Page 99 of Play Book

Sooner rather than later.

TWENTY-NINE

Canyon

It feels like I’ve done nothing in the last week except play hockey and work on the schedule for the two new nannies. Colleen is middle-aged and funny, with an infectious laugh and four adult children. She’ll be handling the daily necessities, like picking Ally up from school, feeding her when I have meetings, games, or extended practices, doing homework with her, or any other activities that come up.

Marjorie is the overnight nanny, who’ll be staying with her when I’m traveling. She’s older than Colleen, and a little more austere than I’d like, but Ally can probably use the structure, and I don’t have many choices. I’ve been interviewing and going over resumes for weeks, so it was time to make a decision.

Ally doesn’t like either of them, but she’s going to have to adapt. The fact of the matter is, she doesn’t like anyone except Stevie and Luna the kitten. Who’s turning into a little fucking terror. I’ve already had a pair of shoes destroyed and she scratched my leather couch, so now we keep her locked in Ally’s room when we’re not home because I really don’t want her to destroy anything else.

I’ve also been down to Ally’s school multiple times.

The first time they blew me off, telling me preteen girls often find it difficult to fit in at a new school, but things would settle down. They also pointed out that they couldn’t stop the kids from going online to find out whatever information is out there. However, when Ally came home from school crying again, I went back and put my foot down. The trouble is no one knows how to fix this. Bullying and mean girls have existed for much longer than I’ve been alive. The school is aware that there’s an issue, but they need to see it happening before they can act, and I understand that.

I just don’t like it.

And Ally is pissed off at the world.

She dislikes my condo, hates the new nannies, and despises school. She still doesn’t like Saylor, and I’m pretty far down on her list too. Especially after telling her I’m not willing or able to home school her.

Overall, I never know what I’m going to wake up to every day and the only time I have any peace is at hockey. I haven’t even been able to see Saylor because our schedules haven’t meshed.

She’s been busier than normal too, and I fucking hate it.

I’m in the car on the way to pick up Ally from school when I see Saylor’s name on the screen of my phone, and I put her on speaker.

“Hey, beautiful.”

“Hey.” She sounds a little funny and I wonder if she’s already tired of my shit.

“Whatcha doin’?” I ask her.

“I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

“Would you be able to come to New York for a special event on April second?”

“I’m driving right now so I don’t have my calendar open, but I think I’m on a road trip.”

“I know, but it’s a night off between cities. Harper’s giving everyone permission to travel from New York to Montreal on your own, not with the team. It’s Stevie’s first fashion show since the accident. And we’re all walking in it with her.”

“You’re walking in a fashion show? I thought you hated those?”

“I don’t hate them, they’re just not my favorite. But Alexa Humboldt is one of my favorite designers, so I’d do this one for her regardless. And anyway… this one is kind of special.”

“How come?”

“Because I’ve decided to officially retire from modeling.”

“Yeah? Are you sure you’re ready?”

“I am. I’ve done almost none in the last year, and I want to focus on my art. I’m out of paintings at the gallery, and I just want to sit home and paint. Teach some classes. Maybe do some acting work if it comes up, but I feel like the modeling part of my life is over. I’ll be thirty-two on Christmas?—”

“You’re a Christmas baby?” I ask in surprise. “How did I not know that?”

“I don’t know when your birthday is either.”

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