Page 166 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
“Sounds great. I’m going to hop in the shower.” She gave me a kiss and left the room.
I made us popcorn and settled onto the couch while she took a shower. Sports news was still full of the trade falling through.
Gwen padded out in some flannel Knights PJ pants and a shirt that saidEBUGs do it when no one else can. She flopped onto the couch, then stole the popcorn bowl off my lap.
“Tenzin says he’ll go with us.” She beamed.
Her in a pretty dress, Tenzin in a tux, a fancy dinner, and a championship ring? Sign me up.
Highlights of the Gears press conference and them signing that baby Deloitte came on,this time with commentary. They showed highlights of him skating at the prospect tournament, and lamented the lack of knowing anything about his collegiate hockey career, if he even had one. Then they engaged in lots of speculation about why no one had ever heard of him.
The whole time Gwen watched the TV intently or on her phone, frowning.
“Is everything okay?” I waved the feather wand for Snowball, who had the zoomies.
“Castle and Ty mentioned him. There’s something familiar about the way he plays. It reminds me of Austin. Maybe they played together.” She went back to her phone.
“True.” I waggled the wand again. Snowball could jump high for a kitten.
Gwen frowned at her phone. “There are zero good pictures of him online. He’s either wearing the gaiter, or sunglasses, or has his head tilted, so you can’t see it.”
“Maybe you played with him… before?” My voice grew tentative. “Do you ever run into people who know your old name?”
“Sometimes. You’re right, I probably played with him or against him at some point.” She nodded. “Just because he reminds me of Austin, doesn’t mean he is. That would be wild, right? Family business, my ass.”
Austin? She thought Bronson Deloitte could beAustin?Huh.
“Can I give Matty this address? He wants to mail me my hockey cards,” she added, changing the subject.
“You’re texting Matty? Is that good?” I asked her, not knowing if I was supposed to like her brother or not. “You can give out this address if you’re comfortable. If not, I have a post box we can send it to.”
She shrugged. “He’s one of the better ones. I’m sure they know where I live. I think I want Matty to send me a picture of my mom. Maybe a few other things.”
“We can get some frames and put your hockey cards on the wall with my comics.” I pointed to some of my most precious comics, which were framed and in the living room. They were here, so my siblings and cousins didn’t borrow them.
Gwen beamed. “I love it. I can put my mom’s picture in my room. Oooh, I have a print of Dumas’Almost Perfectthat Lenny got me for my birthday one year. Maybe Matty will send me that and I can put that in my room, too.”
“That’s a great idea.” I put my arm around her as the news continued to talk about Bronson Deloitte and all the players upset by the trade being canceled.
The Knights would be fine without whoever we were supposed to get. Anders was on the trade because hewantedto be, and it would be easy to find another forward.
“Um, I’m well aware I’m doing to you what Austin did to me. I… I’m hiding my real name, what my family does, and not using their money and letting others buy things for me.” Gwen sniffed a little. “I… I’m happy to tell you whatever you want.”
“I understandwhy.That’s the difference.” I wiped the tears from her eyes.
Gwen planted a kiss on my nose.
“While there aren’t many videos or things online about me anymore, here’s me figure skating. This wasn’t long before my hockey accident.” She showed me the video.
There she was, dark hair full of sparkles, her outfit filmy and white with gold and silver. She looked innocent and full of unbridled joy. This was before her mom died, before her injury, before she left home and changed her name, before that asshole obsessive alpha stole her joy.
Gabriella Capaldi, Vancouver, Canada, Beta,the caption said.
“Thank you. Though it doesn’t matter.” I gave her a kiss on the forehead and smoothed the worry from her brow.
“Movie? I want to take my mind off this,” she offered.
We watched a movie, and then she headed to bed. I showered and sat in bed with my phone. I felt guilty as I looked her up. Like she said, there were very little–some stats for ice skating and hockey, a few videos, mostly from official accounts. I guessed someone had hidden the kidnapping and trial from the media.
