Chapter 374

Nina

“Nice to meet you,” Mila said, extending her well-manicured hand.

Putting on a smile, I reached out and took it. Her grip was light—almost too light—and her fingers felt dainty and fragile as she shook my hand.

“Nice to meet you too, Mila,” I said, making a mental note of her almost flimsy handshake.

“So, you’re Enzo’s special lady,” she said, her eyes flicking toward Enzo for just a moment. “He talked about you so much the last time he was here.”

“That’s nice to hear,” I replied, watching her eyes as they seemed to trace Enzo’s form.

At that moment, Tim broke into our little circle. “Enzo, the team is ready. Would you like to get your gear on?”

“Absolutely, Tim. I’ll head to the locker room right now,” Enzo responded enthusiastically. He leaned over and planted a kiss on my cheek. “You good here?”

“I’m great,” I said. “I’ve got a book to keep me company, so take your time on the ice.”

He smiled at me, his eyes locking onto mine in a way that said he knew something was off but wouldn’t press. “Well, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask Tim or Mila.”

“Will do,” I assured him, but I was more focused on Mila, who seemed to have locked her gaze on Enzo as he started to walk away.

“Your boyfriend is quite the athlete,” Mila commented, still watching him.

“Husband,” I corrected her, holding my hand up to show off the two rings on my finger. “But yes, he’s very passionate about what he does.”

“He must be, given how toned he is,” she added, finally looking back at me.

“He works hard,” I said, keeping my voice neutral.

“Sure looks like it,” she replied. There was a suggestive note in her voice, and I didn’t like it.

“So, Mila, you’re the team doctor?” I changed the subject, trying to steer the conversation away from Enzo’s physical attributes.

“Yes, I’ve been with the team for about three years,” she said, sounding far more professional now.

“Three years? You must be good at what you do,” I noted.

She shrugged. “I like to think so. But it’s more than just treating sports injuries; it’s about keeping the team in top condition. Like your Enzo, for example. A man like that needs to be taken care of,” she said, a slight smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.

I was already growing sick of her innuendos. But, for Enzo’s sake, I choked down my annoyance and put on a tense smile. “Of course. Athletes do need to take special care of their bodies. It is their livelihood, after all.”

Mila looked like she was about to say something else, but just then, Tim poked his head back through the door. “Mila, I’d like to go over some player stats before the training starts.”

“Of course, Tim,” she said, disengaging from our conversation with a fluid ease that made me wonder how often she found herself in such awkward interactions. “It was nice meeting you, Nina. Maybe we can chat more later?”

“Sure, sounds like a plan,” I said, more relieved to have an out than anything.

As she walked away with Tim, I glanced over at the locker room door where Enzo had disappeared moments ago. The feeling of unease was still there, but so was my confidence in Enzo.

…

I stood by the sidelines, mesmerized by Enzo as he skated gracefully across the ice. His instructions were sharp, crisp, and full of authority. It was incredibly appealing to watch him in his element.

“Keep your weight forward!” he barked, skating circles around the players as they ran drills across the ice. “Knees bent, chin tucked!”

I was leaning against the side of the bleachers, watching him with my hands in my hoodie pockets. He had been at this for a while now, but showed no signs of fatigue yet. The team, however, was a different story. It was clear that they lacked a bit of discipline.

Suddenly, an all-too-familiar form sidled up next to me. I glanced up to see Mila standing beside me, her arms folded across her chest. Great.

“So, you’re the ‘team doctor’ for Enzo’s original hockey team?” Her voice seemed to drip with condescension, but I chalked it up to my own nerves.

“Yes, I am,” I said, trying to keep my tone neutral. “I’ve been working with his team for a little over a year now.”

Mila nodded. “Interesting. And you’ve been to med school?” She crossed her arms, a small smirk playing on her lips.

“Not yet,” I said with a shake of my head, “but I’ve had a good amount of practical experience and learned a lot from other healthcare professionals.”

“Ahh, practical experience. That must be a small town thing,” she said, scanning her eyes over the array of medical equipment behind the benches. “You see, here in the city, we usually expect our doctors to be fully trained.”

I felt my cheeks warm up with a combination of irritation and embarrassment. I opened my mouth to counter her snide comment but was interrupted.

“Nina, how’s my favorite girl?” Enzo came trotting up to us with nothing more than a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead. He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close. The other team members were making their way to the bench, their mouths hanging open as they gasped for breath. He was going too hard on them, I could tell. But maybe they needed it.

“Your favorite girl is enjoying the show. You’re doing a great job,” I said, relieved for the change in conversation. “Although you’re going hard on them, I can see.”

Enzo chuckled. “Yeah, well, maybe they need someone to go hard on them,” he said. He then turned to Mila, shooting her a friendly smile. “How’s everything on your end?”

“Everything is under control,” she said, her voice taking on that sweet tone that it didn’t have with me. Her hand made its way to her shoulder, and she began twirling a strand of dark hair around her finger. “Go as hard as you need to on them. It’s what I’m here for.”

Enzo laughed, but Mila’s quick glance in my direction wasn’t lost on me. I knew what she was implying. I felt my wolf stir in indignation, and I had to quickly look away to hide the redness in my cheeks.

“So,” Enzo continued, “I was thinking we could all grab dinner after this with the team. Tim says there’s a great place nearby. You two up for something to eat?”

“Dinner sounds perfect,” I said, eager for an excuse to move past the awkward conversation. “You in, Mila?”

Mile smirked. “Oh, absolutely. Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she responded, but I couldn’t help but detect a hint of something in her voice, something that suggested dinner would be its own kind of battle.

Enzo squeezed my shoulder. “Alright, I need to get back to the guys. Nina, you okay here?”

“I’m great,” I replied, forcing a smile. He returned it, kissed me quickly, and then dashed back onto the ice.

As I watched him skate away, I couldn’t help but think about Mila’s snide remarks. My face still felt hot, but having Enzo by my side had a way of putting things into perspective. He wasn’t reciprocating, and that was all that mattered, right?

“So… dinner.” Mila broke the silence. “I’m sure you’re dying to eat.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, it’s getting late. And you know…” I patted my belly, which was still mostly flat, but carried a tiny life inside of me. “Eating for two and all that.”

Mila raised an eyebrow, but said nothing about the pregnancy. “So, you must be looking forward to experiencing some city cuisine,” she said. “You know, something other than small town potlucks.”

I clenched my teeth but kept my smile steady. “You would be surprised at how good small town food can be.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” she said. “But there’s no comparison to the big city. Hell, for all you know, your husband might come home to you in six months with a taste for… the finer things in life.”

I frowned, opening my mouth to retort, but Mila was already strutting away. All I could do was watch her as she left, her hips swinging and her eyes on my husband.