Chapter 101
-BLAIR-
Grayson called in the afternoon and did not bother pretending it was casual.
“I want you there tonight,” he said. The sound of him still did something to my heart. Even now.
“Blair. Please. I need you at the game.”
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I stood in my bedroom with the phone against my ear, staring at the Shaw jersey Olivia had laid across the bed.
“I am playing. First one back after the four I couldn’t take part in.” There was a short pause before he continued. “We dropped three of them. I need to win tonight for my team. I want you there.”
I looked at the jersey. His name. “I will only come if you promise not to get into another fight with Chase. Your team already suffered because you missed those games. Four games. Three losses. I am not staying to watch you get yourself thrown out again.”
The answer came immediately. “I agree. No fight. I swear it.”
That was how my entire family ended up at the arena.
Dad leading us. Mom with her hand on my back, like she was afraid I would trip and fall. Ethan already scanning the area like he was looking for a target. Caleb and Tessa arguing about snacks as if this were any other night and not the first time I had walked into this building with his name on my back since the world decided we were over.
The jersey was long and big enough to hide the small curve I was not ready to give the cameras.
The second we cleared the private entrance, the cameras found us.
“Blair, are you and Grayson back together?”
“Did you attend as his wife?”
“What about Lily Sinclair?”
“Is the divorce off?”
“Why the Shaw jersey tonight? Are you hoping to get back together with Grayson?”
“Does Grayson know you are here?”
I kept walking. Eyes forward. No comment. Mom’s fingers tightened once at my wrist in silent warning.
Tessa whispered, delighted, “They are losing their minds.”
“Good,” Ethan said. “Let them. They would lose their minds even more when the announcement is made.”
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14:53 Thu, Sep 17
The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife
The announcement of my pregnancy. I wasn’t sure when that would be happening.
Chase saw me from the ice during warmups.
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The shock on his face was almost satisfying. For a second he just stood there, stick loose in his glove, staring up at my clothes like the jersey had personally insulted him.
Then he started toward the boards as if he had a right to cross them.
Ethan stepped forward at once.
He did not raise his voice. He did not have to. He put himself at the glass, and Chase actually stopped.
The two of them looked at each other through the pane.
Olivia lifted her hand and flipped Chase off with a smile sweet enough for photographs.
Caleb snorted. “Classy.”
“At least I did something,” Olivia said. “What did you do to defend your sister from that idiot?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Caleb said in a mischievous tone.
What exactly did he do? And why did he seem so proud about it?
That was when I felt her go stiff beside me.
Roman was already in the family section.
He stood when Ethan clapped his shoulder, tall and polite and visibly trapped. He had come because Ethan insisted. Of course he had. This was awkward. He had to sit three seats away from my sister like that night had never happened.
“You okay?” I murmured.
“I am fine,” she said, which meant she was not.
Roman glanced over once, uncomfortable, then looked at the ice like the puck might save him.
Ethan, oblivious, started talking about women Roman was currently seeing.
Oh no.
I watched Olivia’s reaction and she no longer had a forced smile on her face. She was hurt. I felt so bad for her.
“Enough about me,” Roman cut him off. “Who’s the new girl?”
He’d clearly changed the topic for my sister’s sake. But she was already rigid. She’d heard enough.
The reporters had followed us all the way to the glass.
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14:53 Thu, Sep 17
The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife
“Blair, did Shaw ask you to come?”
“Are the Monroes approving a reconciliation?”
“Is this a publicity appearance?”
Then Grayson was there. To my shock and horror.
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He came out of the tunnel in warmup gear, and put himself between me and the nearest group of cameras like the decision required no thought.
Sweat at his hairline. Eyes on the lenses first, then on me.
“Leave my wife alone,” he said, loud enough for his voice to be heard far. “I will answer your questions after the game.”
Wife.
I was shocked into stillness. I never would have expected him to shout the word wife like that, especially since they all believed we had already divorced and he’d been seen with Lily at his house and to multiple events.
Grayson did not look at the cameras. He looked at me, “you look beautiful, Blair.”
I blushed. Not prepared for him to compliment me in front of everyone so easily.
My heart started to pump faster. What is wrong with you? I scolded myself.
“After,” he repeated to the reporters. “Not now.”
He went back toward the ice.
I sat down with my family teasing me about it.
Tessa whispered, “He said wife.”
Ethan muttered, “Good. I guess I wouldn’t be needing to use my fist anymore. Though Chase has it coming still.”
Mom squeezed my hand. Dad waiting impatiently for the game to start.
Olivia leaned in. “He promised no fight with Chase tonight?”
“He promised.”
And I believed he would keep that promise.
On the ice, Chase was still staring up at us.
Grayson did not look at him. He took a puck from Marcus, snapped it into the empty net, and skated through the rest of warmup like the only thing he was allowed to hit tonight was rubber.
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14:53 Thu, Sep 17
The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife
I pulled the jersey a little looser over my stomach and faced the rink.
It felt good to be back. Supporting him. My husband.
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14:53 Thu, Sep 17
Dex Morgan
Dex works to elevate each story with clean writing, emotional balance, and thoughtful flow for readers.