Billionaire Player's Secret Baby: A Forced Proximity Hockey Romance (Book 1), page 1
Billionaire Player's Secret Baby
A Forced Proximity Hockey Romance
Tara Love
Copyright © 2024 by Tara Love
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Contents
Prologue
1. Ellie
2. Ellie
3. Ellie
4. Ellie
5. Hayden
6. Hayden
7. Ellie
8. Hayden
9. Hayden
10. Ellie
11. Hayden
12. Ellie
13. Ellie
14. Hayden
15. Ellie
16. Ellie
17. Hayden
18. Hayden
19. Ellie
20. Ellie
21. Hayden
22. Ellie
23. Ellie
24. Ellie
25. Ellie
26. Hayden
27. Hayden
28. Ellie
29. Ellie
30. Ellie
31. Ellie
32. Ellie
33. Ellie
34. Ellie
35. Hayden
36. Hayden
37. Hayden
38. Hayden
Epilogue
More by Tara Love
Prologue
If I saw two lines on this stick, I might as well sign my life away.
Between mastering sauces and perfecting my searing skills, I never imagined this would be my toughest test.
I sat over the toilet, my stomach lurching into my throat. I placed a hand over my mouth, shutting my eyes tightly.
After weeks of telling myself that this was nothing but a stomach bug, I couldn’t shake the of dread and stop the tightening knot in my stomach.
My stomach lurched again, a physical echo of the denial I was clinging to. Trembling hands and a racing heart only aided my growing realization.
I can only sit in denial for so long until I face the truth.
My hands trembled, my heart raced with every second. Please, please, please. Let this be the most serious stomach bug I’ve ever gotten.
Maybe it was the seafood dish I prepped for my assignment, still wreaking havoc weeks later.
“I can’t be pregnant,” I muttered to myself. “Not now. Not when everything is finally falling into place.”
The timer rings the five second countdown, and the line on the test slowly makes itself darker and darker. I hold my breath, my nerves slowly getting the best of me.
The timer rings loudly, and I quickly shut it off, returning my eyes to the tiny stick that decided my fate.
Two pink lines emerged, stark against the white backdrop of the test, unforgiving in their message.
My stomach dropped to my feet. In the silence of the bathroom, I did nothing but stare at the pregnancy test in my hands, in shock.
Positive.
I crawl off the toilet, kneeling over it instead as the vomit I’d been holding back pour into the bowl. The heaving almost painful. My throat feels raw, burning from the bile and panic that wraps around my body.
Tears well up in my eyes as I pull away, rumbling my way to the corner of the bathroom, hoping that my mother is too deep into her sleep to hear anything.
The fear comes in waves. Intensifying after each crash, threatening to pull me under.
Three years in culinary school, with only a few months left, I got pregnant.
I pull my knees into my chest, dropping my face onto them. A sob racks through my body, stifled by the soft material of my pajamas.
Mother’s voice echoed in my mind, “Your father and I didn’t raise you to be anything but extraordinary. He would be turning in his grave if you become anything but.”
She was going to be so disappointed when she found out.
No job, no house, nothing to show for myself at twenty-one.
What the hell was I going to do?
Frantically, I reached for my phone, wiping the tears hastily from my eyes as I sniff. My fingers trembled while I dial the number I have learned by heart.
I can’t figure this out by myself. I need him.
The phone rings a few times, leaving me silent before it cuts off. I swallow hard, tucking a strand of my brown waves behind my ear, and redial the number.
I press the phone against my ear, hardly holding back the cries bubbling in my throat. I yearn to hear his calm voice. To hear him reassure me. To remind me that I wasn’t going to do this alone.
But my call goes straight to voicemail, and my heart sinks even further as another ache of dread crawls up my spine.
I stare at the phone blankly. Just for a moment as it dawns on me, just how much of a predicament I’m in.
‘It’s been nearly three months.’ I tell myself. ‘He’ll call back, he won’t leave you like this.’
But deep down, a voice echoes reminding me that I knew better. That his phone had gone one too many times to voicemail this past week.
Unable to contain my sobs any longer, I let them flow freely.
I wrap my arms around myself, and cry as if the world is crumbling around me. Because mine is.
I mourn for the future I envisioned while it slipped through my fingers.
For the woman I was about to become, and the changes I was about to endure.
I mourn the life I would’ve given to my baby, had I been more prepared.
Right now, ready or not, there was no hiding from what was about to happen.
I’m going to be a mom and I am going to be everything my child needs.
And I will do it all on my own.
Ellie
Five Years Later
“Hayley has decided that her next fixation is to become a ballerina.”
My best friend, Joshua, held up the ladle, dripping some of the tomato soup into a bowl for tasting. I flipped over the sizzling grilled cheese.
He winced as he glanced at my face with his brown eyes.
“Oof… I take it the hip hop lessons weren’t her thing?”
“She said she didn’t like how her body felt when she danced – simply put – she’s just like her mama when it comes to exercising.”
Joshua chuckled, bringing the spoon over to my lips, his hands gently touching my chin. The taste of freshly blended tomato and spices filled my mouth. I groaned, taking it all in as I leaned against the kitchen counter with my eyes closed.
“It’s good?”
I reopened my eyes and found him grinning, knowing full well that it was amazing. “Table number three may ask for seconds, I suggest that you get started on that now.”
With a wink, he turned to his station while I plated the grilled cheese sandwich, prepping the order for the waitress.
“So – have you figured out how much this new venture is going to cost you?”
I pursed my lips, letting out a heavy breath through my nose. “The shoes alone are over a hundred dollars, Josh. I called one of the local schools and the quote gave me a migraine.”
It was true. That phone call really had been a shock to my system. In my attempt to ensure that my daughter had it all, I always ended up spending money I didn't have. But that didn’t matter because she was worth everything and more.
“At this rate, I’ll just have to get another job.”
“A second job sounds crazy, Ellie. Where will you find the time?” He put everything together, handed it over to Julie – the only waitress on shift, and then leaned against the counter with a frown.
“Between all the extra shifts you’re taking now – and then Hayley… I just don’t see how that’ll work.”
“I’ll cut down my shifts here and find another job that pays a bit more. Maybe I’ll have to miss dinner for a few nights, but at least Hayley will be happy.”
Joshua frowned. “She won’t be happy if her mother is hardly there – I can tell you that much. If she had to choose between dancing in a tutu or being with you, it would be a no brainer.”
My shoulders sagged. My stomach churned with that familiar feeling of unease. “She shouldn’t have to choose. That’s the thing.”
“Ellie –”
“No, Joshua, I can’t help it. She should get to experience all the good things in life before she gets older and realizes just how shitty it can all be. I should be able to give that to her.”
Joshua settled into a frown.
“Plus, I really need to start looking for my own place. My mom has been understanding, letting us stay with her for all these years but, I think she’s started dating again.”
“Martha?” Joshua’s eyes widened, his nose crinkled in disbelief and I nodded.
“Leaving late, coming home in the early hours of the morning to drop Hayley off at school, smiling like a buffoon and staring into space. It may be a while but I still know all those signs too well… she keeps saying she doesn’t mind having us in her space but deep down I feel guilty. It’s time for me and Hayley to have our own little corner of the world.”
Joshua’s eyes softened, and his face finally relaxed. He walked towards me and placed his hands on my arms. “I get it, I do. But don’t be too hard on yourself, Ellie. You’re doing everything the
I blew out a shaky breath, averting my eyes for a moment.
It was tough doing everything nearly by myself. Sure, I had Mom and Freddy alongside the final member of our trio, Aria, to count on… but for once, I wanted to depend on myself and succeed at it. I wanted to be able to show Madi what a strong, self-sufficient woman looked like.
Right now it felt like I sucked at it.
“Do you have any jobs coming in for your private catering service at least?” Joshua continued rubbing his hands comfortingly up and down my arms. I always found it endearing when he did that.
“The last time I got hired privately was at Little Joe’s ten-person birthday party. That was a month ago.”
“Well, Ellie… maybe it’s time you –”
“Don’t.”
My face tightened, and suddenly his hands felt cold on my skin… that unwelcome feeling of unease sneaked up my veins.
Joshua’s lips parted.
“You’re right. I’m sorry,” he said quickly.
“It’s fine,” I forced a small smile on my face as I turned toward the sink. “Let’s just clear up the kitchen before the dinner crew comes in.”
Joshua hesitantly left me to my solace as I sank into my thoughts.
Gosh, my stomach was a mess.
I had been filled with so much anxiety these past few days that I couldn’t stand on my feet for long.
My heart felt like a heavy mass in my chest, weighing me down and as much as I tried to keep my head afloat, it felt like I was drowning.
On my break I decided to shoot Aria a text, checking in. I hadn’t heard from her all day which meant her boss probably had her in a chokehold.
The dinner crew came in right on time and we served them the usual mashed potatoes and assorted meats, before dropping the keys off at our boss’s office, and headed out for the night.
Joshua and I hugged goodnight, before going our separate ways. The cool New York air was a welcome contrast to the heat of the kitchen as I made my way home, lost in thought.
The streets always seemed so busy no matter what time it was, but tonight felt a little different.
The world wasn’t in a hurry.
Ellie
Hayley was already waiting by the door when I arrived, her plush green elephant in hand. Her squeal echoed through the walls, letting everyone else know that I was home as she threw herself at me.
“Miss Hayley!” I greeted warmly and a smile graced my face.
I tried my best not to grunt as I lifted her off the floor. She seemed to forget that she was growing more and more everyday, courtesy of her grandmother who seemed to cook or bake every half an hour.
“Oh my sweet girl, I missed you so much.”
Her arms wrapped around my neck, the smell of cookies overriding my senses. I rolled my eyes. Of course, Mom had baked cookies even though we had a pile of pound cake just yesterday.
Her giggles echoed in my ears as we made our way to the living room, where Martha, my mom, sat on the couch. Her eyes twinkled with mischief as I gave her a knowing look.
“Welcome home, Ellie, dinner will be ready soon.”
“Mm,” I hummed, taking a seat next to her. “I’m guessing appetizers were already served – or is it a dessert before dinner kind of night.”
Hayley pulled away with a gasp, her little eyes wide as she stared at me, and then her grandmother. “I think Mommy knows.”
She tried to whisper.
“Shh, we are both innocent until proven guilty,“ Mom said, winking at the mischievous little girl in my lap. She giggled, climbing off to wash her hands.
“Mom –”
“I was late with dinner,” she defended quickly, standing for the couch. “The poor girl was famished, so I just gave her one. It won’t happen again.”
I had very little confidence that it wouldn’t.
We settled down and once dinner was served, Hayley led the conversation about her day at school. As I watched her eat on her own, she used big words in the wrong way while telling us stories about her friends; it felt surreal.
I couldn’t believe that this was the little baby I held in my arms five years ago.
Time continued rolling, and life really did go on, no matter what had happened in the past.
After dinner, I gave her a bath and got her ready for bed. Her eyes fluttered as she lay on the bed, and I placed a kiss on her forehead..
“Sleep snug as a bug in a rug, little love of my life. I’ll see you in the morning.”
She nodded, holding her blanket up to her chest. “Mom, Stacey says ballerina classes start next week.”
Hayley stared up at me with those big, hopeful eyes, bringing the blanket closer to her face, as she tried to hide behind it. I chuckled lightly, but a pang of anxiety riddled my core.
I ran my hand through her dark hair, before nodding. “You’ll be there.”
She gave a small smile, satisfied with my reply; and within minutes, she was out like a light.
The room grew quiet; her soft snores were the only sound in the room. I gave her one final kiss good night, my heart aching as I pulled away. I shut the door behind me and started thinking about how I was going to make my girl’s dream come true. She would be so heartbroken if I didn’t make this happen for her.
That wasn’t an option.
Mother’s vibrant silver hair cascaded down her back, in stark contrast to my own brown locks. She stood at the sink, washing up before bed.
“Join me,” she urged, smiling over her shoulder. “There’s a fellow I need to tell you about.”
I raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on my lips. “A fellow?”
“A fellow,“ she repeated, her eyes sparkling. “For the past two days we’ve been exploring the city’s restaurants. It’s been wonderful.”
“I’m really happy to hear that; if anyone deserves it, it’s you, Mom.”
Mom sighed, turning off the water and drying her hands. She turned to face me, and with a soft expression uttered, “Thanks dear. And you know, maybe it's time for you too. You should consider meeting someone who would be there for you and Hayley."
Oh boy.
“I’m not opposed to finding someone, Mom. I just need to focus on being comfortable first. I want to provide stability for me and Hayley.”
“You’ve always wanted to be nothing less than independent, Ellie; it’s your strongest feature. But you should know that sometimes having someone by your side can make the journey a little easier.”
I got that. I couldn’t count the times I wondered what having a family for Hayley would have been like. What having a man who came home to us, placing kisses on our foreheads would feel like. Sometimes, I yearned for it more than I should. I wasn’t bitter about what had happened all those years ago. Love still existed, I was sure of that, but before I could find someone to share my life with, I needed to stand on my own two feet.
“I appreciate your advice, Mom,” I said, squeezing her hand. “But for now, it’s time for me to move out and create a stable home for Hayley and me. Once we have that foundation, maybe I’ll be ready to let someone else in.”
My mother’s eyes glistened as she said, “Just remember, I’ll always be here for you, for the both of you no matter what.”
She pulled me into a hug, and I leaned into her. Tired, and weary, I allowed myself to sink into her embrace, grateful that if nobody else, I always had her. Her words echoed in my heart, a reminder of the love and support that has always been my anchor.
Ellie
Is it really an off day if you don’t spend it cleaning?
Six hours into my day, I found myself at the task of wiping down the kitchen counter as strands of hair stuck to my sweaty skin.
The lemon-scented cleaner battled a stubborn rust stain, but no matter how hard I went at it, it seemed determined to stay put.
The front door snapped open, but I hardly noticed as Hayley’s small boot-covered feet rushed toward me.
“Mommy!” The shrill, yet sweet sound of her voice made me jump, knocking over the spray bottle and catching it just in time.
