Page 13 of Mr. Broody

“You know Henry, guys. He’s always the responsible one. That’s probably why they call him Daddy. And Bodhi probably just cemented it. I mean, what other professional hockey player adopts a kid in the prime of their career?” I laugh, but none of them do.

In fact, each of them barely look up from their laps. Do they know something I don’t?

“What?”

Chelsea is the first to look at me, and she shakes her head. “I’m sure we all have our theories as to why that happened.”

Reed’s thumbs are moving over his screen, and I really hate that he has some kind of privacy screen thing so I can’t see who he’s messaging.

“Like?”

“Sweetie, I think part of the reason might have been because he was lonely,” she says a little reluctantly.

Is she suggesting that’s because I never returned after he sent me packing? There’s so much none of them know about our relationship, but I’m not getting into it right now.

“I think he wanted to pay it forward too,” Hannah says. “Because of how good Reed was to him. He wanted to give another child a better life.”

“And what about you?” I look at Reed, who only glances at me before burying his head in his phone again.

“I don’t know. That’s a question for him.”

“But if you had to guess?”

Reed knows Henry the best—definitely better than I do these days.

“Wait, did you see Henry on Saturday?” he asks, changing the line of conversation.

“I want some coffee. How about you, Hannah?” Chelsea says.

“Nah, I’m restricting myself to one cup a day.” Hannah crosses her legs, getting more comfortable in her seat.

“Then you can help me make mine,” Chelsea says, tugging on her sleeve.

“Why would I—” She finally sees the look on Chelsea’s face and springs out of her seat. “On second thought, a second cup won’t kill me.”

The two of them go over to the coffee station, huddled and gossiping the entire way.

“Well?” Reed asks again.

I’m baffled why he’s so concerned about this. “Is that him?” I nod at the phone.

He places it face down on the table next to him.

Okay, so it was.

“Answer me, Jade.”

I face him. “Did we just go through a time warp, and I’m sixteen again? Why does it matter?”

“It doesn’t. But you didn’t say anything.” His shoulders lose some tension, and he places his hand over mine on the arm of the chair. “The two of you are just…”

He doesn’t have to say it. I know what he means. And I should’ve left that bar before I ever saw him. I shouldn’t have let Tweetie challenge me, but I lose all power over my actions when Henry is involved. It’s one of the reasons I’ve stayed away for as long as I have. It’s too easy to just slide into one another again.

“It was a coincidence. We caught up. Nothing big.”

“Are you sure?” His attention shifts from me to his phone.

I want to act like a toddler and steal it and read what Henry said, but I need to act like an adult. “Of course. I’m here to help you and Mom with the twins, and after Christmas, I’ll be gone again.”

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