?Chapter 0468


    There was a mix of cheers and murmurs, but eventually, the stadium''s atmosphere shifted to congratte and support Matt, who looked both humbled and ted.


    Lori and Jessica looked at me, their expressions a mix of shock and sympathy.


    "Did you know he was going to say that?" Jessica whispered.


    I shook my head, struggling to find my voice. "No... I had no idea."


    Thest echoes of Enzo''s announcement were still reverberating in the stadium when two familiar faces appeared beside me. The freshman girls from the bathroom. They both had an air of barely contained excitement and curiosity.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    "Nina!" one of them began, her voice high-pitched and breathless. "Did you know Enzo was going to quit the hockey team?"


    The other nudged me slightly and added, "Yeah, why didn''t you drop any hints about it earlier? You two are, like, always together!" The way that she was leaning close to me, her shoulder brushing against mine, indicated that she saw us as ''friends'' after our brief meeting in the bathroom.


    I blinked, taken aback by their forthrightness. Before I could even muster a response, the first girl leaned in even closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "And, like, are you sure you aren''t pregnant? If you are, what are you gonna do? Everyone would be so excited."


    The barrage of questions and the prying eyes made me feel as if I were under a microscope. I tried to find words, but my mouth felt suddenly dry.


    Thankfully, Lori, always the one to stand up for her friends, stepped in before I could fumble for a response. Excuse me,dies," she said, her voice cool but polite, "but it''s not Nina''s job to give ''hints'' about Enzo Rivers'' life. Or answer personal questions for that matter."


    The two freshmen looked taken aback, clearly not expecting to be reprimanded. The first one tried to defend herself. "We were just curious. It''s not like we meant any harm."


    Jessica snorted, unable to hide her amusement. "Maybe next time, think before you invade someone''s personal space with a dozen questions. Nina isn''t a tabloid."


    The girls mumbled something that sounded like an apology, their faces a mix of embarrassment and indignation. As they scurried off, I let out a relieved sigh.


    *Thanks, Lori. I really wasn''t ready for that."


    Lori waved a hand dismissively, "No need to thank me. Those two were beyond nosy. A bit of a reality check was in order."


    We allughed. "Oh, the joys of being married to a celebrity, huh?" Jessica added.


    I rolled my eyes. "I never thought dating a small town college hockey yer woulde with this kind of attention. It''s like being with a rock star."


    Lori smirked. "Well, to be fair, Enzo is basically a hockey deity in this little town. It''s no surprise you''re getting a bit of the spotlight too."


    I groaned yfully. "I could do without the spotlight, thank you very much."


    Jessica leaned back in the bleachers, her eyes scanning the dispersing crowd. "You might want to get used to it. With Enzo''s talent and his new opportunities? The attention is only going to increase."


    Lori nodded in agreement. "Jess is right. This is only the beginning. But, on the bright side, you''ll always have us to fend off the overly nosy freshmen!*


    I chuckled, imagining a future filled with Lori scaring away gossip-hungry fans. "Honestly, I don''t know what I would do without you two. Being Enzo''s wife mighte with its challenges, but I wouldn''t trade it for the world."


    Both Lori and Jessica smiled warmly at me. "And we wouldn''t trade our friendship with you for anything either," Jessica said, wrapping an arm around me.


    *Through thick and thin, celebrity husbands and all!" Lori said, causing all three of us to burst out inughter.