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

40. Chapter Fourty

Chapter Fourty

Nate

I watch Jade leave for the Elite Paws clinic to pick up her dog and the house feels too quiet. The guys are off to their places to prep for practice, and I’m left here, wondering how to deal with the mess that’s just exploded in our lives.

Cleaning up isn’t doing shit for my nerves. I’m wiping down the counters when the door swings open, and in walk Sadie and her aunt Lauren.

“Hey, baby girl,” I call out, my heart sinking as I see Sadie’s face—red and puffy. She looks upset, really upset.

Sadie doesn’t reply. Instead, she shrugs and walks past me, heading straight to her bedroom. I hear the lock click behind her.

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath.

I turn to Lauren, who’s standing there with a disapproving look that makes my skin crawl. She’s the spitting image of my ex, and just like her, she doesn’t hold back. “What the hell happened?”

Lauren crosses her arms, glaring at me. “Sadie saw the news, Nate.”

“News? What news?”

“About you and Jade. She knows you’re dating someone, and now she feels replaced.”

“Replaced?” I snap. “This is bullshit. She knows I care about her.”

Lauren shakes her head like she’s judging a bad call in a game. “Yeah, well, kids don’t always get it, do they? Especially when they think their dad’s moved on.”

“Moved on?” I throw my hands up. “I’m dating. I’m trying to make this work!”

Lauren scoffs, her lips curling into a sneer. “You think this is just gonna be all sunshine and rainbows? You’re an idiot, Nate. I never wanted you around her in the first place.”

I grit my teeth. “And yet, here you are. You’ve always been in my life because of Sadie, whether you like it or not.”

“Don’t you dare twist this,” she snaps, stepping closer. “I’m her family. You don’t get to play the victim card here.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “Are you insane? I’ve done everything I can to be a good father to her. You think I wanted this drama?”

“She was right. My sister would have wanted me to fight for Sadie. You’re not a fit father!”

“Fight for custody? Are you serious?” I can’t help but laugh, but it’s bitter. “You think that’s what your sister would have wanted?”

Lauren’s eyes narrow. “That’s exactly what she would have wanted! You think this is some game? You think it’s fine for her to grow up with a fucking hockey coach as her dad? Look at the mess you’re in now! I can give her a stable life. A quiet life. She needs that.”

“Mess? You think this is a mess? What about you just barging in here, making everything worse?”

“I’m doing this for her!”

“Right, because making her feel like she’s losing her dad is really gonna help her. You’re unbelievable.”

“Someone’s gotta stand up for her!” Lauren yells, her voice rising.

“I’m standing up for her! I’m here! I’m trying to make this work with Jade for Sadie!”

“Jade’s a mistake,” she sneers. “You’re a mistake.”

“Get the hell out of my house,” I say, my voice low but firm.

Lauren huffs, her anger bubbling over. “You can’t just brush this off. I’m serious about fighting for Sadie. This isn’t over.”

“Goodbye, Lauren.”

With that, she storms out, slamming the door behind her. I run a hand over my face, frustration bubbling up. This is all messed up now, and Sadie’s the one who’s gonna pay for it.

I walk down the hallway, stopping in front of Sadie’s door. “Sadie?” I call, knocking softly. “Can we talk?”

Nothing.

“Sadie, please. I need you to know this isn’t your fault.”

Silence.

I can’t let her think she’s losing me over this shit. I take a deep breath and lean against the doorframe. “I’m still here for you. No matter what the news says, you’re my daughter. Always.”

Finally, I hear a sniffle from inside. “Go away.”

“Can we just talk for a minute? I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

“Why’d you have to date her?” Sadie’s voice is small, breaking.

“I didn’t plan for this to happen. It just did. But that doesn’t mean I care about you any less. Jade’s not taking my love for you away.”

“I saw the pictures. It looks like you don’t want me anymore.”

“Sadie, look at me. I love you. I’ve always loved you. Just because I’m with someone besides your mom doesn’t change that. It means I’m trying to build a life for both of us.”

She opens the door a crack, peeking out. Her eyes are wet, and I hate seeing her like this.

“You really mean that?” she asks, her voice shaking.

“Of course I do. You’re my whole world, kiddo. Jade’s part of my life, but you’re the one who matters the most.”

Sadie looks down, her brow furrowed. “I just don’t want to lose you.”

“You’re not gonna lose me. Ever. I promise.”

“Okay,” she mumbles, taking a small step back.

I take that as my cue to walk in. I squat down so I’m at eye level with her. “Want to watch some cartoons together? I could use some quality time with my favorite girl.”

She nods slowly, a hint of a smile creeping onto her face. “Yeah, okay.”

“All right, come on.” I ruffle her hair and lead her to the living room.

As we settle on the couch, I pull her close. She’s still my little girl, no matter how messy everything gets. The news may be chaos, but I’m gonna fight like hell to make sure she knows she’s loved.

I decide to miss practice today. I know, I know—it’s a fucking dumb move, but I can’t focus on anything but Sadie. I want to spend the day with her, trying to make things right, to remind her that she’s still the center of my world.

When evening rolls around, I’m sitting on my couch, scrolling through my phone, the news blaring in the background. I can’t escape the headlines. “Chicago Icebreakers Coach’s Controversial Love Life!”

“Great,” I mutter, tossing my phone onto the coffee table. “Just fucking great.”

I shoot a text to the team, asking them to meet me at the rink. They’ll need to know where I stand, where I want them to stand. I don’t want any of that slanderous shit flying around.

When I get to the rink, the boys are already there, gathered like a bunch of clueless puppies. I can see it in their faces—they’re all curious, ready for the gossip.

“All right, listen up!” I shout, clapping my hands to get their attention. “I know you’ve heard the news. And you know I’m not one for sugarcoating shit, so I’m just gonna say it.”

They all look at me, their expressions a mix of surprise and interest.

“I love Jade,” I say, my voice steady. “And I won’t tolerate any bullshit or slandering of her name. She’s not just some girl on my arm. She’s important to me.”

Finn nods, glancing around at the others. “We get it, Coach. We’re cool.”

“Yeah, man,” Declan adds, “We respect your choice.”

“Good. Because tomorrow we’ve got a game against the LA Tigers, and I want us all focused. Are you ready for that?”

“Hell yeah!” they all shout, the energy in the room shifting as they get hyped for the game.

“Good, let’s do this. I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” I say, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I head to Jade’s office, knowing I need to fill her in on everything that’s been going down.

When I knock and walk in, she looks up from her desk, concern etched on her face. “Hey, Nate. How’d the meeting go?”

“Better than I expected,” I say, leaning against the doorframe. “I told them I love you, and I won’t have anyone talking shit.”

She bites her lip, glancing down at the papers scattered across her desk. “I don’t want to cause problems for you.”

“Jade, you’re not causing problems. Sadie’s becoming a teenager. She’s figuring shit out, and I’m not letting her think she’s losing me. The best way to handle all this is by talking about it.”

She exhales slowly, like she’s carrying a weight on her shoulders. “I just don’t want to make things harder for anyone, especially Sadie.”

“Trust me, this is tough for her, but we can’t hide from it. You and I need to be on the same page.”

Jade looks at me, her eyes serious. “So, what do we do?”

“Well,” I say, pushing off the doorframe and stepping closer. “How about dinner? Just the two of us. We can talk, plan, and enjoy some good food. Sound good?”

“Dinner?” she asks, surprised.

“Yeah, you know, like a date. I want to make sure we’re in this together.”

She smiles, a soft blush creeping onto her cheeks. “Okay. I’d like that.”

“Good. Let’s figure out a time and place, then.”

“I’ll pick a place,” she says, her excitement creeping in. “I know a great little Italian spot.”

“Perfect. And Jade?”

“Yeah?”

“I really mean what I said about us. No one’s gonna come between us, not even Lauren.”

She nods, her expression shifting. “I hope you’re right.”

I lean in, resting my forehead against hers for a moment. “I am. I promise.”