Hockey Baby 🏒

••• THIRTY-SIX •••

••• THIRTY-SIX •••
Sophie

    I grinned as I watched Ashton skate on the ice, with Aurora in my lap. He waved, his face lighting up with the biggest smile, as he skated over to us. Aurora smacked the glass excitedly, staring up at him and giggling as he made funny faces at her.

  "Sophie!" Christina exclaimed, rushing over to me and Aurora. "Let me see that ring!" She clapped her hands as she sat down beside us.

  "We missed you at dinner last week," I said, placing my hand in hers. She gasped, staring at the ring in awe.

  "I know, I'm so sorry! I got stuck at work, but oh my God, Soph! The picture you sent doesn't do it justice. This ring is gorgeous!" she exclaimed. I blushed as she gushed over it. It truly was a beautiful ring—an elegant gold band with a three-carat oval-cut diamond.

    I glanced back at Ashton, who was grinning at me. I bit my lip to keep from grinning back. I'd been smiling so much lately that my cheeks ached. I'd never been this happy in my entire life, and it was all because of him. The first boy I ever loved was officially becoming my husband.

  "Have you guys started planning the wedding yet?" Christina asked, breaking me out of my thoughts just as the coach blew his whistle, signaling that practice was starting.

  "Barely. All we've decided so far is that we want a short engagement, so we're thinking of having the wedding this June." Christina raised her eyebrows in surprise as she stroked Aurora's hair.

  "Wow, that's soon. I mean, it's barely October, so that gives you guys only eight months to plan the wedding."

  "I know it doesn't seem like a lot of time, but we don't want an extravagant wedding. We just want something simple, surrounded by the people we love." I smiled at her, and she grinned widely back at me.

  "I'm so happy for you guys, Soph. After everything you two have been through... it's just so beautiful, the love you have for each other. You should honestly write a book about it." She complimented me, and I blushed as I leaned down to kiss the top of Aurora's head.

    Once practice ended, Christina and I stood outside the locker room door, waiting for Ashton and Patrick. I bounced Aurora in my arms, and she giggled like crazy while watching Christina make funny faces at her. Suddenly, the locker room door burst open, and a pretty girl walked out carrying equipment.

    She looked familiar, but I couldn't place her. When she caught me staring, her smile faltered slightly, and she stopped walking.

  "Hi," I greeted her with a smile. "Do you need help with those bags?" I asked. She stared at me for a moment before quickly shaking her head.

  "Oh, no thank you! I-I'm Lindsey, one of the trainers for the Blackhawks'," she introduced herself, and I smiled wider.

  "That's a really cool job! I'm Sophie, and this is my daughter, Aurora, and her Aunt Christina." I waved Aurora's little hand at Lindsey, and she gave a shy wave back.

  "I, um, know who you are," she said, then took a step closer. "I've actually been wanting to talk to you for a while now," she admitted. I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

  "What about exactly?" I asked with a nervous chuckle. She bit her lip, taking a slow, deep breath.

  "I know during the last month of your pregnancy I caused some issues between you and Ashton," she began. My eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "I just wanted to let you know that we only went on one date and shared one kiss, but I know it meant absolutely nothing to him."

    It felt like the air had been stolen from my lungs. Did she just say that while I was pregnant with his child, they went on a date and kissed?

  "I would hate to cause any more problems between you two because you have such a beautiful family."

  "That's enough. I think you should go," Christina interjected quickly before Lindsey could say anything else.

  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause any trouble—"

"Yeah, I highly doubt that. Leave. Now." Christina glared at Lindsey, who quickly took off down the hallway but glanced back at me with a smirk on her face.

  "What the fuck just happened?" I asked, feeling tears sting my eyes as I adjusted Aurora in my arms, who was starting to get fussy.

    Just then, the locker room door opened, and out walked Ashton and Patrick, laughing at something. They stopped the second they saw the look on my face.

  "Soph, what's wrong?" Ashton asked worriedly as he strode over to me. I shook my head, wiping away a tear that had fallen.

  "Why don't you go and ask Lindsey?" I sneered, then took off toward the exit with Ashton following close behind.

  "Sophie, what are you talking about? What did Lindsey say?" he asked as we walked over to my car. I quickly opened the back door to put Aurora in her car seat.

    Once I had her safely buckled inside, I closed the door and stared at Ashton in disbelief.

  "Lindsey just informed me that while I was pregnant with your child, you two went on a date and shared a kiss," I spat out angrily. Ashton looked at me like a deer caught in headlights. "Did I know before my accident? Or were you hoping to keep it hidden since I have no memory of anything that happened during my pregnancy?" Ashton opened and closed his mouth multiple times. I could tell he was trying to come up with some excuse, but I didn't want to hear it.

  "We're going to stay at my mom's for a few days," I informed him as I walked around him toward the driver's side door. That's when he finally snapped out of it.

  "Sophie, no, please!" he begged, quickly closing my door and staring down at me with so much fear in his eyes that I almost felt sorry for him. "Please, don't leave me. I already lost you once before. I can't go through that again."

  "Then tell me that she's lying! Tell me you never went on a date and that you didn't kiss her!" I exclaimed, tears escaping my eyes and rolling down my cheeks.

  "Sophie, it wasn't like that..." Ashton trailed off, regret evident on his face. That was all I could take before my heart shattered into a million pieces.

  "I need to be alone for a couple of days, Ashton. Please move," I whispered. He took a ragged breath as he stared down at me, but I couldn't meet his gaze. I just stared at the car window, praying he would move.

    Thankfully, he did. I climbed inside the car quickly and slammed the door shut. As I pulled out of the parking lot, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw Ashton's face in his hands as he watched us leave. I let out the sob I had been holding in and tried to focus on the road as I finally let my heart shatter.

    How could he have hidden this from me? I wiped away my tears as I drove toward my mom's house, gripping the steering wheel tightly. How could today start so beautifully and end in so much heartache?