Torn Check, Secret Baby: My Spectacular Comeback

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and illuminating the sleeping face of Hale Jones. For the past two years, I had built my enti

d by a life on the ice. He was the captain of the New York Rangers, a king in

to the faint, silvery scar above his eyebrow. He'd gotten it i

s snapp

giness of sleep. He stared at the ceiling with absolute clarit

o cover my sudden unease.

e morning sun. He reached for the glass of water on the nightstand, h

I pulled the sheet higher, cover

ce was raspy and brutally

ess the words. "...What? Are you kid

eed a relationship that's more beneficial to my pub

ace. My fingers gripped the edge

e in front of the cameras. Someone who fits the

e girl who bakes you cookies and warm

nce in his gaze. "I thought you understood wh

given up managing the main branch of my family's bakery to cater to hi

one last, desperate thre

her I deserved to know. Then, he delivered the

magazines, always perfect, always poised. She came from a wor

bit down hard on my bottom lip,

ts fluid and efficient, like he was in t

nd adjusted his cuffs. He treated this bre

ing. I'll have my assistant contact you

o years, who now looked like a stranger. His

r around myself, my voice

nodded, as if this was

ward the door without a

or him to hesitate. Waiting for him to turn around

did

click echoed through the room, sealing the end

staring at the

iked his coffee. The way he reached for my hand when he was exhausted

hose moments mean

augh escap

etter than anyone else. I had given up my own plans, rearranged my life around

idicu

own my cheek as I smile

as crying because I had spent two years believing I was buildin

king myself for letting him see a future

ightstand, my hand started shaking. The last piece o

nds, trying to keep myself sil

the sheets. On the pillow. In the

sunlight, grieving not only the man who left, but the ver