Page 148 of Puck Prince

42

OWEN

You have to promise you’re not going to freak out.

The text from Summer is not as encouraging as she might have hoped. I don’t usually have my phone during drills, especially when I’m leading practice before a game, but I’ve been checking constantly for any updates from Callie.

She’s frail and weak; I should’ve carried her over my shoulder to the car and driven her to the doctor. Knowing she’s resting in my bed is a mostly acceptable consolation, but still…

I pull my guard from my mouth. “Take five, guys.”

Dax grumbles something about “finally” and a “dictator,” but I’m already texting Summer back.

Owen:I make no promises. What’s going on?

I skate off the ice and head into the locker room.

Summer:Have you read the news today?

Owen:No, I’m at practice.

Summer:Good. Don’t.

I let out a heavy sigh before calling her. She picks up on the first ring.

“You’re calling me, which means you’re freaking out.”

“Because you’re being cryptic. Just get to the point. Are you okay? Is everything okay?” She must be okay since she’s texting me mysteries in the middle of the day. Still, with her baby daddy and Callie’s ex running around, I don’t want to be caught making assumptions.

“Yes and no.”

It takes me a second to puzzle that out. “So, you’re okay, but everything else isn’t?”

“I was going to text this and then ghost you for a few hours while you calmed down, but—” She groans. “Listen, it was just a little attempted break-in. No big deal.”

“What?” I jump up, already mentally mapping the fastest route between here and Summer’s apartment. “What happened? Who was it? Where’s Nicky? Why the fuck didn’t you call me? When?”

“Stop yelling at me! Jesus.” She sighs. “Nothing happened, okay? Someone tried to break in, but?—”

“That’s not nothing, Summer.”

“But,” she repeats, talking over me, “security stopped the guy before he did anything.”

She’s trying to make this less than it is. What the hell is it with these girls acting like predators are nothing?

“Guy? Singular?”

“From what I heard, but I wasn’t even home, O. I’m safe.”

For now.

It’s taking everything in my power not to completely lose my shit. “Summer, this is what I was talking about. This is why I need to know who Nicky’s dad is!”

“You don’t need to know or do anything at all. Everything is taken care of. You don’t need to worry.”

“That’s a little tough when you keep showing up at my place scared of the father of your child.” The words come out meaner than I want, but maybe it’s time for some tough love. “I’m paying for an apartment in a gated community just so you can sleep at night and there are still break-in attempts.”

“I never asked you to pay for my apartment.”

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