Sawyer (Carolina Reapers 2)

Langley narrowed her gaze, then pursed her lips. “I’ve never seen you leave the bar for more than a few hours,” she said. “And now here you are in Vegas.”

I nodded, swallowing hard.

I couldn’t wait anymore. Each day was a battle between the love bursting from me for our baby to the constant anxiety over not knowing what Sawyer would say when he found out. Tonight was game seven of the Stanley Cup finals—the biggest game of his life—and I’d always wanted to watch him play. I wouldn’t distract him with the news before the game, but after?

God, my heart raced just thinking about uttering the words to him.

Because I would support him, I knew that. If he decided he still needed time to sort himself out. To be on his own and not be responsible for another person for once. I loved him enough to want him to take care of his own heart, but I couldn’t help the hope that he’d want to choose us. That he’d want to stay.

“I’ve had to sort some things out in my head,” I finally said, my heart racing as the time ticked on. Sawyer would be on the ice within minutes. “I will explain everything to you all soon. I promise. But for now…I need to speak with Sawyer first.”

“He’s been a miserable prick, you know,” Langley said, accepting my words and moving right along without pushing. “Can barely stand to be around him.”

“It hasn’t affected his game, has it?” I asked. I hadn’t been able to watch him since I found out.

“No,” Langley said, sighing. “Somehow, they have the ability to keep their game and their personal life extremely separate.” She waved her hands in the air. “Different breed, the lot of them.”

“But a good breed,” Faith said.

“One worth a little struggle,” Harper chimed in.

“I get it, queens. I really, truly get it.”

They eyed me, but let me sit in silence while the announcer went through the process of identifying the teams, the players, the packed stadium going absolutely wild.

The breath stalled in my lungs.

There he was.

The first I’d seen of him since he’d visited me in the hospital.

It didn’t matter that he was covered head to toe in bulky gear. He was there, and my heart did all those stupid flutter beats like it was trying to fly right out of my chest and join its other half on the ice.

Sawyer fucking McCoy.

My stomach swirled, a wave of nausea crashing over me. I quickly rested my elbows on my knees, taking deep breaths and praying the girls thought I was emotional over seeing him. I wanted to tell them about the baby but now wasn’t the time. Sawyer needed to know first. Then I’d let the girls know.

Sorry, baby, I said internally, nearly smirking at the thing’s attitude. Clearly it didn’t like me thinking about its father that way.

“Echo?” Faith asked, her hand on my back. “You all right?”

I sat up straight, nodding. “Yes,” I said, sucking in a slow breath. “I’m fine.”

The game crackled through the crowd through each period and Sawyer was perfection on ice, not that I’d ever doubted that. It was one thing to watch him on television and another thing entirely to see him in person. He was magic in front of that goal, a powerful force to be reckoned with. Here was the man who could wipe my tears away with gentle fingers, yet catch fast-flying pucks like it was nothing but air.

Beautiful.

He was absolutely beautiful. And brilliant. And my heart ached so hard I was shocked it was whole enough to hurt so much.

And just as third period started, he looked to the guest-family box. Spotted me there, standing as the game churned on. The first game I’d ever shown up to, and likely the last. It didn’t matter that it was for a blink. That his head was back in the game in a second flat. In that moment, I’d felt him there.

And it broke me.

“I’m sorry,” I said as I moved past Langley. “I have to go.”

“Echo,” she called after me. “Do you want us to go with you?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “You three stay. Enjoy the game. I’ll be at the hotel. I just…I just can’t do this.” I hurried out of the arena before they could stop me.

Hurried so fast it was like I was being chased.

And it wasn’t until I’d gotten back to the hotel and in my room that I took a full breath.

I’d never outgrow the love I had for Sawyer, no matter how much I knew we didn’t belong in each other’s worlds. I would only bring him down in the end, and now that I was a mother-to-be, I couldn’t play second best to anyone. I had to be the best for this baby.