Only One Mistake (Only One 6)

“I just got off the ice,” I say, huffing. “Going to get some lunch. How are you?”

“Good, a touch tired,” she admits. “But hey, I feel better than Julia does this morning.” She laughs.

“Alex wasn’t faring any better,” I say, sitting on the desk with my face to the door in case it swings open.

“I got a picture,” she says, and I laugh.

“Apparently, I’m part of the group text that they started yesterday,” she says, laughing. “I had to mute the conversation at ten o’clock when to them it was the witching hour.” I can’t help but laugh. “Anyway, I just got a call from my doctor that she had to bump up my appointment from Friday to today at four,” she explains, and my heart speeds up. “It’s fine if you can’t come.”

“I’ll be there,” I confirm right away. “Can you text me the address?”

“Are you going to be done at work?” she asks. “How does it even work?” I’m about to answer her when there is a knock on the door. I get up, opening the door, and see Cooper standing there. He mouths, “Press,” to me, and I nod my head.

“I’ll explain everything to you tonight,” I say. “I have to go and meet the press.”

“Okay,” she says. “I’ll see you at four.”

“I’ll be there.” I hang up and walk out of the room, the phone buzzing in my hand, and I look down and see the address to the doctor’s office.

I walk back into the room and look over at Cooper, who just looks at me as he answers questions. I put a shirt on when one of the reporters comes over, and they ask the standard questions. It’s about thirty minutes later when they finally walk out of the room.

“You good?” Cooper asks with a worried face.

“Yeah,” I assure him, looking around and seeing the room is empty but the two of us. “Jillian has a doctor’s appointment at four.”

“You’re going, right?” He folds his hands over his chest, glaring at me.

“Of course,” I say, pulling the shirt off me and undressing to go into the shower. The whole time, I pretend I’m not nervous, but if truth be told, I think I’m going to vomit.

Chapter 26

Jillian

“Don’t forget to bring back the yellow paper tomorrow,” I tell the kids when they get up and start packing their things. I look up at the clock and see I have five minutes before the bell officially rings. I always have them clean up early so they aren’t rushing to get out of here. They walk over to their hooks as they shove the paper into their bags. “It’s for pizza day, so if your mom and dad don’t sign it, you get no pizza.”

I look over at the door and see the kids from the sixth grade coming to help the younger ones get on the bus. “Hi.” I wave to them as they look for the kids they need to escort to the bus. “Okay, picker-uppers,” I say to the kids who get picked up by their parents. “Get in line so I can walk you guys out.”

I walk over to the door as ten kids line up in front of me. “Okay, we have to tippy-toe,” I tell them quietly. Walking backward out of the class to make sure that they all follow me as I put my finger to my lips, showing them to be quiet.

When we get to the door, I look out and see the parents waiting in the schoolyard. Stepping outside, I let the kids run to their parents. Mia runs over to Erika, who is walking into the schoolyard with her son on her hip. He smiles when he sees Mia in front of him. Erika bends to kiss Mia's head and then looks up at me and smiles. She walks to me as I wave goodbye to the kids. “Hi,” she says with a smile and a soft voice. She and Cooper have always been so polite and kind to me.

“Hi.” I smile and hold back the hair that is flying with the wind, looking down at the baby. “He got so big.”

“He did.” She puts her cheek to his head. “I heard the news,” she says, looking around. “I also heard you met my father-in-law.”

I laugh. “I did,” I say to her. “He is…” I try to come up with the right word.

“He is something,” she fills in. “I won’t keep you, and I know how ears perk up, so I just wanted to tell you that if you need anything.”

I smile at her. “Thank you so much.”

“It can get lonely when they travel,” she says right before Emma comes out, and I just look at her, and I really need to sit down and ask him all the questions.