Page 62 of Her Hat Trick Daddies
After a night packed with so many ups and downs, I might as well have strapped into a rollercoaster. Driving back to Ava’s should be uneventful. But it isn’t.
The second I peek in and see Luna still sleeping in her little portable bed in Trevor’s room, my heart melts, and I’m one breath away from bursting into tears.
Ever since the second I found out I was pregnant, everything I’ve done has been about her. Every decision, every sacrifice, it’s all been about trying to do the right thing. That’s always been my compass, my North Star.
But Shane’s reaction to Luna’s existence? That hits different. It’s not the horror I braced for in my worst nightmares, and it’s sure as hell not the happy fantasy I let myself hope for either. His anger unlocks something I didn’t expect. It makes me think about Ava. About what she went through with Dean. Not because Shane is anything like Dean—I know that—but still, I can’t ignore the red flags when they’re waving right in my face.
The biggest? That temper. Fast and furious.
Just picturing the rage on Shane’s face makes my stomach knot up all over again. I used to think Dean was the scummiest guy alive, but Ava always insisted he wasn’tthatbad. Now I know she was covering for him, making excuses because she loved him, even when the love wasn’t good for her. Dean started out charming and turned into something else entirely over time.
And yeah, David keeps insisting Shane isn’t dangerous. That he’s a good guy. That he’s never hurt anyone because he was always the one getting hurt growing up. But how do I know? How can I really know? Shane’s fuse is short. And I’ve known him, what? A handful of hours outside the bedroom. What do I actually know about him beyond sex? He’s a first-string forward for the Avalanche. He drinks whiskey. He wore a wolf mask to a masquerade and swept me right off my feet.
That’s pretty much it.
Not that we’ve ever even been in his actual bedroom.
What a complete disaster. Leave it to me to get pregnant by a stranger, only to find out he’s the least dependable of the three. He was also the least ready to hear that he might have a daughter. My judgment in men? As outstanding as ever.
Will I ever find love? I was so stupid to think I could have David, Andy, and Shane. But let’s be real. Whatever this is with them… it’s not healthy. Not even close. It’s a train wreck no matter how you slice it.
And the worst part? I keep making the same damn mistakes. Sleeping with them three years ago at the masquerade ball, without checking for cameras, was reckless enough. But hooking up again now? David in the video room, Andy in the locker room, and then all three last night?
It’s textbook insanity—doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. That’s me to a T. Someone bring on the straitjacket and padded cell.
I could’ve done this completely differently. Invited them to dinner, actually talked, gotten to know them. But nope. Sex, sex, and more sex. My fucking hormones took over. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with me?
Do I know their favorite colors? Nope. Their middle names? No clue. Do they have other kids? God, I have no idea. They could, but based on what I’ve seen, I doubt it. A man with kids wouldn’t act like that.
God, I am such an idiot.
I’m so glad I only have to go in for half a day today. I fully plan to avoid the guys like they’re a walking plague. I just want to get home, curl up with Luna, and pretend none of this happened.
But Ava isn’t letting me off the hook that easily.
“Hey, Leigh. You really thought you could sneak out of here without talking to me?” she calls as I tiptoe out of the room.
“You know me too well,” I sigh, trying to play it off with a smile.
“Kitchen. Now. Spill.”
So I do. I tell her everything. She listens, her expression shifting from shock to sympathy to something protective.
“I’m so sorry,” she says, her voice soft. “So… none of them want to meet Luna?”
“David and Andy weren’t awful. They said we’ll ‘figure it out together,’ whatever that means. But I don’t know if that’s a good idea anymore.”
She tilts her head. “Do you regret telling them?”
That one hits harder than I expect.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “Not telling them would be wrong. But telling them also seems… I don’t know.”
“Give them time. I’m sure they’ll come around,” Ava says gently.
I nod, but inside, I’m not so sure. And I know she isn’t either. Do I regret telling them? All I have are more questions. Should I have done it differently? One at a time, maybe? David first? He seemed the most grounded. Or maybe I never should’ve left Jersey in the first place. Things were simpler there. Safer.
Yes, this job is flashier, the paycheck is better, the title fancier. But what does any of that matter if Luna isn’t surrounded by people who love her?
