Filed to story: Luci Forrester and Easton Reed: Hockey Romance Story
“Only to come home from practice one night and find her standing in the living room with her luggage. Her mother’s limo was parked in the driveway. She handed Cole to me as I asked what was happening. She confessed she needed to go back to Paris to fulfill her modeling and film contract or they’d sue her. I told her Cole and I would follow. She told me not to. Said it was too much for her to handle-her demanding schedule along with me and a baby.” I’ll never forget the panic and fear in her eyes. At the time, I thought it was because she had to leave us.
Arm squeeze.
“She promised she’d come back and would call all the time. She did, calling me every other night. I’d send her pictures daily, and she’d comment or react. A month later, on his birthday, she came back, stayed for a week, and then left again. That pattern continued for another six months. She would visit every six weeks and then leave again. It kept me devoted to her. But then it all stopped. She would only text me or react to photos. No more visits. Finally, she called and said we needed to be over. I didn’t take it well. Found a rebound girlfriend from hell and then another one three months after that. I backed off and only sent pictures once a month.
Three months ago, I stopped doing that. I have no idea what she’s doing now. Clearly, she doesn’t care to even see him. But I can’t tell Cole that yet.”
Permanent arm squeeze. “Oh Easton, she hurt you deeply. Broke your heart in two ways,” she whispers tearfully.
“You deserved the whole story about her. Her mother is back and staying in her home here for a month or two. My mother decided Vivienne should get to see Cole and take him out for the day. Under no circumstances is she to take him anywhere. I’d like to say don’t let her see him at all, but my mother will probably sneak her into the house. She doesn’t care about him, and I don’t even want to tell him who she is.” My voice drips with cold venom.
“What did she do?” Luci asks, her tone knowing.
I turn to face her, taking her hand firmly. “She tried to convince Lorelei to abort him throughout the entire pregnancy. She threatened to put him up for private adoption when Lorelei needed inpatient treatment. Lorelei brought him to me, but apparently, she was heavily against it. She came back a little over a year ago, and I overheard her telling my mother that Cole would be excellent for boosting her comeback career. He’s nothing but a pawn to her, and I won’t let her near him. If that woman had her way, I could have never known my precious boy.”
Luci
As Cole wrapped up his hockey lesson, I felt a wave of relief wash over me, coinciding with the end of Easton’s melancholy narrative. I hurried down the rink to meet them, my heart pounding as I tried to regain my composure. I could see Cole’s body language shift, his shoulders tightening as he walked away, and I couldn’t help but ponder if he was donning that familiar, protective facade again. Was it a mask for the world, or was it for himself? The question lingered in my mind like a stubborn echo. I had always perceived him as distant and unapproachable, attributing it to a sense of entitlement. But now, I realized it stemmed from a deeper wound-one inflicted by the person he cherished the most. Or rather, by the people he loved. His mother’s struggles had left scars that I could only imagine.
Having been thrust into the role of caretaker for Cole at such a young age, Easton had to cultivate a strength that often shielded his brothers from the harsh realities of life. I chided myself for having judged him so superficially, especially when I understood all too well the weight of judgment from others.
I approached them, wrapping my arms around Cole in a warm embrace. “One day,” I thought, “Easton will have to share the truth with him.” I held onto the hope that the love surrounding Cole from the men in his life would help him navigate the pain inflicted by his mother. I could sense the walls around Easton reestablishing themselves, his demeanor slipping back into that guarded silence.
The drive back to my car was filled with an uncomfortable quiet, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that Easton might be regretting his decision to confide in me. Did my questions about his mother only serve to remind him of her absence?
As he parked the car and started to exit, I called out, “No, stay right there.” I quickly opened my door and walked along the side of the car to reach Cole, planting a gentle kiss on his forehead. “See you tonight, Coco.”
His sleepy smile warmed my heart. “Bye Luci. I go home and take a nap.”
I climbed down and waved to them as I closed the door behind me. Upon arriving home, I found Sydney lounging on the couch, her head turning as I settled beside her. “Judging by your expression, it sounds like you had a rather heavy conversation,” she observed.
“You could say that,” I replied, sharing the broad strokes of what transpired while carefully omitting the most intimate details.
She shook her head in disbelief, tears welling in her eyes. “It’s all too reminiscent of Banning and Barrett. The only difference is that Lyra will never have the chance to regret her choices.”
“If only Lorelei could feel the weight of her decisions. It hurts so much. Those sweet boys…” I sighed, the heaviness of the situation settling over us like a thick fog.
After a few moments of silence, I suggested, “Let’s go do some early Christmas shopping and indulge in something sugary sweet. I heard they have eggnog milkshakes at the Dairy Bar already.”
A rueful smile crept onto my face. “Sounds good. I’m all for getting things done early.”
“So, he didn’t share anything else?” Sydney probed as she navigated us toward the downtown shops.
“Cole wrapped up his thoughts as soon as he got that out.”
“Damn, I really want to know what makes his mother such a nightmare.”
Easton
I allowed Luci the space to process my revelations, my thoughts swirling around her words. Lorelei had managed to break my heart in more ways than one. I had never considered it from that angle before, but it was undeniably true. Her blatant rejection of Cole was a weight I couldn’t quite comprehend, yet it pressed heavily on my conscience. Had I pushed too hard for a picture-perfect family, inadvertently scaring her away? My focus had been so singularly fixed on us being together that I hadn’t seen the cracks forming.
Now, with Cole starting to ask questions about her, I was confronted with the dilemma of how much truth to share. I had no answers for why she had abandoned him so completely. He was far too young to grapple with that reality, yet his inquiries about her presence were dangerously close to the edge of that painful truth.
As I listened to Cole animatedly describe some hockey moves to Luci, I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope. He seemed genuinely happy, or at least he appeared to be. I had never anticipated becoming a single dad, and I certainly didn’t consider myself adept at it. After she left the first time, I had promised him I wouldn’t abandon him and that I would always do my best. I just prayed I wouldn’t mess him up along the way.
After a brief nap, I took Cole home to play until it was time for Luci to take over. As we entered the playroom, Dad appeared with a bag in hand. Cole dashed toward him, excitement lighting up his face as Dad tossed him into the air, reminding him to behave for Luci. I could tell Cole still hadn’t fully relaxed around her, likely due to the doubts my mother had instilled in him.
“Luci, can you watch him from Monday to Wednesday while we have practice? Our game is Friday night, and he wants to attend,” I asked quietly.
She nodded, her attention focused on Cole. “Yes, Mrs. Reed already gave me the schedule.”
Dad furrowed his brow thoughtfully. “I’ll be at the game too, but I’ll be in a section with the investors. Let’s get going, Easton. We have reservations at 5:30.”
Cole had already tugged Luci toward the fort we had built earlier, and Dad was nearly pulling me from the room. I had intended to discuss things with Luci, but it would have to wait.
On our way to the restaurant, Dad asked about my classes and our upcoming game, his excitement palpable. We walked into the restaurant and waited to check in with the host.
My phone buzzed with a text, and I glanced down to see Sydney’s name flashing on the screen. Since Luci hadn’t probed for the important details, I decided to take the initiative. How many times did you punch that asshole?
Five or six times. Not nearly enough. I chuckled as I reread her message.
“What’s so funny?” Jackson inquired as we made our way to our table.
“Sydney’s texting me about how many times I hit Maxton.”