Page 76 of Hat Trick
I'm aware of Carter and Luca sitting on either side of me, also lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly someone steps in front of me and I open my eyes to see a pair of brown leather shoes standing between my skates.
I look up to see Jonesy. I suppress an eye roll. I never liked this guy. Too cocky for his own good.
"Look. I don't know if your hot nanny's not putting out any more or what the fuck is going on, but you three need to get your shit together."
"Jonesy." Carter growls a warning.
"No, man. You three are fucking up and you know it. If you need to get laid, get laid. You're not going to let some pussy get between this team and the Stanley."
I'm on my feet in a flash, swinging at Jonesy's stupid head. He wasn't expecting me, so I land a solid punch to his chin, causing him to stumble back and slip on his dress shoes, hitting his ass. Carter and Luca are on me before I can throw the next punch, pulling me back. I wrestle with them. One punch isn't enough to shut his stupid fucking mouth.
The thing I hate the most, is that he's not wrong. We're professional fucking hockey players who have let our personal lives affect our professional ones. But he doesn't get to call Emily 'some pussy' though. And he doesn't get to insinuate that if we're not with her we should get with someone else. Or force her to sleep with us just for the Stanley.
Jonesy stands, wipes the blood from his mouth, and walks away, cursing under his breath. Luca, Carter and I finally shed our gear like robots and hit the showers silently.
Getting dressed we share looks. We're all a little lost and I fucking hate it. I'm the protector. Carter's the leader. Luca's our offense. And not a single one of us knows the answer.
Chapter forty-four
Emily
Iset Annie up at the dining room table with some finger pants. I cover the table with construction paper and drop big blobs of different colored paints on paper plates for her to play with, when the doorbell rings. I open it with a smile on my face, thinking momentarily it must have been one of the boys or my brother or Nancy. When I fling the door open, though, a gorgeous, tall woman with copper-red hair stands on the porch with a look of shock and disgust on her face.
"Who the fuck are you?" She demands, staring at me as if I was a piece of garbage.
Shame and insecurity sweep me up instantly. "The nanny. Who are you?"
"The mother." She replies curtly.
Cedar. I freeze, my brain going into panic-mode. She's the last person in the world I expected to see on the front porch, and I don't have the first clue what to do about it. Annie squeals with joy from behind me and Cedar pushes past me into the house.
I run to Annie before scooping her up in my arms and backing away from Cedar.
"I'm calling the boys, but I'm not afraid to call 911 if I have to." I threaten, pulling my phone out of my back pocket and pointing it at her like a weapon. She holds up her hands, placating me, but keeps her eyes on Annie, still sporting a disgusting snarl on her face. She moves to sit on the couch while I back into our bedroom and shut and lock the door. With shaking hands, I send the boys a group text:
Me: 911. Cedar's here and I don't know what to do.
Then I dial the case worker's number.
"This is Letty Washington."
"Mrs. Washington, this is Emily, Annie Rhodes's...Annie Miller's nanny. Her biological mother just showed up and I don't know what to do." The shaking in my hands spreads through my entire body now and my voice tremors. Why the fuck is she here? Why show up six months after abandoning your child? Was she here to take Annie? Would she try to take her by force? Was she here to play one big happy family with Carter? Acid sits like a rock in my stomach while my heart beats a hard rhythm against the front wall of my chest.
I shake my head and focus on the case worker's voice. "She legally gave up any parental rights, so she's not allowed to take Annie."
"But I don't have any legal right to her either, I'm just the nanny."
"Have you called Mr. Rhodes?"
"I sent him a text."
"I'll call his manager and get a message to him ASAP. If you're safe, stay where you are with Annie. Mr. Rhodes and I will be there as quickly as possible."
"Thank you."
I hang up and try calling Carter again, but it goes to voicemail after ringing a handful of times. I try the other boys, too, but they must be on the ice. Anxiety and nerves threaten to overtake me, but I focus on Annie. I read her book after book after book, my voice trembling and warbling but she doesn't seem to notice.
Finally, I hear a commotion by the front door and male voices. I pick up Annie and place her on my hip before tenderly unlocking my bedroom door and peaking down the hallway.
