Page 5 of Full Strength

Right?

Emma shook her head. “No way. He hadn’t had a date in three years and all the guys would know if something this big was happening.”

Kendall finally agreed. “You’re right. Wyatt would know.”

It was weird hearing her refer to the captain by his first name. Grant, and pretty much everyone else, called him Hartman. I guess his girlfriend wouldn’t do that. It was another weird reality check of the world I was now living in. Hanging out with professional hockey players and their wives and girlfriends. Two months ago, I would have laughed in someone’s face if they told me this would be my future group of friends.

“So, it is about me.”

They both seemed to accept that to be the only option. “Why would he go behind my back like that?”

Neither of them seemed to have an answer.

“Does he think I’m not a good enough mother on my own? That I need my ex in the picture? That Eli needs more than me?”

I was beginning to spiral. Again.

Emma reached forward and placed her hand on my knee. “I know he doesn’t think that. No one does. You’re incredible. You’ve managed to keep working while raising a baby on your own. You’re a superhero.”

Kendall nodded. “You really are. I don’t think Grant would do anything to hurt you. He had to be thinking he was helping you.”

Emma agreed. “What did he say when he came over to your place?”

I looked around the room, not really wanted to admit how terrible the conversation went. “I don't remember.”

Emma narrowed her eyes. “You’re lying.”

Kendall raised an eyebrow and nodded.

“Okay, I might not have given him a chance to explain the papers.”

Kendall smirked and Emma sighed. “Oh Addison.”

I cringed. “I messed up, didn’t I?”

Emma nodded.

Kendall patted my shoulder. “At least you realized it quickly. Now you can talk to him and figure things out.”

I shook my head. “I said some pretty mean things.”

“We’ve all said things in the heat of the moment that we didn’t mean. He’ll understand you were just protecting yourself and Eli.”

“I accused him of betraying me. I told him I never wanted to see him again. I don’t know how we can go back from that.”

Emma laughed. “Oh honey. Me and Olli came back from much worse.”

“But you two have history. You love each other. Grant and I are friends and we’ve only known each other for a few weeks.”

“Almost three months.” Kendall corrected. I shot her a look but she just smiled. “What? The fundraiser was almost three months ago.”

I shook my head. “Three months is not long enough to survive something like this.”

“I think you’re selling him short. And you, don’t you think he misses you?”

“Probably not.” We hung out a few times a week and texted almost daily, but it wasn’t like we were together all the time. He’d forget about me soon enough.

“I bet you’re very wrong about that.” Kendall said with a self-assured smile.