Page 9 of Hat Trick
"Yeah dude, with our schedules? How am I going to take a baby on the road? Or on game nights?" Carter replies. "Am I going to have Emily drag her stuff back and forth whenever I need her overnight? It doesn't make sense."
Gabe's quiet, contemplating.
Emily speaks up. "Look, I know this isn't ideal, and I really don't want to make you uncomfortable or be in your way at all. I'll look after Annie and do the cooking and cleaning. I'm sure you guys have strict diets? If you give me a meal plan, I'll do all the grocery shopping and cooking, and I'll stay in my room when you're home. You'll never have to see me if you don't want to."
Gabe softens a little. "It's not that..."
"Look, let's hash out rules and expectations so we can all get the most out of this arrangement. You don't want to see me, I'll disappear. You want to hang out, we'll hang out. We just need to communicate what we want, what's working and what's not. Annie and you guys deserve a home you feel comfortable in. Let's figure out a way to make that happen."
I sit on the couch behind her, hoping to put her at ease.
"First things first. For me, my priority is Annie. I think creating a schedule for her will help her adjust. The case worker said she had no food allergies, but I'd like to take her to a pediatrician tomorrow, if only for a wellness check, and we can pick up an epi pen just in case." She looks at Carter for conformation. He smiles and nods. "Great."
Carter looks exhausted. I imagine being an insta-dad isn't exactly easy.
She swallows, clearly nervous. "My only other ask..." she starts, looking at the three of us. I give her an easy smile.
"My only other ask is that if you bring women over, you give me a warning so I can either keep her in our room or take her out. She needs stability and I don't think having different women come and go is a great idea."
I grin. My girl's staking her claim already. I like it. "What do you know about puck bunnies? Are you a fan? And here you were acting like you didn't know who we were." I tease.
She rolls her eyes playfully. "I've been working for the Titans for years, of course I know who you are. Plus...yeah...I grew up in a hockey household. Of course I'm a fan, but I'm not going to fan-girl all over the place and throw my panties at you."
"Bummer," I grumble under my breath at the same time Gabe says, "That was only that one time!"
Last year a fan lifted her shirt to reveal "I heart Gabe" written on her bare chest as she slung her underwear over the boards and onto the ice. The opposite team picked them up and started tossing them around to each other before the ref confiscated them. Children.
That disappoints me, though. She's been under the same arena roof as me for years and I've never seen her before. I could have had more time with her.
Another shy smile and a blush creeps in and I revel in it.
Finally, Carter speaks up. "We don't bring girls here. We don't want anyone to know where we live. Gabe had a stalker in college."
"Oh my God," she sighs, the blood draining from her face. "Gabe, I'm so sorry." My smile falters. That had been hard for all of us, but most of all Gabe. She followed him everywhere, slept in front of his apartment, texted and called him non-stop. We had to get a restrainingorder, change his phone number, and move him in the middle of the night to the house we have now.
He shakes his head. "It's all good. We're just more careful now." He pauses a beat. "And no bringing random guys home."
She snort-laughs indelicately before catching herself.Interesting.It seems my girl in unattached.
"No, of course not."
The doorbell rings. "Oh! That must be for me!" She says gayly standing to get the door.
Gabe follows behind her closely as she opens the front door halfway. A handsome man stands on the front stoop with two large duffle bags at his feet. My neck burns hot and jealousy churns in the pit of my stomach. Who is this fucker and why is he here for Emily?
"What did we say about random men?" Gabre growls in her ear.
"This is my brother, Sam. He brought my clothes." She growls back to Gabe, before turning to her brother and saying, "And he's leaving now." She says, pressing both hands against her stunned brother's chest.
Brother. Good. Oh! I can use this to my advantage.
"Your brother? Bring him in!" I call from behind Gabe. Perfect time to meet my future brother-in-law and hopefully get in his good graces.
"You really don't have to..." she starts to protest. I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her to the side so I can introduce myself to Sam. He's staring at me with wide, unblinking eyes - looking star struck.
"Come on in. Sam is it?" I ask, shaking his hand and pulling him through the door. He stumbles forward, willing enough, so I wrap my arm over his shoulder and drag him into the living room.
"You told me you were working for a player, not three!" He whisper-shouts at his sister. I stifle a chuckle at him and at Emily as she sits back on the floor with Annie.
