Twin Babies for my Pucking Defenders (Chicago Icebreakers #2)

28. Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Nate

I sift through the footage of the game, trying to dissect every fucking second of that disaster.

Losing stings, but losing to the Blackhawks? That’s a different kind of anger boiling in my veins. I can’t stand those sleazy bastards.

When I first started coaching, I worked there for a while and it was a shitshow. The owner? A total prick, just a fat guy in a suit who thought he owned the world because he threw around some cash. The players were just as bad—thinking they were hot shit because they wore the jersey.

I’m damn glad I get to work for the Chicago Icebreakers now. Here, I can actually build something. My guys have heart—they give a damn. But those Blackhawks? They’d sell their souls for a win. So here I am stuck replaying our loss over and over in my head, trying to find what went wrong.

Just as I’m about to rewind the tape again, there’s a knock on my door. It’s close to two a.m. Who the hell could that be? My gut twists with concern as I make my way to the door.

I swing it open, and my breath hitches. Jade stands there, her face tear-streaked and clearly shaken. “What the hell happened?” I ask, dragging her inside without a second thought. “Baby, what’s going on?”

I close the door behind us, locking it out of instinct. She’s trembling like a leaf in a storm and I want to shake her until I find out why.

“I-I’m pregnant,” she stutters, her voice breaking.

The words hit me like a slap. “What? You’re shitting me, right?” I step back, running a hand through my hair, pacing a little. “Are you serious?”

“I took a bunch of tests,” she says, her voice barely more than a whisper. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Okay, okay, just breathe.” I motion her to the couch, sitting beside her. “Did you see a doctor? What did they say?”

“Not yet. I didn’t know who else to talk to.” Her voice is shaky, and I can’t help but reach for her hand, squeezing it tight. “I didn’t know if I should tell you or keep it to myself.”

“What the fuck, Jade? You think I wouldn’t want to know?” I don’t mean to raise my voice, but this is too damn big.

“I didn’t want to bother you with this, especially after the game.” She wipes at a stray tear and my heart aches for her.

I hate the idea of her thinking she’d be a bother. “Listen to me. You could never bother me. I want to be here for you. I care about you, okay?”

“Do you really mean that?” She looks into my eyes, searching for something.

“Yeah, I mean it. You’re important to me. Always have been.” I try to keep my voice steady, but the weight of what she just said is crushing. “We’ll figure this out together, I promise.”

Her eyes well up again, and I curse under my breath. “Let’s take it one step at a time.”

“I’m freaking out, Nate.” She pulls her knees up to her chest, rocking back and forth.

“Hey, stop that,” I say firmly. “You can’t spiral like this. We’re in this together, remember? I’ll be with you every step of the way. We’ll get you a doctor’s appointment and we’ll see what’s up. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

“I just…” She glances down, biting her lip. “What if I’m not ready for this? What if I mess everything up?”

“Hey.” I lift her chin, forcing her to look at me. “None of us are ever ready for shit like this. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make it work. You’re not alone. You’ve got me, and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll support you. We’ll figure out the rest as we go. Just take a breath.”

“I don’t want to disappoint my brother,” she whispers, tears rolling down her cheeks again. “He’s going to be so angry.”

“Fuck that,” I say, irritation creeping into my voice. “You’re the one living through this. He’s not the one who’s pregnant. You’re the one who gets to decide what happens next. And I’m gonna be right there with you, okay?”

She nods, wiping her eyes. “I don’t even know how to tell him. Or Carter. Or Axel.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’ll tell them when you’re ready. Right now, let’s just focus on getting you to a doctor and finding out exactly what we’re dealing with.”

I pull her closer, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. She’s shivering and I can’t stand it. “You want some tea?

“I don’t think I can keep anything down.”

“Fair enough.” I try to lighten the mood a bit. “You’re gonna need your strength, though. You might be carrying a future hockey player or, hell, even a goalie.”

She cracks a small smile, and I’ll take it. “Oh, God. What if they’re terrible at hockey? I can’t let that happen.”

“Then we’ll just sign them up for ballet or something,” I laugh, and it feels good to hear her chuckle too.

“I’d rather have a kid who can score a goal,” she shoots back, her eyes brightening a little.

“That’s the spirit.”

“But seriously, what if I’m a complete mess as a mom?”

“Look,” I say, sitting up straighter. “You’re gonna have days where you’re gonna feel like a complete mess. And it’s okay. It’s a fucking lot to take in. But we can figure this out together. One day at a time, okay?”

“Yeah,” she nods slowly. “You’re right.”

“Of course I am.” I smirk. “Now, let’s just take a second to breathe and figure out our next move.”

I glance at the clock. Two-fifteen a.m. “Okay, we’re getting some sleep first, then I’ll help you make that appointment. You need your rest. No arguments.”

“But what if…”

“No ‘buts’, Jade. You’re not arguing with me on this.”

“Fine, fine. Just for a bit.”

I pull her closer, my mind racing with the reality of what’s happening. We might be starting a whole new chapter. It’s terrifying, but I’m ready to face it with her.

I take her hand and lead her to my bedroom. The room’s dim, the only light coming from the streetlamp outside, casting a soft glow over everything. “Where’s Sadie?” she asks, looking around as if expecting my daughter to pop out from under the bed or something.

“With her aunt tonight,” I reply, trying to keep it casual, but my mind’s racing. Sadie’s off having a good time and I’m stuck here with a pregnant woman freaking out.

“Oh,” Jade says, her voice trailing off.

“Look, you want to change or something?” I motion to the pile of clothes on the floor. “You can use whatever’s clean.”

“Thanks, I…” she hesitates, glancing at her hoodie and leggings. “Do you mind if I take a shower first? I feel like a damn mess.”

“Not at all,” I say, nodding. “Go ahead. I’ll grab you a towel.”

“Can you help me?” she asks, biting her lip.

“Yeah, sure.” I’m a little taken aback, but I can’t deny that the thought of being close to her again sends a rush of pleasure through me. I don’t want to freak out, but I lean into the feeling. I don’t want to let her see how much I’m freaking out.

I lead her to the bathroom and she looks around, the anxiety evident in her eyes. “How’d you even get here?”

“Millie dropped me off,” she says, and my stomach sinks a bit at the mention of her best friend.

I frown. “You should’ve called. You didn’t have to show up out of nowhere.”

“I know, I know,” she sighs. “I just...needed to talk to you. I didn’t want to be alone.”

She slowly takes off her clothes, moving like she’s in a daze. I turn on the water and then step aside when it’s hot enough.

“Can you…can you help wash my hair?” she calls over the sound of water hitting the tile floor of the shower.

“Of course,” I step into the shower with her, feeling the warmth envelop us both. She’s already working on lathering her hair with shampoo. I’m trying to focus, but damn, she looks good like this.

As I move behind her, I can’t help but enjoy the way she leans into me, her body pressing against mine. “This is nice,” she murmurs.

“Yeah, it is.” I keep my voice steady, even though my mind’s racing. Tomorrow, we’ll get you checked out and confirm that you are pregnant. If it’s true, then we’ll figure out how to tell Axel and Carter. Shit, the whole team’s gonna want to know.

“Hey, Nate,” she says, her voice low.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” I say, turning her to face me. “I like you. I had sex with you. We all knew the consequences.”

“We’ve been careful!” she insists, the frustration creeping back into her voice.

“Just breathe for me, okay? Focus on the here and now.” I pull her close, holding her as the water washes over us. I can feel her relax a little in my arms and it eases some of the tension in my chest.

After rinsing her off, I grab the towel and dry her, feeling her soft skin beneath my fingertips. She’s still a little shaky and I want to shield her from everything, make her feel safe.

“Here,” I say, draping one of my T-shirts over her arm. “It’s a little big, but it’ll do.”

She glances at the back of the shirt, squinting at the name “Thorne.” “I didn’t know you played hockey,” she says, a hint of a smile returning to her lips.

“I did back in college,” I reply, feeling a bit nostalgic. “Gave it up to coach.”

“Why’d you stop?”

I shrug, leaning against the bathroom counter. “Life happened, I guess. Had to make choices. But coaching? That’s where I belong.”

“I can see that. You really care about the team,” she says, her eyes softening.

“Yeah, I do. But right now, I care about you more.” I take a step closer, watching her closely. “You okay?”

She bites her lip again, clearly lost in thought. “I think so.”

“Good.” I tuck a loose curl behind her ear, holding her gaze. “We’ll figure this out together. Just need to take one step at a time.”

“Yeah.” She nods, and I can see the uncertainty in her eyes. “Thanks, Nate.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” I chuckle lightly. “We haven’t even started this journey.”

She laughs softly and it feels good to see her smile, even if it’s just for a moment. I want to keep that smile on her face. I want her to know she’s not alone in this.

“Come on,” I say, gesturing toward the bedroom. “Let’s get some rest. You need it.”

She glances around the bathroom, a bit hesitant. “What if I have a panic attack or something?”

“Then I’ll be right here, holding your hand through it,” I assure her. “Just like we’re doing now. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

“Okay.” She takes a deep breath, nodding.

As we make our way to the bedroom, I try to push aside the chaos swirling in my head. There’s so much to consider. But all that matters right now is her and I need to make sure she knows that.