Page 55 of The Nanny Goal

They both look worried.

“Alexei, can I have a minute?”

“We’re done here,” my trainer says. She pats my arm. “This guy was a beast today.”

The AGM nods. “First of all, I need to ask how your mother is doing?”

“Very good, thank you.” I tell him briefly about the procedure she had yesterday. “She will be in the hospital for a week, but then will come home.”

“And have you organized childcare?”

“His babysitter isamazing,” the trainer says.

Which is true, but I’m concerned about where this is going. I frown. “Yes, I have some childcare in place, but I haven’t found a professional yet. Why?”

The AGM and the travel coordinator look at each other. “We know this is a lot to ask, but we got a call from the team on the road. Makie is sick. We can’t dress him tonight, and it’s not looking good for the Detroit game, either. Monaghan can play if you’re still not available, but we’re going to have to call up someone on an emergency basis to be the second goalie dressed.”

I hear Emery’s father’s voice in my head.That’s a no brainer, son. You step up now, and you cement your spot as the starting goalie in the playoffs.

But then I picture Emery, who right now is searching this building for my daughter. Who has only been my babysitter for a few hours.

And my mother and father—fuck, my father still hasn’t slept in his own bed yet.

“I need to talk to my family,” I hear myself saying.

“Of course.”

“How much time do I have?”

“Jack Benton can send a plane to pick you up in ninety minutes.”

I’m already moving past them, heading for the dressing room.

CHAPTER18

EMERY

“Look at you, Miss Sweaty,” Kiley says when I finally join them in the very cool little indoor dog run that’s up in the rafters of the arena. It took me a while to find the space, because it’s not marked anywhere.

Kiley eventually had to drop me a pin and I followed it on my phone.

Thank God for technology.

She’s closer to the door, keeping an eye on the two dogs at one end of the space, and Becca is at the other, carefully supervising Charlie and Inessa on a raised platform. “Did you have a good skate?”

I pat the skate bag that was helpfully left next to my tennis shoes by the equipment team, and which is now slung over my shoulder. My second Alexei Artyomov jersey is folded up inside it, too. “Come to Hamilton for a hockey game, stay for some accidental childcare work and sweet new blades, I guess.”

“Is that how he’s paying you? In gear? Because you deserve?—”

“No, that was a joke.” Although we haven’t actually signed a contract yet, I have no doubt Alexei will agree to whatever I ask.

What I’m going to ask for, I haven’t yet decided.

She frowns. “Don’t let him take advantage of your helpful nature.”

I laugh out loud before I can stop myself. “Trust me, I’m not naturally inclined to helphimout.”

“I know he can seem cold and standoffish, but that’s just a goalie thing.”

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