yes, he’s good, which I’m sure you expected.” I head into my texts to see if there’s anything there and find one from Aiden from the middle of the night.
I guess he’s still helping to clear things up with Ford’s parents and their PR rep, putting a plan together. He and Maksim are staying for moral support because Ford’s dad is being an asshole, but he’ll come by afterward.
“Well, I’m sure he’s no Tweetie, but I’m glad you finally got some. Where is he? Lying next to you? Please don’t tell me his head is between your legs right now.”
“Tedi! Get your mind out of the gutter. He had to run out.”
“Oh.” The excitement in her voice fades.
“What does that mean?”
“Like, after you had sex with him, he had to run out?”
I get what she’s saying, but she has it all wrong. “He told me why, I just can’t tell you. It’s legit. Not for cigarettes or something.”
“Unless it was for more condoms, his ass should be in that bed with you.”
If I could tell Tedi, she’d understand, but I can’t at this point. It’s Ford’s business. “Let it go.”
“I don’t like it,” she says.
“You don’t have to. I do.”
She sighs. “Anyway, I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but what exactly did you tell him? Doesn’t he think you’re still dating Joran?”
Oh shit.
“Um…” I completely forgot about that.
She laughs again. “I love this. Your love life is always better than mine.”
“I’ll just tell him it’s over and that will be it.”
“Okay, and on your way back from fairy tale land, can you grab some of Rapunzel’s hair so I can remain youthful?”
“I gotta go,” I tell her and hang up because her sarcastic attitude isn’t helping, plus she’s putting doubts in my head about Aiden.
I try to shake it off, hoping Aiden returns soon. The longer he’s away, the more I’m starting to feel like an actual puck bunny.
Chapter Twenty-One
Aiden
“I finally get her, and you drag me out of bed for this.” I slide into Ford’s car outside the hotel. He’s obviously been home since he’s driving his Aston Martin.
Maksim’s in the back, looking about as comfortable as an elephant on a life raft.
“You do know you’re a fucking hockey player, right? Couldn’t you buy something that fits your size?” I try to stretch out my legs but there’s not enough room.
I don’t even have my seat belt on before Ford slams on the gas. “My dad’s ready to have my ass and make me work for the family business. This is the last straw. If this is legit and I have a public pregnancy with some one-night stand.” He shakes his head.
“I told you condoms are your friends,” Maksim says from the back seat.
All I can think about is how I just had sex without a condom with Saige, a woman I’ve only known for a couple of months. But then I relax because this is Saige I’m talking about. I trust her.
“We’ve all been here, right?” Ford says, needing to make himself feel better.
Ford lives his life with reckless abandon. He doesn’t think of consequences and lives in the moment. Sometimes I think it’s because he was born wanting nothing except a hockey career. Once he got that, it almost made him feel untouchable.
“Can’t say I have. You, Mak?”
Maksim groans. “Can we please just get there? I can’t feel my fucking legs.”
“Come on, guys. What am I gonna do? A baby?” Ford’s hands tighten on the steering wheel.
I shrug. “Hey, I might not change diapers, but I’m here for you. We’ll get this figured out. First line of business is making sure it’s yours.”
Ford nods as though it sounds like a good plan, then he zooms into the parking garage of the condo building where his parents’ penthouse is. “Thanks for coming. You know my dad won’t go nearly as ballistic with you two here.”
“You owe me big. Like, give me this car big,” I say.
He parks in his designated spot and we all file out, Maksim stretching and limping.
“So tell us what happened with Saige?” Maksim asks.
“I’m not kissing and telling,” I say as we head toward the elevator doors.
We can go right from the parking garage to the penthouse with Ford’s special key card. The minute the elevator doors open into the foyer of his parents’ penthouse, his dad’s voice can be heard.
As though he heard the ding of the elevator over his yelling, Ford’s dad walks out into the foyer, his slippers clicking on the marble floor. “Oh look, it’s the three musketeers.” He throws up his hands.
Ford’s mom comes around the corner and smiles at us. “Boys. Come in.” She hugs Maksim and me, ignoring Ford.
“No hug, Mom?” Ford says.
She turns and smacks him on the back of the head. “How’s that for a hug? I lecture you and lecture you about safe sex. And what good did that do? You get some girl pregnant.”
Ford scowls. “Jesus. I always use condoms.”
“Well, I also tell you to keep it in your pants, but you don’t listen.” She focuses back on us. “Want something to eat, boys? Great game tonight.”
“I’m fine,” I say at the same time Maksim says, “What do you have?”
It’s the fucking Jacobs. They have anything you want, and if not, they’ll send someone out to get it, even in the middle of the night.
“Aiden.” Mr. Jacobs nods as we pass. “Maksim.”
“Hi, Mr. Jacobs,” we mumble like high school kids who just got caught smoking pot.
“In my office, Ford. Now!”
Maksim and I scurry away. I’m not even sure why we’re here. I think this time Mr. Jacobs won’t hide his true feelings.
Following Mrs. Jacobs into the kitchen, I see that the chef’s been awoken to feed us. What a life. I can’t even imagine.
“Anything you want, boys,” Mrs. Jacobs says.
“Boys.” Imogen, Ford’s younger sister, comes in and sits on a stool at the breakfast bar. Her pajamas are way too short and revealing, so I look away.
“Congrats, auntie,” Maksim says over his bite of sandwich, holding it up to the chef in an appreciative gesture.
She rolls her eyes. “Oh please, do you really think it’s his?”
This is the problem. What I said to Saige before I left isn’t wrong. I’ve never been through it, but I’ve heard stories, seen careers ruined by someone saying it’s their baby. On the flip side, I’ve seen plenty of athletes shuck their responsibilities and not take care of their children. But I know Ford will take care of the baby if it’s his.
“Only a paternity test will tell us for certain,” Mrs. Jacobs says.
Imogen rounds the corner of the large island and grabs an orange juice out of the fridge. “Helluva game tonight, Shamrock.”
“Hey, what about me?” Maksim says. “Without me blocking, he’d never have gotten that point in the second period.” He turns to the chef. “Do you have any chips?”