Page 26 of Skate the Line

I spin and spot an older gentleman standing beside a large SUV, wearing black pants, a black dress shirt, and tie. “Miss Edwards,” he greets me with a warm smile.

I turn to say goodbye to Rhodes, but the door is shut, and he’s nowhere to be found.

With a roll of my eyes, I put my back to my new boss’s disappearing act and descend down the steps toward Marco.

“Hi.” I smile. “You are welcome to call me Sunny.”

Marco grabs my hand gently and gives it a soft shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Sunny.”

He opens the back door, and I stare at it awkwardly.

“Can I sit up front with you?” I ask.

The older man looks to Rhodes's home and then to me. He hesitates.

“No worries,” I say softly. “We wouldn’t want to make Mr. Grumpy angry.”

Marco’s eyes twinkle with amusement.

Once I’m inside and get over the nice leather seats and cleanliness of the vehicle, I smile to myself.

It’ll only be a matter of time before I make friends with Marco.

Rhodes, though?

That’s a different story.

Twelve

RHODES

It tookthree days for Sunny to spread all that sunshine of hers onto Marco. He’s just as smitten with her as he is with Ellie.

Marco and I have known each other for several years. He used to drive the Zamboni for the rink before retiring. It wasn’t until I ran into him a week ago when I learned that his wife had passed a year prior, leaving him alone and desperate for something to fill his time. The thought occurred to me that he’d probably jump right onto the opportunity of being employed by me.

He doesn’t need the money.

He needs the distraction.

He needs the joy too.

And apparently,Sunnyis that joy as of right now.

“Whatcha doing, Daddy?”

It’s barely noticeable, but I jerk at the sound of my daughter catching me spying on my two newest employees.

“Blet!” I mutter.

Ellie smirks at my curse in Russian—something I rarely do because she’s caught on to the meaning.

“Just checking out the weather.” Weather. Sunny. Same-same.

I don’t lie to Ellie, but there are times where I bend the truth for her own good.

This time, though, it’s formyown good.

By now, I would’ve known everything there is to know about my daughter’s newest nanny.

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