Page 49 of Sven

Natalie moved the laptop farther back out of her reach. “You didn’t miss it. This was the first time.”

“Really?”

Natalie nodded.

“Sucha big girl,” he cooed.

By then, Winnie was done and crawled off to play.

Natalie sat on the floor.

“I’m so happy I saw that.”

“You don’t seem very happy.”

“I know. I’m glad I saw that, but I just worry I’m going to miss so much while I’m away.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much. You talk to her every day. She loves you. You’re so good with her.”

Sven just nodded, even though the crease between his brows never left.

“How did you become so good with babies, anyway?” asked Natalie.

It never made sense to her. He was a natural and especially since Winnie was so new to his life.

“My sister is nine years younger than me. My dad was always on the road and my mom was way more interested in being the wife of a famous NHL player than she was being a mother. We had nannies, but I liked to take care of Tillie myself.”

Her heart warmed at how caring Sven was. She thought that there aren’t many people who saw him that way. But in the same moment, her heart broke for little Sven, who felt like he had to raise his little sister because the grown-ups in his life were not around.

“I think that’s also why I’m so worried about missing stuff, you know? I already missed so much because I didn’t know she existed, and now I’m on the road half of the time, missing even more.”

“Sven, don’t do that. You see and talk to her every day.”

“I guess,” he said, defeated, as he ran a hand through his hair. “I just wish it could be different.”

“What are you going to do? Give up hockey?”

“Of course not.”

“Okay, you’re doing the best you can in this situation. You are a good dad. You know that, right?”

Sven licked his lips, and his brow crinkled again. “Thank you for saying that.”

“And, I mean, you can’t quit. You’ve been killin’ it on this road trip,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.

“Have you been watching my games? I thought you were a football girl.”

“I am a football girl, but, yes, I may have watched some of your games.”

“Enough to know I’m doing well,” he said, wagging his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes before looking at the computer to see his handsome face beaming at her.

Fuck, her heart skipped a beat. As much as she tried not to have feelings for him, they kept popping up. It was like playing whack-a-mole with a crush on her boss.

“Speaking of, don’t you need to get going?” she said, biting her lip to keep from giving him a sappy smile.

“Yeah, I do, but I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

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