by Toni Aleo
But for that to happen, she either needed a husband or for her brother not to be gay—which would never happen since Wells had been gay since he was like three.
So she needed a husband.
One who would want to claim a kid that wasn’t his.
She considered pulling a Wedding Date, but unlike the popular movie, in this day and age, you couldn’t trust some dude on the internet. He’d kill her and steal her baby or some crazy shit. Asking Vaughn, her brother’s best friend, hadn’t been the greatest idea either. Not only did he say no, but she knew it would have turned out badly in the long run. He was too immature to keep a secret like that, and she knew that no matter what, she would never fall for him.
Wren had a reputation for being a hard-ass with no soul, hating love and all that jazz, and she knew why she was like that. For the simple fact that she always fell for shitty dudes. She couldn’t control her emotions, and she always found herself in love with a guy who had no intentions of loving her back. She was fat, she was too blunt, and she was too close to her brother and his friends. She was never good enough, which led to heartache because all they wanted was sex. And that was why she only slept with guys.
God, she was a mess.
A pregnant mess.
Rolling her eyes, she reached for her oversized kimono that was covered in pregnancy books before throwing it on and shaking her head.
Her belly wasn’t to be hid.
Fuck.
“How’s it going, Tate?”
Tate Odder look uneasy as he sat across from her. His body was taut, his blond hair falling in his blue eyes as he looked around the room. Anywhere but at her. As with everyone else, her office wasn’t his favorite place. As the team therapist, she wasn’t the most popular person to talk to, but she did her job, and people ultimately loved her for it. Especially, her boss, Elli Adler. Elli thought the world of her and trusted her completely with her boys. Due to that trust, Wren worked hard to make sure that everyone’s mental health was intact.
But Tate wasn’t doing well. His injury had left him pretty messed up physically and mentally, and it was her job to help him see through it all.
Running his hand through his hair, he shrugged. “I’m hurting. Every day.”
“How does that make you feel?”
“Frustrated. Angry. I hate it. I miss the ice, but they won’t let me on it until I’m healed more.”
“I can understand your frustration, then. You love the ice.”
“I do. And I want back on. Desperately.”
“Can you tell me why you feel that way?”
Exhaling hard, he shook his head as he looked down to the ground. She felt so bad for him. Stupid injuries. “I feel whole on the ice, and I feel like an asshole for not being whole with my wife and children.”
“You’re a hockey player, Tate. The ice is part of your life.”
“Yes, but my wife and children are a part of me too.”
“I can see that, you know that. So why do you feel like you’re not whole?”
He looked away once more, inhaling sharply before shrugging. “I think I’m jealous.”
“Jealous?”
“Yes, I have a good ten more years left, and I feel like my spot has been given away. That Jensen Monroe has come in and taken over. He won the Cup for us, and I know I should be proud of him—and I am—but I’m jealous. That should have been me.”
Hearing Jensen’s name, Wren felt the hair on her arms stand to attention. She had been going back and forth over whether she should call him. Ask for his help. He was Wells’s other best friend and a great guy, but Jensen… Jensen, yeah, no.
Chewing on the edge of her pen as her stomach moved and wobbled from her crazy kid playing soccer with her bladder, she met his gaze, a small smile on her face. “The jealousy, is it full of anger?”
“No,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “I don’t hate him. He’s a good guy, but I wanted it to be me.”
“That’s understandable.”
As he bit his lip, the little gap in his teeth made Wren smile as he shook his head. “My wife wants me to retire.”
Wren paused, her pen falling to her bottom lip. “How does that make you feel?”
He looked down, trailing his fingers along his scalp. “I think she might be right.”
“Want to elaborate a bit?” she asked after he paused for a good long moment.
“She’s worried that I’m going to push myself too hard, and then, what if I die or I can’t play with my children. That’s not okay with me—or with her.”
“But will it be okay with you to be without hockey?” Wren agreed with his wife, but she needed him to get to that point on his own.
Slowly nodding, he looked up. “I can get a job within the sport. Or something. Maybe as a goalie coach. I know a lot, and Elli would hire me.”
“You do, and I’m sure if you talked to her, she would.”
“Yeah.”
“Is that something you think you want to do?”
“I go back and forth. Sometimes yes, but then no. I don’t know.”
“That’s to be expected, your wariness of the new path. It’s a big decision.”
He nodded in agreement just as the soft bell on her desk rang, ending their session. He looked up, and she smiled with a shrug. “I can go another thirty if you want.”
He shook his head. “No, I’m good.”
He slowly stood up, reaching for his crutches. She stood, taking his hand before shaking it hard. “So let’s make your goal for our next session to think more about the retirement.”
Tate nodded. “Okay.”
“Talk to Audrey and the kids about it.”
He smiled. “The kids will want me to.”
She smiled back. “I’m sure. Okay, I’ll see you Friday?”
“Yup, have a good day, Wren.”
“You too, Tate.”
As she watched him leave, her heart broke for him. He used to stand so tall, so sure of himself, but now, he walked with a limp on crutches, and his shoulders always seemed to be down. A sullen look covered his face, and it sucked.
Man, she hated injury.
When the door closed, her desk phone started to ring, and she groaned. She needed to put a phone on the little table by her chair since she was getting to be very lazy. Walking over with a louder groan, she stepped behind her desk, grabbing her phone. “Hello?”
“Hey, honey. How are you?”
Wren smiled. “I’m good, Momma. How are you?”
“Stressed. Your brother’s wedding will be the death of me.”
“Is he still stuck on the glitter-dropping doves?”
Elaine Lemiere laughed. “Yes, though your father is completely against it.”
“I’m sure. So he’s coming?”
“Yes, thank goodness.”
It was no secret that Wren’s father didn’t agree with Wells’s lifestyle. He had tried to disown Wells, but that didn’t work out well. Wells was the kind of guy that was hard to get rid of. His personality was infectious, and he had a great soul. Plus, Wells was her father’s best friend, so things were a little tense. Despite everything, though, Wells still loved their father with no reservations. It was kind of beautiful in a way, and she was glad her father would be there.
“Will he walk him down the aisle?”
“Wren, stop.” Wren snickered as she fell back into her chair. “When will you arrive?”
Her laughter stopped as soon as the words left her mother’s lips. “I don’t know yet.”
“Can you come early? I may need help.”
“Momma, I’m sorry, but I have to work.”
“Oh, true. That’s fine.”
“Yeah. Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’ll hire someone.”
“Good idea.”
Hanging up with her mother, Wren set the phone on its base before leaning back in her chair and embracing her stomach in her hands, rubbing her thumbs along her stretched dress that she wasn’t s
ure was hiding anything. But no one had asked, so that was good. As she went through idea after idea in her head, tears began to flood her eyes. She knew that losing her trust fund shouldn’t be that big of a deal, but it was.
When a knock came to her door, she looked up as Brie Soledad poked her head in. “Hey, you.”
Wren smiled. She had become close friends with Brie over the last couple months. Brie was engaged to Vaughn and pregnant and just a great girl. Wren loved her, which didn’t happen a lot when it came to whom Wells, Vaughn, and Jensen dated. She usually hated anyone they hooked up with or tried to marry, but she had liked Brie before her relationship with Vaughn had started. Wren had worked with her for the last two years—Brie in the media department, while Wren did her thing in the health department, and they’d always found themselves getting along. Now, it was like they were going to be sisters, and that was awesome. Brie was a wonderful person, and Wren loved her brother, Rodney. He was hilarious. “Hey.”
“Wanna go to lunch with me, Vaughn, and Jensen?”
Wren shook her head. Not only was her dress a little too tight for her liking, but she had more clients. “I have a full afternoon.”
“Boo, you suck.”
“I know. Eat some food for me.”
“Want me to bring you something back?”
“No, I’m good.”
Brie grinned. “Cool, text you later?”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
When her phone started ringing, Brie looked down and then waved. “It’s Jensen. See ya.”
The door shut before Wren could say bye, not that she was going to.
Because at that moment, her mind was flooded with thoughts of Jensen.
Jensen Monroe.
Crap.
It wasn’t that Wren didn’t like thinking of Jensen. No, she thought he was a pretty stand-up guy. Compared to Vaughn and Wells, he was the only one who actually stopped the other two from terrorizing her through her teenage years. She could still remember the day he showed up to their home. He was only thirteen at the time, but even then, he was gorgeous. Like, movie-star gorgeous. She almost didn’t believe he was real when he walked in. Unlike Wells and Vaughn, he was stockier, thicker, and he had this hard look to his face.
It was so sexy.
And on top of that, he was just a good person.
She heard him on the phone with his parents constantly, speaking French. At the time, she’d found it so intriguing that she’d sit outside his door and listen. No clue what was going on, of course, but she loved listening to him speak. He loved her parents, too, and did everything he could to do whatever they needed. Unlike the other billet boys who came through, Jensen worked his ass off—on and off the ice. So, of course, her parents loved him and only wanted him. Wells and Vaughn were already best friends, but Jensen fit right in with them. He was a silent presence, but they respected him, and soon all three of them were inseparable.
When Jensen would go home for a month in the summer, everyone missed him, and the mood was down. He’d call and talk with Wells and her parents, but the only time he spoke to Wren was when he was keeping Vaughn and Wells from tormenting her. When he was in a room with her, he didn’t speak, but she always felt his gaze. Especially after she turned fifteen. He was eighteen then, and she swore he had a thing for her, but he never acted on it. He was so hot and cold that she didn’t know what was up. Then he started dating some girl back home, and she figured he wouldn’t ever be interested in her, and she made herself let it go.
Her stupid little girly dream of him had been good, but it was completely a dream. They were two different people. He was quiet, she was loud. He was kindhearted, she was hard-hearted from the years of fuck-ups she had been involved with. Plus, he was a sexy god of a man, and she was thick and frumpy. He was way out of her league. Yet, in their adult years, he had always looked at her and treated her like she was gorgeous. But he still never acted on anything. It was frustrating and insane, but that was Jensen.
The quiet, nice guy.
He wasn’t the type to fuck around for fun. He wanted lifetimes and eons from a woman. Wren wasn’t that girl. But she sure wouldn’t mind getting in between the sheets with him. He had to be hung like a horse, he was so big and sexy, and Lord, she was hot. Fanning herself, she looked around her office and let out a breath. It had been a long six months without sex. Since she felt dirty getting a dick inside of where her child was growing, she hadn’t gotten any in a while. Add in the fact that her kiddo slept on her bladder, and it was easy to say Wren wasn’t the nicest girl to approach. She needed ice cream, some dick, and a back rub like none other. Alas, she was single, pregnant, and probably out of ice cream.
Reaching for a pen, she wrote on her notepad to pick some up on her way home. Though, both she and the notepad knew that wasn’t going to happen. When she left work, she went home and went to bed. She was exhausted all the time, and she wanted nothing more than an ice cream delivery service. Maybe the ice cream man could be sexy and have great hands… Wow, that was a porno waiting to happen.
She should write that down.
Before she could, though, her cell phone rang. Glancing at the screen, she groaned when her mother’s picture popped up. She loved her mother more than life itself, but lying to her was taking its toll. And twice in one day, crap.
“Hey, Momma.”
“Hey, Wren, are you almost done for the day?”
“Nope, got lots to do before I head home.”
“Oh, well, I’ll be quick, then.” She cleared her throat as Wren leaned back in her chair, running her other hand along her rounding belly. It was like one day she woke up, and it was there. She had been thick, but nothing was popping out of her. That wasn’t the case anymore, and if she were smart, she’d jump on either not going to the wedding or finding a fake husband.
Lord. She was in a mess.
“Two things. Are you sure you can’t come a week or two early before the wedding?”
Wren groaned. “Momma, I told you, I’ve got so much work.” Lie. “And the flights are expensive.” More lies. “And I have to watch Vaughn’s dog.” That was straight pulled from her ass. “And yeah, I don’t know.”
“Wren, it’s your brother’s wedding. He needs us.”
“Hire someone,” she suggested for the nine hundredth time. “There is no reason for you to be doing this.”
“I want to.”
“Well, then you hire people to help you.”
“Ugh, fine. You’re being a brat.”
Wren closed her eyes. She was always the brat. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m so busy.”
“I know,” her mother said as an exhale. “It’s annoying.”
Wren laughed. “Sorry.”
“If you can pull it off, please try.”
“I’ll try,” she lied. “But don’t get your hopes up.”
“I won’t,” her mother promised. Though, Wren knew she would probably start looking for flights and buy her one. Damn it. “Also, Shanna came by.”
Wren squeezed her eyes shut. “Man, I’ve been meaning to call her.”
“Wren, she’s been your best friend since you two were little. I don’t understand what is going on.”
“Mom, I’m swamped here.” Wow, the lies were pouring out of her like water. “Since I got my bonus, they’ve been working me to death.”
“She’s your best friend.”
And also the sister of the fucking douche who didn’t want her baby.
“I know. I’ll call her.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah,” she tried, her face scrunching up as the tears welled up in her eyes. She was the biggest liar ever, and there was a special place in hell just for her. Damn it.
“Oh! One more thing—”
“I thought the last thing was the last thing.”
“No, listen, are you bringing someone?”
Wren let her head fall to the desk. “I don’t know.”
“It’s tragic to show up alone.
”
Shaking her head, she pulled her brows together. “I don’t care.”
“Lord. My daughter, the spinster.”
“And proud of it. Okay, I gotta g—”
“Try to find a date?”
“Mom—”
“Please. For me.”
“Mom, really? I don’t need a man.”
“I know, but I want you to be happy.”
“I am happy.”
“Please.”
“Ugh, okay.”
She was pretty sure they both knew that was a lie too.
While her mom just assumed she wouldn’t bring anyone, Wren actually would be bringing a husband.
If she could find one.
Why was Jensen’s face in her head?
Shit.
“How much?”
Wren’s eyes widened at the six figures the lady quoted over the phone.
“And that covers just the week?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Okay, does he have a golden cock? Can I use said golden cock for the whole week?”
When the lady laughed, Wren felt like she must have thought Wren was joking.
She wasn’t.
“No, ma’am. If you would like to have intercourse, it’s up to the escort’s discretion how much he charges.”
“Can I at least look at it? Maybe fondle it?”
Her laugh was a lot more curt this time. “No, ma’am.”
“Hmm. So, I’m paying for what, then?”
“A husband. He’ll schmooze your family, he’ll act like you hung the stars and the moon. Everyone will be completely convinced. I’ve seen this guy at work. He’s gorgeous and one hell of an actor.”
Covering her face, Wren scrunched up her lips. “And if I need him later, for different events?”