Page 19 of Falling for You

I nod, then admit, “I hope so because honestly, after hearing she was here today, hearing that I missed her, that she got sent away, it fucking gutted me. Like my heart physically fucking broke with the pain that hit me like a train.”

Dylan continues, “Proving what you felt that night wasn’t just lust.”

I nod and confirm, “Exactly,” I look at him, then my dad, and admit, “I need her.”

Dad nods as he wraps his arm over my shoulders, I go back to looking at the ice as he promises again, “And we’ll find her,” while I fucking hope and pray he’s right.

She’s the one. I know it in my heart and I know it in my gut. The fact she came today gives me the go-ahead I need to find her harder because she fucking feels it too.

Chapter 7

Penelope

“I don’t know about this, Avery. Maybe we should go to the bar I met him at instead,” I mumble as the crowd chants around us with excitement, I look at the ice before me, my body trembling with fear and coldness.

This is a bad idea, a really, really bad idea.

When Avery rang Dad and asked, or more like begged, for the charity tickets he mentioned were donated last month that he was going to give away in a raffle at the firm, I was hesitant. I mean, showing up at a charity game that he’s playing to drop this bomb on him didn’t seem like the brightest of ideas, but I’m out of options. I know this may be my only chance without going through the legal route. I’ve rang Elena, the bitch agent Avery and I have dubbed her to be several times over the past week, and now she just hangs up when she hears my voice.

I sent her a text, a picture of my ultrasound as proof, showing that I was indeed now seven weeks pregnant. She accused me of falsifying a sonogram photo, which was just ridiculous, to be honest, I mean, how many women would go to that length just for a hockey player?

I shake my head to clear my stupid thoughts because, let’s face it, probably loads do claim to be pregnant wanting money, but surely she has to look into it.

Sitting up straight when some men enter the ice rink, I eye them, hoping to spot Taylor, but notice they have ‘Oldies’ written on the back of their jerseys and I realize it’s not his team yet, I swallow hard.

Avery and I managed to find out where he lived. Five separate times I’ve been turned away. On the sixth, I was escorted out of the building by security, so I decided to camp outside after my shifts. Yesterday, they called the police and threatened to arrest me for loitering.

This charity game is my one and only chance to try and speak to him before I have to get lawyers involved just to get through to him, which means getting my parents involved. As of yet, they don’t know about the baby, something they’re going to learn about tomorrow at our weekly dinner, where I’m most likely going to be disowned and my sisters support will be gone.

Jesus, I don’t even want anything from him. Well, my heart and body want him, but he belongs to someone else right now; baby-wise, I want nothing. I just want him to know he’s going to be a father so he can decide whether or not he wants to be involved.

“This is the only way, Pen,” Avery says with determination.

I sigh, leaning back in my seat, knowing she’s right, but just as my back hits the hard, cold seat, the crowd goes wild as an announcer states over the speakers that the Red LionHockey players are entering the rink. I sit up again, my stomach tightening with anticipation.

The excitement from the crowd fills me, but my nerves overtake me as one by one the players are announced before they skate on the ice wearing red, black, and green jerseys causing the crowd to get louder with each player, while the ‘Oldies’ boo playfully which is kind of funny.

The Red Lions are playing with family members to raise money for children's hospitals nationwide.

“Ooh, Ezra is really hot,” Avery gasps as said player skates on the ice, waving to the crowd, I grin at my sister.

I really hope she’ll divorce Harry and find a man that excites her, I really do.

“And for your Center,” the announcer states, causing the girls behind us to scream, making me wince, “the man who scored three goals out of four winning the Stanley Cup and wants nothing more than to beat his own father, skating legend Nico Evans, it’s your captain, Taylor Evans.”

The crowd goes wild, deafening me as they all stand and scream while my eyes widen in shock, not expecting that reaction. Avery helps me stand when I don’t move, and by help, I mean she drags me up.

My eyes lock on the tunnel just as Taylor skates with speed onto the ice, my mouth drops in shock at how well he moves, but laughter soon bubbles as he skids to a stop, spraying ice all over a man in front of him, a man that looks a lot like him.

“Oh my god, he just sprayed his own father,” a girl behind us gasps, I laugh at the look on his father’s face, pure shock.

Half the crowd goads while the others laugh. Taylor's father narrows his eyes at his son playfully. The small smile on his face proves it, and the grin Taylor gives—gah,my heart.

Okay, so it definitely wasn’t my hormones that night. There’s something there, a pull.

Taylor looks up and scans the crowd with a furrowed brow like he can feel me, which is ridiculous, I hold my breath, waiting for his eyes to come my way. But before we can connect, a guy moves in front of me, I swallow hard, feeling disappointed but also relieved because I’m not ready yet. As soon as the guy in front moves, Taylor is focused on his dad, both in the center of the ice, their mouths moving.

“They are totally talking shit to each other,” Avery says and chuckles, but I don’t take my eyes off Taylor.

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