Page 84 of Crush
“Yeah. It means a lot to you. And you'd obviously be a great mother. It seems wrong to rob the world of a great mom.”
“You wouldn't even mind adoption?”
He shrugged. “No. Why?”
I squinted at him. It felt too good to be true. “Huh. This seems almost too easy.”
He grinned sneakily, like he knew something I didn't. “You don't believe me?”
“You should'veseenall the reactions of the guys I've had this talk with. Never, not once, has a single guy been so cool and accepting of it. Usually, they straight up refuse to eventhinkabout kids, period. If they manage to get past that hurdle, they draw a line in the sand at adoption.”
Shea was unfazed. “These are younger guys, I'm guessing?”
“Well, yeah, usually around my age or so.”
“Then maybe I've got a little more self-awareness and life experience than they do, Brynn.”
“Yeah … but you're a famous athlete … you can have whoever you want.”
He scoffed. “Yeah, but hockey players truly aren't that famous.Once we retire, we're pretty much forgotten.”
“Aw. So sad. I'll always remember you, Shea Ellis.” I patted the hockey player's stubbly cheek. “But my point is, you're famous, you're rich, you can have practically any girl you want. Why would you ever go for a woman who has to adopt? Why would you spend your resources raising another man's seed, when you've literally got the genetics of a professional athlete?”
With a laugh, he shook his head. “You still don't get it? I told you, a woman is so much more than a baby factory.”
“Yousaythat …”
“Yet you don't believe me?”
“I'm sorry, it's just hard to believe, given what other guys have said to me.”
“Younger, dumber guys, you mean.”
“Well, sure.”
“I'm not them, Brynn.”
“I know …but.”
Shea suddenly stood from the couch and offered me his hand. “Okay then. Come with me.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“I want to show you something.”
I put my hand in his, and he hoisted me to my feet.
What's this about …?
Chapter 32
Shea
“What's this about?” Brynn asked again and again as I led her by the hand to the living room.
We stopped in front of the family photographs.
“I wanted to show you these,” I said.
