Page 20 of Cold as (N)ice

“My agent tracked down a private school for the deaf that has teachers there that speak English and French - with a list of interpreters, if needed for Stephen,” he said softly, his eyes gentle as he reached for her hand, pleading with her. “Look, apparently, there is a lot on the line, and I told my agent to find something for Stephen because without your help – this is not happening. Stephen is a good kid – and you are a nice person. I would make your life easier by helping me with this. If I say no, my agent is going to fire me. If the Coyotes think that I solicited this, then they might think I’m looking and not renew my contract next year. This is big and…”

She stared at him in disbelief, her heart hammering in her chest, because this was, in truth, the answer to her problems that had plagued her this morning… in a way. It wouldn’t change the fact that she was pregnant.

She hadn’t dropped that bombshell on anyone - yet.

“Barrett,” she started, feeling tears of disbelief, fear, and disappointment choking her. “There’s something you’ve gotta know, something I haven’t told anyone…” she began, unsure where to start. He was standing there, holding her hand, giving her everything she could have ever dreamed… but he had no idea what he was getting into. He had no clue of the mess she was already in.

“Talk to me,” he urged quietly. “Talk to me, we can figure this out, and then I can show you the emails, contract, and the school if you are interested. What’s wrong? Do you have a boyfriend, a fiancé or something? Is it me? Am I too big of a video game dork or…”

“No,” she chuckled tearfully, looking into his eyes and seeing kindness for the first time ever – and she needed that kindness right now. If he yelled at her, she would have left. Her nerves were shot, her mind was overwhelmed with worry, and this felt surreal, like a dream come true… but she couldn’t accept without clearing the air. If he was going to give her the world, she had to be honest with the man. “I messed up.”

“We all do.”

The admission weighed heavily on Irene, as though every word she was about to speak carried the potential to break her. She stared at the floor, unable to meet Barrett’s eyes, her hands trembling as she fidgeted with the hem of her worn sweater. The room felt suffocating despite its openness, the soft hum of life around her clashing with the storm inside her.

Her voice was barely audible, a fragile whisper fighting to escape. “No, Ireallymessed up,” she began, her stomach twisting into a knot so tight she thought she might be sick. “Almost three months ago—I had a weak moment. I did something I’m not proud of… and… and I’m pregnant.”

The air seemed to still, the moment stretching into something unbearable. Barrett didn’t move, his was posture rigid, and his expression was unreadable. She could feel the weight of his silence pressing down on her as though it carried a judgment she wasn’t ready to face. In the background, the soft clink of cutlery being arranged punctuated the quiet. Stephen, blissfully unaware of the turmoil between the two adults, was meticulously setting the table with care—just as Barrett had instructed him.

It was such a simple, ordinary act, but it struck Irene like a blow. The domesticity of it, the surreal picture of this little boy she adored doing what he could to please Barrett, made her throat tighten. A stinging warmth pricked at her nose, and she fought back the tears threatening to spill. The sound ofnormalcy, of a life she’d longed for but couldn’t quite grasp, was almost too much.

“Say something,” she pleaded, her voice cracking as she forced herself to look at him. The expression on Barrett’s face made her heart sink—it was a mask of cold detachment, and she hated how much it hurt.

“Is it Batiste’s kid?” he asked sharply, his tone so icy it made her flinch.

“What?” Her voice rose in shock, her head snapping back as if he’d struck her.“WHAT? No! Ewww!”She recoiled, horrified by the suggestion. “He’s in love with Aimee, and they’re getting married in three weeks. Are you even serious right now?”

“Whose baby is it?” His question came with the precision of a scalpel, cutting through her defenses.

“Mine.”

“Who is the father?” He didn’t flinch, his gaze unwavering.

“My ex-husband.” She said it quietly, the words heavy with the shame she couldn’t seem to shake.

Barrett’s jaw tightened.

“Do you love him? Are you getting back together with him?”

“No—and no,” she answered, her voice trembling but honest. It felt strange to be so open, especially with Barrett, her boss, of all people. Yet, in the oddest way, it was also a relief to have someone to share her burden with, even if she hadn’t expected it to be him.

“He showed up and said all the right things. I was at a low point, and I gave in. It was a mistake.” She paused, her breath hitching. “I’m not in love with him and haven’t been for a while, but I was scared and grasping at straws. I never imagined being rejected, divorced, abandoned, and alone at twenty-seven years old, and it’s so terrifying sometimes,” she admitted, her voice cracking under the weight of her emotions.

The words began to tumble out faster, each one laced with the guilt and fear she’d been carrying for far too long.

“Kids are expensive. When it’s a deaf child, you have to make so many little changes, like a fire alarm that lights up instead of just sounding off. And then there’s the bigger stuff…” Her voice faltered as she swallowed hard, trying to keep herself from unraveling. “What if it’s me? What if I caused Stephen to be deaf because I have some genetic problem? What if my next child has a worse disability or?—”

“Irene.” Barrett’s voice cut through her spiraling thoughts like a lifeline, sharp but not unkind. “Is there anyone else I need to worry about? It’s just you, Stephen, and the baby?”

“Yes.” The single word felt like a confession and a plea all at once.

“Is your ex going to be a problem with the baby?”

“No,” she whispered, ashamed, looking away from his piercing eyes. “I called him earlier today, and he told me to get rid of it. I can’t, though, Barrett. It’s a child, a soul, and…”

“Then marry me,” he interrupted simply, his tone so matter-of-fact that it took her a moment to process the enormity of what he’d just said. “We can figure it all out together. If there is something wrong, we’ll find the best doctors and handle it together – as friends and partners.”

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him, disbelief etched across her face. The room seemed to blur for a moment, her vision swimming with unshed tears as she tried to comprehend the kindness and resolve she saw in his eyes. That same unwavering gentleness she’d caught glimpses of toward her son was now shining through, steady and solid… for her.

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