Lucky Bounce: Game On, Part 2 by Jennifer Lazaris

25

"This is the best, isn't it?"

Holly adjusted her sunglasses and glanced over at Penn. "Yeah, it's a great party."

Ryder and Zoe decided to throw a huge bash for the team two days after they won the Cup.

They lived in a mansion, and between the outdoor and indoor pools and the tables of food and alcohol, the party was raging, and it was only 2:00 pm.

"I don't just mean the party. I mean everything. The win, the celebrating, the relief of it finally being over. I'm exhausted and happy. Aren't you?"

"It's a relief they won, yeah." Holly adjusted her lounge chair. They were lazing by the outdoor pool, people watching.

Tristan Mattisson doled out drinks of soda from the Cup to some of the players’ kids, who had lined up for a turn. Briar Lear was dancing at the end of the line like she had ants in her pants while Hannah stood nearby, holding baby Callie.

She looked over toward the opposite end of the pool, where Eli chatted with his sisters. His father wasn't here, but she expected that was a relationship he planned on taking slowly.

Placing a hand on her stomach, she closed her eyes and swallowed, feeling suddenly nauseated. It was too early for morning sickness, but she'd gotten her share of the queasies, as well as some major indigestion.

A drop of water landed on her arm, and she looked up to find Eli standing over her, dripping wet and grinning. "Ladies. The kiddos have finished drinking from the Cup, and I thought you two might want your turn."

"Oh, I'm game," Penn told him. "Will West pour it for me?"

"Of course," he said. "What do you want? Champagne?"

"That works."

"I can't drink," Holly said, making a face. "It messes up my MG medication and can make the Myasthenia worse."

"That's okay. We'll fill it with whatever you want," he assured her. "West's over there now rinsing it out." He nodded toward the goalie. "Figured we wanted to hose it off a little after the kiddos were taking their turns drinking from it. Apparently Briar's just getting over a cold."

"Good idea to clean it off."

Eli held out his hand. "Come on. You deserve to celebrate, too."

He helped her off the lounge and led her over to where West stood with the Cup.

"Hey, ball buster," West teased. "Ready for a drink?"

"As long as you cleared all the kid cooties off of it," she told him. He really wasn't a bad guy. He wrapped his arm around Penn, and she smiled up at him.

"It's cootie-free, I promise."

Eli pointed to the bucket of soda cans. "What kind do you want, Wilkes?"

"Um, ginger ale. That at least looks like alcohol." She'd had some earlier, though it hadn't helped her nausea much.

He dumped the soda into the Cup, and even with her queasy stomach, she couldn't help but be excited. Who would have ever thought she'd get to drink out of the most coveted trophy in hockey?

"I can't believe this," she murmured. "Penn, take a picture, okay?"

"Absolutely." Her friend held her phone up. "I'll send it to you right after."

Eli grinned. "Ready?"

"Yes."

He held up the Cup, and she drank greedily. Somehow, she ended up getting more of the drink on her face than anything else.

She laughed, stepping back as Penn handed her a paper napkin from a nearby table. "Okay, now I need a shower."

"Nah, just a dip in the pool," Eli teased. "Penn, are you ready? Champagne?"

"Heck yes!"

West held the Cup for Penn as Eli dumped champagne into it, and Holly took a few photos.

"That was awesome!" Penn wiped her face with the back of her hand. "I still can't believe this is happening."

"It was pretty cool. I'm going to run in the house and use the bathroom," Holly told her. "I'll be back in a bit."

"See you soon."

She ran into Nic on the way into the house. Ugh, this indigestion was kicking her ass. "Where's the closest bathroom?"

"Right around the corner," Nic said, studying her. "Holly, are you okay?"

She forced a smile. "I'm good."

Once inside, she did her business and splashed some cold water on her face. They'd be serving up food soon, but no way could she eat. Her stomach was too miserable.

A soft knock sounded on the door. "Holly?"

"Yeah?"

She opened the door.

"What's wrong?" Nic asked.

Holly frowned. "Nothing, why?"

"How far along are you?"

"What? No—"

"Holly, you haven't touched a drop of alcohol, and you've been acting weird." Nic interrupted. "I also know you are not the biggest fan of ginger ale, and I've seen you drink it a few times today. How far along, babe?"

"You can't tell anyone," Holly pleaded. "Please. Not even Fally. No one knows. Not even Penn."

"It's Eli's, right? Stupid question, I guess."

She covered her face, then nodded. "Yes, it's his."

"Holly, I won't tell anyone, on one condition. You have to tell Penn. You can't carry this around by yourself. That's a lot of stress right now, and you know you can't stress yourself out with your Myasthenia Gravis."

"I know, trust me."

"Good. I'll get Penn."

Nic opened the door, then stopped short. "Oh, look who we have here! Your best friend. What a surprise."

Penn frowned. "What's going on?"

Nic motioned for Holly to exit the bathroom. "There's a guest bedroom on the left at the end of the hallway. Go talk, okay? I gotta pee."

Penn gave her a worried look. "Hol? What's going on? "

"Let's talk in the bedroom," Holly told her, leading her down the hall.

Once inside, she closed the door behind them and sat down on the bed.

"Talk to me," Penn pleaded. "What's happening with you? Is it the Myasthenia?"

Holly took a deep breath. "No. I'm pregnant, Penny."

Penn's mouth dropped open. "What? Pregnant? Holly..."

"I know. It was an accident. I was late taking a pill once. I guess that's all it took."

"Eli," Penn murmured. "It's Eli's."

She nodded. "I should have told you what happened between us, Penn. The night West booked us the hotel, he came over to apologize. Ever since then, it's just... well, it got intense between us. Staying with him, seeing him every day. It's been a little crazy."

"Does Eli know?"

"No," she said quietly. "I haven't told anyone. Just you."

"You have to tell him, Holly. Unless you aren't keeping it."

She looked directly at her friend. "Pregnancy can be risky with Myasthenia. It's not a guaranteed risk, but the risks are there. To have a breathing crisis or for the baby to get a transient form of it." Holly sighed. "But yes, I'm keeping it. I've got an appointment with my doctor in a few days to discuss all of this."

"I still feel like there's something you aren't telling me."

"There is. Eli doesn't want children. Ever."

Penn stared at her, stunned. "He said that?"

"Multiple times. He doesn't want kids. So here we are, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do." She glanced up at Penn. "I told him I loved him the night they won the Cup. We both said it."

"Are you officially together?"

Holly shook her head, fighting back tears. "No. I told him we could talk about everything after the parade. Maybe I'm being selfish, but I wanted him to know how I felt. I could have not said it, right? Maybe I shouldn't have. But I needed him to know that I loved him. But now... we'll never be together. I won't saddle him with a baby he doesn't want. And I can't not keep this baby."

She choked back a sob. "Fucking stupid pregnancy hormones. All I do is cry lately. It's ridiculous."

Penn placed a hand on her arm. "It's not hormones. Anyone would be ripped apart by this."

"I love him. I've loved him for years. But I want this baby." She wiped her eyes. "This kid is ours. Mine and Eli's. And that means something to me. It means everything."

"Hol, do you really think that if you keep the baby, Eli won't be involved?"

"I honestly don't know. I don't want him to feel like he's trapped."

"I can't see him turning his back on his child, Holly. Even if it wasn't his first choice."

She rubbed her temples. "This is a total mess."

"When are you going to tell him?"

"After the parade. I don't want to ruin this time for him. He deserves to enjoy this without drama. Without it being weighted. He's got enough on his plate with his family."

"I'm here for you, Holly. I won't breathe a word to West. I promise." Penn pulled her into a hug. "Babe, it's going to be okay."

"How?" she whispered. "I'm going to break his heart, and he's going to break mine."

"You've come too far and too long to let each other go."

"He'll hate me. Hate me for getting pregnant. Hate me for keeping it."

"No. You didn't get pregnant by yourself," Penn admonished. "He had a huge freaking part to play."

"But I told him I was protected."

"Because you thought you were. Babe, don't blame yourself. Please."

Holly pulled her hair away from her face. "To top it off, Lyla is being a nightmare. She's pissed at me, and she insists that if I don't convince Eli to turn the feature over to her, she'll tell him I'm pregnant. She said I have until the morning of the Cup parade to get him to agree."

Penn's face turned ashen. "Holly, that's horrible."

"Yeah."

"Will he go for it?"

"He has to. I'll find a way." She glanced over at her friend. "Will you take me back to the condo? I know the pet sitter is there today, so I don't have to rush back, but I really need to rest. I'm feeling weak, and I want to sleep. Between the pregnancy and the Myasthenia, I'm wiped out.”

"Of course." Penn took her hand. "I love you, Hol. No matter what happens, you will always have me in your corner."

"Don't make me cry again." She sniffed, then gave her best friend a hug. "You know I love you, too. Come on, let's get out of here."

She had a lot to figure out, and she needed some time alone to do it.