Page 3 of Coast to Coast

“I am. I traveled abroad to Spain for my Junior Year in college. I also speak French and Spanish, so travel to Montreal should be a breeze.”

Shit. I mean, she graduated second in her class, so I knew she was smart, but she also spoke three languages? Every time she opened her mouth, I wondered more and more why she was here interviewing to be a nanny.

“OK, I think it’s obvious that you meet our qualifications and could more than handle the job,” Sam said, “But why do you want to be a nanny?”

Calliope flushed, took a long inhale, and slowly let the air out of her lungs.

“Full transparency?” she asked, looking back and forth between the three of us as we nodded our assent. “Monica called me less than thirty minutes ago; I had no idea I was applying for a nanny position until after I signed the NDA and pieced together some key details. I graduated in May and had very different plans for my future. A week ago, someone I trusted stabbed me in the back and stole the opportunity I had worked my tail off to earn. Short of waiting tables, a position I’m not qualified for, as indicated by nine separate restaurant managers since Sunday, I have relatively few prospects. This position is time-limited, and I’ve always loved kids. Bonus points for providing a salary where I can stop mooching off of my parents.”

“Do you want to meet Crew?” Kelsey asked.

Yep, Sam and Kelsey liked her. Sam liked her. Fuck, I liked her too, but couldn’t we have found someone a little older? Someone a little more matronly? Did they realize that this woman would be traveling with hockey players? I know Sam only had eyes for Kelsey, but there was no way he was blind to this gorgeous woman? Shit. I had a sinking suspicion that I’d be playing defense on more levels than just on the ice this season.

CALLIOPE

What the hell was I doing? The competitor in me wanted this job not because I’d ever wanted to be a nanny but because I desperately wanted a win. Life had been kicking my ass recently, and I wanted to prove to myself that I still had a future.

I immediately liked Kelsey, Crew’s mother. Through my quick search on the way here, I realized that her husband Sam was a player for the Minutemen and that Tom, Crew’s biological father, was an NHL player based in Colorado. The family was attempting to raise their little boy with impossible schedules.

“Do you want to meet Crew?” Kelsey asked, and both men relaxed.

“Please. Is he here?” I asked, my eyes drifting towards the door.

“No. My sister brought him to a playground around the corner, and they could be here in a few minutes. Did Monica tell you anything about our situation?” She asked as she sent a text message, likely to her sister.

“Not really,” I admitted. “I used the NDA to obtain your names and did a quick Google search on the way over.”

“We do our best to keep things as private as possible for Crew’s benefit. I met my husband Sam when Crew was three months old. I was raising Crew alone, not because Tom didn’t want to be involved, but because I didn’t know how to contact him,” she explained and smiled reassuringly at Tom.

“Unfortunately, the story leaked sooner than we planned. That’s likely what your Google search turned up. Until this summer, I was breastfeeding Crew, and all visits with Tom were coordinated around my schedule. And as much as I would love to be able to spend the entire winter traveling, I’m four months pregnant and due in December. I can’t travel after October.”

It was only then that I noticed a cute baby bump. I mean, everything about Kelsey was cute. Of course, she’d have an adorable baby bump.

“How old is Crew?” I asked.

“He’s sixteen months old. I won’t lie; he’s a handful,” she said apologetically. “But he’s a better traveler than most adults. He’s been traveling almost weekly since he was three months old.”

“Will I always be traveling alone with him?”

“The first trip to Colorado, I’ll be there with you. But after that, when Tom has him this winter, you’ll be alone with him. Tom travels with the team, and families are rarely allowed on the charter, so if you go to the away game, you guys will fly separately. Sometimes, you might stay behind in Colorado, be here, in Boston, or travel with Tom. It’s complicated, but Monica helps us keep track of the schedule.”

“I like to have him at as many home games as possible. And he goes to every game Sam pitches,” Tom, the hulking Viking in the corner. Dear Lord, this woman picked some good-looking men to procreate with, and I ended up dating Zander, a man who thought an internship was more important than me.

I then noticed a calendar with Post-it notes and color-coded dates. “This is Monica’s handiwork. I can tell. We see a tangled mess; her brain sees solutions.”

“She makes the impossible seem possible,” Sam said.

“Hey, Kylie is here with Crew. I know it’s probably awkward for you, but do you mind just playing with him while we observe you?” Kelsey asked.

Oh, my word. Crew came running in, much steadier on his feet than I’d been expecting for his age. And he was tall!

“Mama!” He yelled, running into her arms as she swept him off his feet, tickling him until he giggled.

Kelsey pointed at Tom, “Who’s that, buddy?”

“Dada,” the little boy answered proudly.

“And who’s that?” She pointed at Sam.

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