One Pucking Secret (One Pucking #1)

Chapter 7

Chloe

Yesterday’s locker room encounter still clings to me, and no matter how hard I try to forget, I can still feel Wyatt’s touch lingering on my skin. His kiss. I can still taste it. It’s as if his touch has branded itself into my memory—whether I like it or not.

I twist the spaghetti around my fork, the steam curling up in lazy tendrils. The scent of basil and garlic fills my small dining room where Lainey and I sit facing each other, a bottle of Merlot open between us. It’s a rare moment of solitude in my usually bustling home, made possible because Jasper is spending the night at his grandparents’, giving me a chance to catch up with her.

“Seems like Wyatt’s image rehab tour isn’t going as smoothly as planned,” Lainey observes, her voice a mix of curiosity and concern as she watches me .

I sigh, pushing the pasta around my plate. “He has an interview tomorrow. We’re hoping that clears the air.” I try to sound hopeful, but even I can hear the uncertainty in my voice. Wyatt’s situation is more precarious than either of us would like to admit. The weight of responsibility in managing his public image presses down on me, a constant reminder of the delicate balance we’re trying to achieve.

Lainey raises an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly. “Is it weird, working so closely with Wyatt? He hasn’t brought up the ghosting at all?”

The question pulls my attention away from my meal, and I can’t help but think of Wyatt—his hands, his kiss, the way he ignites something in me I can’t seem to shake.

“No, he hasn’t,” I say, my voice steady, though a trace of tension slips through. “He’s trying to get me to admit I remember him.”

“And you haven’t caved it yet?” Lainey’s eyebrows arch in surprise.

“I refuse.” I say firmly, the words sharper than I intended.

“What about the sparks? You can’t tell me you’re not feeling anything.”

I let out a small sigh, knowing I can’t hide the truth. “Well, I’d be lying if I said there weren’t any sparks. Especially considering we…” I trail off, the weight of my admission hanging between us.

A smirk slowly forms across Lainey’s face, her eyes lighting up with the thrill of impending gossip. “You what? Tell me everything, Chloe!” she urges, leaning forward in her chair, her entire demeanor radiating eagerness. Her anticipation is palpable, and I find myself caught between the desire to confide and the instinct to keep that part of my life private.

I bite my bottom lip. “We almost had sex in the locker room last week.”

A gasp escapes Lainey’s lips. “You had sex with a hot hockey player in the LA Knights’ locker room? Jesus, Chloe Reed, you are living my dream!”

I shake my head with a sigh. “I highly doubt that. And I said almost. But there’s more.” I pause, a knot forming in my stomach as I set my fork down. “There’s something about Wyatt… something I haven’t told anyone.” My fingers trace the condensation on my wine glass, drawing aimless circles.

Lainey sets her fork down now, her eyes locked onto mine. She leans in, clearly bracing for one of my bombshells. I take a deep breath, the words feeling like jagged stones in my throat.

“Jasper,” I say, my voice suddenly thin. “He’s Wyatt’s son.”

The clink of her wineglass on the table punctuates the silence that follows. Her eyes widen for a moment, but then she let out a soft laugh, shaking her head knowingly. “I already knew that. I had my suspicions from the moment I saw those blue eyes. They’re a dead giveaway.”

I blink, caught off guard. “Wait, you knew?”

She smirks. “Oh, come on, Chlo. I’ve known you for how long? The way you act every time his name comes up… I just didn’t push because I figured you’d tell me when you were ready.”

Relief and guilt war in my chest. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have hidden it from you.”

Lainey’s smile softens, but her eyes still hold that probing look. “Why still keep it from Wyatt?” Her words, though gentle, hit the nerve I’ve been trying to avoid for years.

I sigh, my fingers gripping the edge of my plate. “Because… he ghosted me, Lainey. I didn’t know what to think. I knew I wanted to keep Jasper, but I was scared. What if he didn’t want to be involved? I didn’t want Jasper to grow up with a father who wasn’t fully there. I thought I was doing what was best at the time.”

My voice is quieter now, tinged with a mix of uncertainty and lingering hurt. “I wasn’t trying to make a decision for him. I just didn’t know any better.”

Lainey nods, her gaze soft but steady. “But is that who Wyatt really is? From what I’ve seen, he doesn’t seem like the type to walk away from his responsibilities.”

I press my lips together, the weight of her words sinking in. “Maybe when it comes to his career, he’s solid. But being a father? That’s different. I didn’t want to risk Jasper’s happiness if Wyatt couldn’t be there for him.”

“You never thought to reach out to him again? You don’t think he has the right to know?” Lainey’s question lingers in the air, stirring thoughts of paths I didn’t take and decisions made in uncertainty.

“I tried,” I murmur, my voice faltering. “I left a message with someone on his team, but I never heard back. And then… he got drafted, and his life took off. He became famous. I thought… maybe it was for the best. Maybe he didn’t want to be part of this.” I clasp my trembling hands together, steadying myself. “But now, with everything going on in his life, I’m torn. I do think he deserves to know… but what if it just makes everything worse?”

Lainey leans in, her brow furrowing with concern. “Chloe, you’ve carried this secret for so long, but Wyatt deserves the chance to be a part of Jasper’s life. He deserves to know the truth.”

I swallow hard, my throat tightening. “I know you’re right, especially now with everything that has happened between Wyatt and me. But every time I think about telling him, the fear comes rushing back. What if it ruins things for Jasper? What if Wyatt doesn’t want him?”

Lainey reaches out, her voice soft but firm. “Chloe, you’ve done so much on your own, and you’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. And Wyatt? He might surprise you. People change. He has the right to know, and Jasper deserves to know his father.”

I rake a hand through my hair, a mixture of fear and guilt swirling inside me. “It’s just… so complicated.”

“I know it is,” Lainey says gently. “But you don’t have to go through it alone.”

“Maybe,” I concede, my gaze drifting out the window. The Los Angeles lights blur into a mosaic of possibilities, each one a reflection of the future I’m too afraid to face .

“Maybe starts the journey,” Lainey says, her smile soft, but with an edge of steel. “You won’t know until you take that first step.”

“First steps feel like leaps off cliffs these days,” I say with a half-hearted chuckle, trying to mask the tremor in my laugh.

“Then consider me your parachute,” she replies, her hand finding mine again, a lifeline thrown across the chasm of my doubts.

I nod, taking in Lainey’s words like a balm. “I’ll think about it—about telling him. But not yet. Not with the media circling him like sharks.”

“Timing is everything,” she agrees, squeezing my hand before letting go. “Dinner was amazing, but I’m dying to watch some trashy reality TV.”

I chuckle. “Me too. Jasper never lets me watch anything that doesn’t involve superheroes or some epic space battle.”

“You’re a soldier, Chloe. Truly.”

We laugh together as we clear the dishes, the clink of ceramic filling the space, a soothing rhythm against the backdrop of my racing thoughts. Each wipe of the counter feels like an attempt to smooth out the chaos swirling inside me.

Later that night, as I settle onto the couch alone, the glow of my phone cuts through the darkness of the room. Wyatt’s name flashes on the screen, and my heart skips a beat as I open the message.

Wyatt: The interview’s set. But let’s make a deal. Have dinner with me afterward. Call it professional curiosity.

I stare at the words, my pulse quickening. Dinner with Wyatt? The thought sends a rush of nervous energy through me. Maybe this could be my chance. A part of me knows that I can’t keep avoiding the truth forever, that eventually, I’ll have to tell him about Jasper.

But even as the thought crosses my mind, uncertainty tugs at me. Am I ready for this? For what telling him might mean?

With a deep breath, I type back.

Chloe: Deal. But Wyatt, this changes nothing.

I hit send, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. Maybe this is my chance, but the fear of what could happen next is hard to ignore. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that this dinner could be more than just another meeting .

“Wyatt Banks,” I mutter, knowing full well things between us are anything but simple. This isn’t just business anymore.