Chapter 8

Emma stared at her ceiling fan, watching it spin lazily above her bed. Sleep had been impossible after Jack’s unexpected visit. His bloodshot eyes and rumpled suit kept replaying in her mind, along with Alek’s tense jaw when he’d appeared at her door. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand: Morning meeting canceled. Take the day. - A She smiled at Alek’s thoughtfulness.

After last night’s drama, a day off was exactly what she needed. Two hours later, Emma was deep into her third cup of coffee at her favorite café, a tiny place three blocks from her apartment where no one cared about hockey or recognized star players’ ex-wives. She’d spread financial reports across the table, focusing on work to avoid thinking about Jack or Alek or the ticking clock of her divorce.

“Is this seat taken?” Emma’s head snapped up. Jack stood before her, dressed in jeans and a casual button-down—a far cry from last night’s disheveled suit. He looked rested, sober, and frustratingly handsome. “How