Page 39 of Power Play

Vanessa nudges me, and I follow her lead as we head back to the suite. A few of the women have beaten us here, and as I settle Emmy on my lap, Bex sits next to me and hands me a glass of wine.

“You look like you need this,” she says with a grin.

“That obvious?” Taking it from her, I purse my lips at the mangoes, pear, and cantaloupe floating in the white wine before taking a sip. Much to my surprise, the flavor is actually pretty decent, and the sharp taste of the alcohol is barely noticeable. I take another, larger drink. This could be as dangerous as jungle juice.

“Hey, you survived. The photos will be adorable.”

The blood drains from my face. “Photos? What photos?”

She stares at me. “You mean you didn’t notice the team photographer?”

“No…” My eyes fall to my ring. It’s simple, an eternity band of small diamonds. Will they wonder why I don’t have an engagement ring? Did our interactions look real enough? What if the social worker sees the photos and decides I’m a bad influence and not fit to be Emmy’s mom?

Bex places her hand on my arm, squeezing. “Breathe. It’s okay.”

“It’s not.”

“Everything is fine,” she whispers. “Just breathe.”

“What if they take Emmy away from me?” My heart breaks just thinking of it, and I hug her tighter, breathing in her sweet baby scent.

“They won’t. Nobody’s going to take that kid from you,” she insists. “You’re her mom now.”

“I—” My throat feels thick, like I can’t swallow. I can’t get enough air.

“You’re her mom, and Gonzo’s her dad, and you guys are married. Nobody is going to take a baby away from her parents, especially not two people who love her as much as you do.” Bex squeezes my arm again. “Everything is going to be fine. People bring babies to hockey games every day. Sometimes, they even sit in the stands.”

I stare at her, unseeingly. “But what if⁠—”

“You love her, and he loves her, and nobody is mistreating her. There have never been two people who love her as much as you do. Everything is going to be fine.”

I want to believe her. I do. But there’s something in the pit of my stomach telling me this was a terrible idea.