“Oh, it’s a simple talk. I want you to work for me.”
“What?” Luca and I say at the same time.
Mr. York chuckles. “I’m serious. I have a big proposition for you.”
“Um…” For the first time, I’m at a loss for words.
“Can you come to my office for five minutes?”
I nod. Mr. York isn’t one to say no to and I want to know what’s up with this idea he has.
“I’ll meet you up in my office.” He walks away from me and I turn to Luca.
“When you’re done with him, come find me.”
“Luca you have–”
“Find me.” He gives me a quick kiss and I head up to the top floor where all the offices are.
Mr. York’s secretary tells me to go right in. I walk into a large office with all oak furniture. I would have thought that it would have been decorated better.
“Hadley, have a seat.” Mr. York points to the chairs in front of his desk. “Now, I don’t want to beat around the bush, but you’re the best in the business and I want you to work for me.”
I giggle. “Oh, Mr. York, you do know how to flatter a girl, but I’m not the best.”
He waves his hand and I stop talking. “My company has a new project that will launch in September.”
“What is it?”
“The Hockey Network. It’s all a go and will be announced during the playoffs. I want you to run it.”
My mouth drops and I’m not breathing at the moment. “Wha...what?”
“You heard me. I’m willing to pay top dollar.” He hands me a contract and my eyes bulge at the salary. “You can give your job notice and then travel with Luca for the playoffs. Take July off and start for me in August.” Mr. York has it all worked out.
“Where is the base for the network?”
“Here in Omaha. My wife doesn’t want my businesses too far from home. It limits my traveling. You understand that.” He chuckles and I nod. “What’s your answer?”
“Mr. York, I need to think about this and discuss it with Luca. This is a huge step.” It’s a massive step. KSPN is a great company, but running a whole network would be a dream come true. I can’t get any higher than that. This is what I’ve worked for.
“Normally, I wouldn’t push but I need an answer now,” Mr. York tells me.
This is my dream. It’s right here in front of me. I’m not sure what Luca will say, but I can’t let this go.
“My answer is yes.”
~ ~ ~
I hate when I bother Luca during practice, but he'll be mad if I don’t tell him what I just did. He did tell me to find him when I finished with Mr. York. I walk down the tunnel and spot Luca the moment I see the ice. He isn’t the tallest player, but his presence on the ice is unmatched. I could watch him all day long.
“Hadley, when are you going to leave the Russian oaf and run away with me?” Darryl winks.
“I don’t know.” I shake my head. “Luca does come with a lot of benefits.”
“Name one.”
“My dick. Now, get lost.” Luca skates up behind him.
I laugh as Darryl winks at me and skates off.
“Rookies,” Luca mumbles. “What did York want?”
“Okay, I know I should have discussed this with you, but I had to give him an answer right away. It’s huge.” I smile up at him. My excitement is building.
“What?”
I take a deep breath and tell him everything that happened up in York’s office. I told him about the money, spending the playoffs with him, and even the fact I can bring Amy with me as my assistant. When I finish, he doesn’t say anything. He skates over to his coach, says something to him, and skates over to me. Luca jumps off the ice and grabs my hand and takes me into the locker room. He removes his helmet and gloves and turns back to me.
“Luca, don’t be mad–” I can’t finish my sentence because he begins kissing me. When he pulls away, I’m breathless.
“I’m so damn proud of you, Hadley. You worked for this moment. I know this is your dream.” He gives me a soft kiss.
“Luca.” I choke back the tears. Sometimes, he can say the right thing at just the right time.
“I mean it. No one but you can do that job.” He smiles at me.
“I love you. Thank you.”
“You helped me in all my dreams. We’ve been all over the US when I was being traded around. I’m glad you have this opportunity.”
“Where’s my big, tough Luca at?” I giggle.
“He’s here, but right now I’m your future husband and I’m supporting my future wife.” He wraps me tighter in his arms and a single tear escapes and rolls down my cheek.
We hold each other for a moment before Luca says he’s got to get back.
“I know. I’m sorry.” I pull away and wipe my face.
“Don’t be. We’ll celebrate later.”
I hug him one more time and head out.
~ ~ ~
“Ms. Lincoln.” I smile at the nurse as she calls me back. I follow her down the hall to the small exam room. “The doctor will be here in a moment.”
I sit down on the exam table and wait for several minutes until my doctor comes in. This is a crazy day already. I can’t believe I’m going to run The Hockey Network. I need to call my boss and put in my notice and Amy’s. That girl might be a little flaky at times, but she knows her shit and I don’t have time to train another assistant.
“Hadley.”
“Hello, Doc.” I smile up at him as he comes through the door.
“What can I help you with today?”
“It’s a simple day. I need a refill on my birth control pills and I’ve been having some serious nausea lately. I’m thinking I may have gotten food poisoning.”
He begins to ask me a bunch of questions about my symptoms. I tell him everything that’s been happening the past several days.
“Hadley, let’s do a urine test and a quick blood test.”
“Why?”
“I just want to rule out a couple of things.”
“Okay.”
He calls his nurse in and after peeing in a cup and a couple vials of blood taken, I’m back waiting in the same exam room for the doctor.
Luca: I can’t wait to celebrate with you when my parents go to bed.
I laugh.
Me: Me either.
The doctor comes back in and I set my phone down. He has a concerned look on his face and for a moment, my heart drops. Could this be something bad? I’m a healthy person, except for my eating habits.
“What’s wrong?” I can hear the panic in my voice.
“You’re pregnant.”
~ ~ ~
I’ve touched up my makeup twice today. Once when I finished with Luca and the other time when I left the doctor’s office. Now, I’m standing in the Omaha airport waiting for Luca’s parents and my heart is breaking.
I can feel it being ripped from my chest. I know how Luca feels about kids. He’s been adamant about it since the moment we became serious. He has a good heart, but I know his reasons for not having children.
Even though I take my pills religiously every morning, they didn’t work. I’m currently carrying an eight-week old baby inside me. A beautiful child created from the love between Luca and me.
I say a silent prayer that when I do tell him, he won’t flip out and run away. We’ve been together for ten years. Hell, we’re engaged. We’ve created a home together. He’ll understand how much I want this.
I do want this.
I’ve always been unsure about having kids. Our careers have always come first. Now, I’m almost thirty. I have no other family but Luca and his parents. If he leaves me…
“Hadley.”
I turn to see the two greatest people I know, Luca’s parents. If you saw Luca and then his mother, you would have no clue she gave birth to that man. She’s only 5’2” and Luca is six feet. You would know, though, once you saw her eyes. Luca’s dad is taller, closer to 5’10
”, and Luca looks exactly like him.
And they’re going to be the best grandparents.
“Mama.” I run up to her and bend down to hug her. She always smells like sugar. Luca says it’s because she bakes so much, but to me, it’s like home.
When my mother died, Mama stepped up in my life. She’s like my second mom and I can count on her for anything and everything. I know that I can talk to her and she’ll bestow her wisdom. Besides my mother, she’s the smartest woman I know.
“Why is my girl crying?”
Fucking hormones.
“I’ve missed you, Mama,” I try to tell her in my best Russian.
“Hadley, we’ve told you to give up on speaking Russian.” Papa shakes his head.
I laugh releasing Mama and hugging Papa. “I’m still trying.” I wipe the tears.
“You did try,” he chuckles at me.
“Let’s get you all home and ready for tonight.” I pick up a bag and head towards the SUV.
On the drive home, they both go into detail about the trip. It’s funny listening to them. Sometimes they act as if this is the first time they’ve ever flown. I giggle the hardest when they talk about being in first class. They get mad at Luca for spending the money, but then get upset if the flight attendant doesn’t give them that second bag of peanuts.
Luca is standing on the porch when we pull up. He might be a thirty-year-old captain in the hockey league, but when his parents are home...he’s a kid again.
They are talking quickly in Russian and I’m doing my best to keep up, but I’ve never been able to catch on. We make our way into the house, where Luca has a small spread of snack foods laid out.
Mama, Papa, Luca, and I spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying each other’s company. It’s great having everyone together. I do my best to keep my emotions in check because I’m on the verge of shouting that I’m pregnant. I refrain from it.
On the way to the game, Luca holds my hand. Feeling his touch reminds me of last night. I’m hoping it won’t be the last time that we’ll ever be together. It won’t be. Luca might be mad at first but he’ll come around. The Luca I know is a caring, loving man. He loves his family. He loved Valeria. He’s going to be an amazing father.
The arena is packed as Bucks fans are out in full force. The energy is pulsing from the game last night. Mama, Papa, and I find our seats behind the players' bench. They are the best seats because I can see Luca the whole time.
I can see the determination on Luca’s face when he skates out. I love his hockey face. I love that look of a winner. I’m lucky I get to see all sides of him: fun, playful, loving, and serious. That’s Luca.
That’s my Luca.
And now I’m having his baby.
The game is fast paced and before I know it, it’s almost over. The Bucks are in the lead by one and Hudson King of Portland is pushing hard against Luca. But Luca isn’t one to back down. The battle is tight until the final buzzer.
Bucks win 2-1 and are holding the series at 2-0.
Mama, Papa, and I are clapping the loudest as the Bucks salute the fans and skate off. I catch Luca’s eyes and he gives me a quick wink.
Man, I love him.
The ride home is a lot of talking between Papa and Luca. Papa is proud of his son and it’s great to see their interaction, even if I don’t understand most of what they’re saying.
When we get home, I say goodnight to everyone. I told them I hadn’t been feeling well and I’m glad that excuse worked because they don’t ask anymore.
I quickly change and crawl into bed. The tears fall again as I place my hand on my belly. There’s a life in there. A life that Luca and I created together. The baby will be here in the December. A winter baby. A Christmas baby.
“Hadley, you feeling okay?” Luca crawls in next to me.
“Just an upset stomach and I’m tired. Go visit your family. I’m okay.”
Luca kisses my forehead and heads out of the bedroom.
~ ~ ~
Luca has the suitcase on the bed and begins throwing things into it. Game three and four will be in Portland. I sit on the edge of the bed and watch him. I don’t want to tell him right now, but there’s no other good time.
“Luca, we need to talk.” I try to not let my voice crack.
“About what, baby?”
“Us. It’s important.” I know that if I say that, he’ll pay attention.
Luca stops everything with a concerned look on his face. “What is it?”
“You know I went to the doctor yesterday, right? He gave me some news that we need to discuss. I don’t want you to overact. I want to talk.”
“Overreact? Hadley, what’s wrong? Are you sick?” Luca’s face pales a little.
“Luca, I love you more than anything in this world.” Let’s get that out in the open. Here I go. “I’m pregnant.”
He says nothing at first. He sits on the bed and I immediately know he’s upset. He’s too quiet. “I don’t want kids, Hadley. We don’t want kids.”
“I know we talked about that in the beginning, but we’ve been together for ten years. I’m almost thirty and you are thirty.” I stand up and face him. “We made this baby out of our love and we’re going to raise it together.” Luca’s face is stone and I can see the rage building. “Please, don’t look at me that way.”
He shakes his head. “No. It’s always been no kids. Even when I brought up our engagement, I said, ‘We’re never having kids.’ You agreed. I don’t want it.”
“It’s not an it!” I raise my voice. “This is our baby. I told you that we wouldn’t have kids at that time. I know this is hard for you. Hell, it’s hard for me, too and I’m scared. However, we can get through it together. Luca, I need you to be here for me and our baby.”
“Hadley, no!” he yells, jumps up, and walks to the other side of the room. “I told you that if you wanted kids at some point, then we needed to end it because I didn’t want them. Not then, and definitely not now. You shouldn’t have assumed I’d changed my mind after I told you I wouldn’t.”
“Don’t act like I did this on purpose. I know your feelings, but it happened and now we both need to be adults and raise our child together.”
“I know you didn’t do it on purpose.” Luca takes a deep breath and looks right into my eyes. “I’m not changing my mind. I don’t want it. You can get rid of it and I’ll have that procedure done to make sure it doesn’t ever happen again.”
I stumble a step back. He didn’t say that. I didn’t hear him correctly.
“Get...get rid of it? Luca, you’re asking me to have an abortion?” I shake my head. That isn’t an option. “I’m not doing that, Luca. We’re going to have a baby. Us. Together. This is our baby.”
“Stop saying that!” The rage is present on his face now. He's pacing the room and he’s mumbling in Russian. “If you don’t want to do it, fine. But I’m not going to have any part of it. It’s it,” he points at my stomach, “or me. Not both. It was supposed to be you and me forever. That’s it. No one else.”
“Luca.” My mouth drops. I can’t believe this. “Are you serious? Are you really going to do this to me? To us?”
Luca’s eyes soften for a quick second, but the hardness comes back and he nods. “I’ve been clear all along; I can’t do it. I don’t want do it, Hadley.”
The tears rush down my face. I can’t stop them. “Luca, you would throw away everything? You don’t want us? How can you do this? You’re going to be a father. We’re supposed to get married.” My heart is breaking. I knew he would be mad. I knew he didn’t want this, but these words, his expressions, are like knives stabbing my soul.
“Of course, I want us, but that’s all I want. You. I don’t want a baby. If you do, then okay. That’s your choice, but it’s not one I want to have anything to do with. This isn’t a surprise. So, yeah, I would walk away from us because I can’t do it.”
I have been with him for ten years. Luca is my soulmate. He’s the love of my life.
However, we made this innocent baby in love. The love that held me up while I watched my mother die. The love that made me laugh when I felt sad. The love that made me whole.
I need Luca. I do. I want him by my side every step of the way. But I can’t force him. I can’t tie him up and make him love our baby. I can’t make him do anything.
I’m going to be a mom. I need to be strong for my child. Our child. My mother raised me on her own. It’s going to be hard, but I can do anything, and I will for the life that grows in me.
“Luca, I have loved you since the moment I met you. You are my everything, but I won’t get rid of our baby. I can’t. I want this baby. So, you need to go ahead and leave.”
Chapter Six
Luca
Music blasts through my earbuds as I try to focus on everything but what happened with Hadley. We’re in the air, flying out to Portland for the next two games. My mind isn’t on hockey, though. I thought we were on the same page. One reason why I’ve thought Hadley was perfect for me was because she’s always agreed that we didn’t need kids. She knows why, too.
As bad as it hurts to give her up, I don’t have any other choice. I can’t go there. I can’t be a father. It would be a disaster waiting to happen. I don’t want that life. If that’s what Hadley wants, then she can have it. She deserves to have children if she wants them. I know she’ll be a good mom. The most I can do for her is provide financial support. Nothing more than that.
This is going to suck. I could’ve had a lifetime of happiness with her and now, I’m left with only ten happy years to get me through the rest of my life. This is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do and it’s going to hurt like hell.
At least I can lose myself in hockey.
~ ~ ~
I move my foot forward, trying to kick the puck away from a Viking as we battle behind the net along the boards. Another guy comes in, shoves me good and hard, hard enough that his teammate is able to release the puck and shoot it down the ice. Damn it. I haul ass after them, but play comes to a stop as Darryl gets into a fight. I didn’t see what happened, but he’s pissed.
You and Me Forever (Oh Captain, My Captain Book 6) Page 3