My Hockey Alpha

Chapter 304

Bonus 4: Missing Ingredients

Nina

Anxiety was bubbling its way up in my chest as I stared down at the phone in my hand.

Once again, the attempt to call my mother proved to be futile.

I couldn’t even count how many times I had tried calling her over the past three weeks, all of which had gone unanswered. This time, however, it even went straight to voicemail; either she had hung up when she saw my name pop up on the screen, or her phone was officially shut off.

“Don’t worry, Nina,” Enzo said, wrapping his strong arms around me from behind as he planted a kiss on the top of my head. We were standing in the kitchen; our beautiful sage green kitchen. “She probably just hasn’t switched to an international number yet. She’ll call you soon; I can feel it.” I nodded and turned around in Enzo’s arms, inhaling his scent and letting his warmth emanate through me as I buried my face in his chest.

“You’re probably right,” I said quietly. “I just wish that she could be here in time for the wedding. Maybe we should .” I bit my lip, stopping myself from saying what I had said a million times over the past few weeks; that we should put the wedding off until I could get in touch with her.

“Don’t even say it,” Enzo replied. ” Trust me, Nina. She’ll be there.”

“You really think so?” I asked, looking up to meet his soft brown gaze. “You 4 think she’ll show up at the wedding?”

Enzo nodded and shot me a gentle smile. I felt my cheeks tinge pink as he planted a gentle kiss on my lips before he walked off to the dining room.

With the wedding imminent, her silence was deafening. I was desperate silence was deafening. I was desperate to hear her voice, to share the details of our preparations, our excitement.

preparation was our upcoming engagement dinner. Enzo and I had been working tirelessly to transform our once drab, gray house into a warm, inviting

had made the house brighter, more comfortable, and it

of the party, and we were in the midst of finishing up the final touches on our house. All that was left was to finish putting together some furniture that we had purchased, and then this house would finally become our

putting together a dining chair. The entire first floor was open

was nice being able to see everything from where I stood in the

had now had been purchased

I had found

mismatched dining set, and so we had made a last-minute trip to Ikea for a set of chairs and benches to go around our enormous farm-style table

thought. We had an array of food prepared for our engagement

I began, “I think I should bake a

stretching across his face as he deftly twisted a screw into the bottom of one chair and then set

feeling a

I’m craving sweets and I just realized that

out of their cardboard prison.

to find baking essentials. My heart sank when I saw the

making me smile despite my disappointment.” Well, looks like we’re going shopping after all. Let me just put this one chair together

counter. “I can go. You finish up here. Besides, I want

he teased, offering a mock salute. “Good luck, soldier. And get a good cake mix. None of that cheap

replied with a grin, saluting him back. “Chocolate cake it is.