“And all you see me as is some pathetic woman who does your dad’s bidding and has to nag you to live your life on the straight and narrow.”
He doesn’t move. The longer he stands there with his gaze on me, the more I want to fidget. But I’m not going to show him how much he intimidates me. I straighten my back instead and force myself to not do so much as even blink.
“At least we have that straight.” He holds out Annabelle for me. “Since you’re the help, you won’t mind watching her while I go do the interview with your boyfriend.”
I accept Annabelle and he walks out without me saying a word. Damn, why can’t I think of a comeback? Boyfriend? Does he think Gavin is my boyfriend? And if he was, what is it to him?
I look down to find Annabelle’s eyes studying me. “Your daddy is a complicated man.”
She smiles at me as though she understands, and I can’t help but wonder what it’s like when it’s just the two of them hanging out.
Not wanting to interrupt the interview, I quietly go down half the stairs and sit with Annabelle in my arms. Her eyes are slowly drifting closed. She’s surely tired from all the chaos of the photo shoot. I should probably go place her in her crib, but she’s so sweet and cuddly I decide to stay where I am.
Gavin asks Ford, “How did you feel that day when you got the letter?”
Ford chuckles. “I can see we’re not going to ease into this.”
“Well, the article is about you being a single dad.”
“My first thought was that now I don’t have to share holidays.” Ford’s voice is even keeled, no emotion. Although I’ve learned his dry sense of humor since I started working with the Jacobs family, even I can’t figure out how he’s feeling right now.
I never did find out who leaked the existence of a letter to the press, but I suppose that’s neither here nor there at this point.
“That’s a joke,” he says. “I think my exact words were, what the fuck?”
There’s the Ford I know.
“I don’t blame you. Have you heard from her?” Gavin asks.
“Her letter was pretty clear. I don’t anticipate that I will.”
“Sometimes parenthood can feel overwhelming. Maybe she’ll return at some point.”
“Are you a parent?” Ford asks. I imagine him on the couch, one arm slung across the back cushions, his ankle resting on his knee.
“No.”
“Then don’t make excuses for her. She abandoned her daughter.”
“Is that how you see it?” Gavin asks.
I throw my head back and look at the ceiling. He can’t even handle a bloody interview.
Standing, I step down the stairs and Ford’s eyes narrow on me. “I think Ford meant—”
Ford holds up his hand. “I meant what I said. She abandoned Annabelle, and yeah, parenthood is fucking overwhelming. I’m barely sleeping, barely have time to make exercise and healthy eating a priority like I used to, but I wouldn’t fucking leave her. Not for anything. Especially with someone like me. She knows nothing about me, except the size of my dick and my bank account.”
The bitterness in his tone surprises me, maybe because he seems as though he’s taken this all in stride.
“Don’t print that, Gavin,” I say.
Ford’s gaze narrows on me. “With all due respect, Lena, this isn’t about my family. This is my daughter and me. I don’t remember hiring you to do my PR.”
“Don’t talk to her like that,” Gavin says. “Why do you think you can talk to her like that?”
He stands and so does Ford.
How have I lost control of this situation? I step closer to them. “I’m sorry, but you’re a Jacobs and your dad hired me on your behalf. This interview is to calm down rumors that you can’t handle being a single father. So please, let’s keep Britney out of this and just stick to the fact that you’re handling it like a pro and doing an amazing job with Annabelle. Look at her.”
I glance down to see her asleep in my arms and discover I’m rocking back and forth. Where did I learn that?
The fury on Ford’s face falls away and one side of his lips tips up. “You think I’m doing an amazing job?”
I blow out a breath.
Gavin looks back and forth between the two of us. “Is there something going on between you guys?”
We turn to him and say in unison, “No.”
Ford steps over to me and we transition Annabelle out of my arms, his one hand brushing against my breast. A million little nerve endings go off in my body as though I’m thirteen and got felt up for the first time.
Thank goodness I go home tonight.
Who knew seventeen-year-old babysitters were so unpredictable? I got a last-minute call that something came up.
Now I’m in the locker room, having had no choice but to ask Lena to watch Annabelle. And of course Gavin said he’d love to go to a game and get pictures of Annabelle watching me play. That it’d really show how I make it all work. As though I don’t know that he just wanted to tag along to be with Lena.
Thankfully, our goalie, Roadie, had some ear protector headphone things from one of his kids handy that I could borrow, so I left Annabelle in the hands of who I think is a competent person. My dad cares about nothing more than the Jacobs’ family image, and since he’s entrusted that to Lena, I figure she can sit with my baby strapped on her chest for a couple hours and return her safe and sound. And yes, strapped because she insisted on stopping on the way to buy one of those things Gavin mentioned earlier.
At least I got them front row seats so I can keep an eye on Annabelle during the game.
“So now you’re making her babysit your kid?” Aiden asks.
“What choice did I have? I can’t miss the game. Especially since we’re playing Langley.”
“As if anyone forgot.” Aiden rolls his eyes.
“I get anxious when we play him,” Maksim admits, sitting on the bench wearing only his jock strap.
“Seriously, put that shit away. I’m sick of seeing your monster cock.”
Maksim smiles, stands, and dances like a damn Chippendale dancer. Tweetie joins in because the two of them are never shy about what’s between their legs. Aiden ignores them, shaking his head.
I crack my neck, hoping to relieve some of the stress that’s building. I wish I could get that compliment Lena gave me out of my head. She thinks I’m doing a good job with Annabelle when I feel like a failure every damn day.
Did that Gavin think I’d actually tell him my true feelings when I got that letter? Idiot. I don’t know him, and I’m a damn hockey player. There’s no reason for people to think I have a sentimental side, especially my opponents. I get enough shit for being Richie Rich as it is.
“Where are Saige and Paisley? I have Annabelle in the front row.” I’m hoping they’ll be sitting close by. Those two never miss a home game.
“They’re with the wives and girlfriends,” Maxsim says.
Fuck, I forgot about that.
“Want me to text Paisley and ask her to check in with Lena a few times and make sure Annabelle isn’t chomping on a pretzel or something?” Maxsim finally gets suited up.