A Perfect Trade. Anna Sugden

      “They have plenty of veterans—you, Jake, Scotty Matthews, Ralinkov, Juergen. Hell, even guys like J.B., Mad Dog and Blake have Cup experience. I’m expendable.”

      Ike couldn’t deny that. “The Cats won’t let you go for nothing. They’ll want something in return. On the upside, lots of decent teams need a skilled defenseman.”

      “Great. Except I don’t want to move. I don’t want to start over with a new team, in a new town, with a new freaking system. I wanted to spend the summer making sure I was 100 percent fit for next season, not looking for somewhere to live.”

      “Talk to Andy. That’s why you pay your agent the big bucks. Find out what it would take for them to re-sign you.”

      “Right.” Tru stood and tossed some bills on the table. “Catch you later, bro.”

      “You’re leaving good rib eye?”

      “Yeah. But you won’t let it go to waste.”

      Tru wound his way between the tables, heading toward the door. What a great year; first his love life, then the season and now his career going down the toilet.

      Almost too late, he realized he couldn’t avoid passing Jenny’s table. He tried not to catch her eye. Unfortunately, as he walked behind her boss’s chair, their gazes clashed.

      His pulse jumped. Heat seared through him.

      For an instant, Tru thought he saw an answering fire in her turquoise depths, but it was extinguished immediately and replaced with ice. She averted her eyes abruptly and smiled softly at her dinner companion.

      The sting of the virtual slap was as sharp as if her palm had connected with his cheek.

      Tru continued without breaking his stride. Her laugh scraped his raw nerves like a whetstone on a steel skate blade.

      Jenny’s reaction toward him was the one thing he could rely on right now. Wasn’t that a sorry state of affairs? He pulled out his cell and called his agent, desperately hoping there was something Andy could do to keep him with the Cats. Unfortunately, Tru’s gut told him the chances of a miracle save had just skated out of town with his GM.

      * * *

      “YOU HAVEN’T LISTENED to a word I’ve said, missy.”

      Harry’s good-natured grumble made Jenny blink and turn her head from staring unseeing out of the car window. The bright morning sunshine reflected her giddy happiness.

      “I’m sorry. I just can’t believe it. Everything’s happened so quickly. Last night, when we had dinner, I was plain old me.” She paused, then said softly, “Now I have a live embryo inside me. I’m sort of a mother-in-waiting.”

      “You’ve never been a plain old anything. And you make a lovely mother-in-waiting. Do you feel any different?”

      “It’s too early to have any symptoms.” Jenny giggled. “I won’t even know if the embryo implanted properly until I take the pregnancy test in two weeks.”

      “I didn’t mean morning sickness. Do you feel any different in yourself?”

      Jenny thought about it for a few moments. “Actually, I do. It’ll sound silly, but I feel almost serene.”

      “My Alice felt the same each time she was pregnant. She’d laugh and say it was the only time in her life she’d ever be described as Madonna-like—the religious one, not the pop star.”

      “That’s a perfect description. Though I wouldn’t mind a dash of the other Madonna, too.”

      Harry laughed. “You could give the Material Girl a run for her money any day.”

      “Thanks, but you’re a teensy bit biased.”

      “Never. I’m a cynical, heartless bastard. Ask my kids.”

      Jenny rolled her eyes. “They take your money.”

      “Dollars spend easily, no matter who they come from.”

      The lack of appreciation Harry’s children had for their father annoyed Jenny.

      He had supported her through every step of the IVF process, with as much interest as if he were the grandfather-to-be. From helping her choose the sperm donor to taking her for ultrasounds. After yesterday’s egg-removal, he’d taken her to dinner, to distract her while she waited nervously to hear if her sole embryo was viable.

      Naturally, this morning, Harry had accompanied her to the clinic for the implantation and would doubtless wait on tenterhooks to see if the procedure had been successful.

      As if a cloud passed in front of the sun, her happiness dimmed a little. She knew the odds of success were lower than normal because she’d only been able to produce one embryo. Plus, her internal scarring might prevent her carrying a baby to term. “What if it fails?”

      Harry frowned at the tremor in her voice. “Then you’ll try again. We discussed this.”

      “But it’s so expensive. I can’t...”

      “Don’t you dare say you can’t afford it. We have an agreement.”

      “I know, but it’s a huge amount of money for one round of IVF, let alone three.”

      “Then it’s a good thing I’m a wealthy man. I still don’t understand why you won’t take the money in a lump sum, instead of separate payments for each attempt.”

      “Because there would be too many zeros involved. I’m already worried it’ll take years to repay what you’ve lent me so far.”

      “Lizzie’s education is your priority. Once she finishes college, we’ll talk again about a repayment schedule.” Harry patted his breast pocket. “Besides, I have your signed IOU tucked safely in here, in case you ever think of welching on the loan.”

      Jenny smiled. She’d scrawled their money arrangement on a crumpled cocktail napkin, in pink Chanel lipstick, at dinner last night, when he’d tried once again to give her the money as a gift. “I promise not to leave the country.”

      Harry chuckled. “Have you told Lizzie?”

      She shook her head. “I haven’t told anyone.”

      “Why not?”

      “I don’t want to say anything until I know for sure the procedure’s worked.”

      “Understandable. But this is a stressful time and you’re not giving anyone the chance to support you. I thought you might have told Maggie, at least. She’s your closest friend.”

      Guilt twinged her stomach. Although Maggie had shared a lot about her past, Jenny had been reluctant to reciprocate. Jenny told herself it was for sound reasons, but she knew she wasn’t being fair to her friend.

      “Maggie and Jake have been trying to get pregnant for the past year. I’m not sure how to tell her what I’m doing.” She sighed. “I’m scared of upsetting her.”

      “Maybe, but she’d be there for you regardless. Having another woman to share this with, especially someone who’s also trying to get pregnant, might be helpful to you both.”

      “I’ll think about it.”

      As Harry pulled into the CVS parking lot, Jenny’s phone rang. She glanced at the caller display, pursing her lips as she declined the call.

      “Damn lawyer won’t take no for an answer.”

      “I thought you’d already told Connor Smith you wanted nothing to do with your uncle’s will.” Harry parked in an empty slot and turned off the ignition. “Why is he still hassling you?”

      “He wants me to sign some documents to say I accept that the proceeds of his estate will go to charity and won’t make a future claim against the estate. I told him to mail the papers, but he’s insisting I go to his office.”