Page 19 of Triplet Babies for Pucking Christmas

I blink, trying to process it all. “You have a beautiful family.”

Millie’s face lights up. “Thanks. We’re really lucky.” She pauses, her eyes softening. “But I get that it can be a lot to take in at first.”

“No, it’s amazing,” I say, shaking my head. “Really.”

“Baby,I have put the kids to bed. I’m going to check on Finn and Luna before I head over to the rink,” Declan says.

Millie nods and then I watch as both of the men walk over and kiss her one after the other. Her cheeks are tinged pink by the time they walk out of the house.

“Sorry about that,” she blushes. “Finn is my other husband. He and Declan play hockey together.”

“Interesting,” I smile at her. “And Chase?”

“Oh, he’s a vet.”

Millie leads me to a cozy corner of the living room where they’ve already set up for the interview. There’s a small camera, some soft lighting, and a couple of chairs positioned for filming.

“Tea?” Millie offers, holding up a teapot. “I find it helps with nerves.”

“God, yes, please,” I laugh, sitting down and trying to relax. “I could definitely use it.”

Millie hands me a cup and sits across from me, her expression kind. “How are you feeling? Nervous?”

“Yeah,” I admit, taking a sip of the tea. “This interview…it’s a lot.”

“I get it,” she says softly. “I’ve been there. But you’ve got this.”

We make small talk for a bit, catching up on life, and for a while, it almost feels normal. But then the camera clicks on, and the reality of why I’m here hits me like a freight train.

Millie’s asking aboutLemons, about my mom, and suddenly, I’m not sure I can hold it together.

“So, tell me what happened after your mom passed,” Millie says gently. “You were running the restaurant on your own?”

I nod, swallowing hard. “No. My best friend, or someone I thought was my best friend, helped me. Her name’s Layla. But mostly, yeah. It was just me. And for a while, I thought I could handle it. I thought I was strong enough, but…after the food poisoning incident, everything fell apart. I’m the one who ruined it all.”

Millie reaches out, placing her hand on mine. “You didn’t ruin anything, Savannah. You were going through something incredibly difficult.”

I look down at my lap, my throat tightening. “I just…I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. And now, I don’t even have a place to stay. I’m such a mess.”

Millie stands up and pulls me into a hug, and for the first time in days, I let myself cry. The tears come fast, spilling out of me as I cling to her. “I’m sorry,” I sob. “I didn’t mean to dump all this on you.”

“Hey, stop,” she says, rubbing my back. “You’re not dumping anything on anyone. I’ve been through this, remember? After my public breakup with my ex…it was brutal. I thought I’d never recover.”

I pull back, wiping my eyes. “But look at you now. You’re happy, successful. You made it.”

“And so will you,” she says firmly. “You just need a little help, and I’m more than happy to give it.”

I nod, trying to keep it together. “I appreciate it, but I don’t even know where to go. I got scammed out of the apartment I was supposed to rent.”

Millie’s eyes widen. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah,” I say, laughing bitterly. “So now I’m here, in Chicago, with nowhere to live.”

Millie sits back, thinking for a moment. Then she brightens. “I have an idea. My husband’s friend Troy has an extra place, and he’s been looking for someone to help out with cooking. He’sa hockey player too, so he’s rarely home. You could stay there in exchange for meals. He’s a good guy. Besides, it’s temporary until you get back on your feet.”

I hesitate. “I don’t know…I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You wouldn’t be,” she insists. “Troy would love the company, and you’re an amazing chef. It’s a win-win.”

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