Page 60 of Keeping the Single Dad
Maybe she wasn’t feeling well.?I had no time to dwell, I just had to speak to her. She’d agreed to watch Brodie while I played a match this morning. I’d checked in last night and she’d confirmed she’d be here. If she wouldn’t answer her phone, I needed to find someone else, or I’d be late.
I knelt down next to Brodie’s bed. “Wake up, pal. We need to get moving.”
Brodie opened his eyes and yawned. “Is Lana here yet?”
“Not yet.”
Disappointment shadowed Brodie’s face. My stomach dropped. What was going on? Why couldn’t I get hold of her?
Brodie rubbed sleep from his eyes. “I wanted her to get here early. I like it when Lana makes my scrambled eggs. She’s better than you.”
“I know, pal.”
“When is she coming?”
I kept my voice level despite my rising agitation. “I don’t know, pal. She said she’d be here.”??
I rushed around the house getting Brodie’s clothes together. I hadn’t prepped the night before like I would usually, because I’d assumed Lana would be around to watch Brodie while I got everything organized. What had happened? Was she okay? If something had happened, I needed a back-up plan.
I sent off a quick text to Rachel. “Any chance you could take Brodie today? I’ve got a match in less than an hour.”
Rachel’s reply pinged back. “At the office. Sorry. Is there anyone else?”
My jaw tensed. Who else could I call at the last minute? Worry made my chest hot and tight. Lana wouldn’t let me down unless something was seriously wrong, would she? A little voice niggled in my head. Something had to be wrong. I’d brushed off her lack of messages as her just being busy, but what if it was more than that? Was she having second thoughts about this relationship? Brodie appeared at the kitchen door, still in his pajamas. Damn it. We were going to be late. Late to a bloody league match! I was never late.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you dressed?” My voice came out harsher than I’d meant it.
Brodie’s eyes widened, and his bottom lip trembled. “I wanted breakfast.”
A cannon ball of guilt weighed heavy in my chest. I never snapped at Brodie if I could help it. The poor kid had been through so much. He needed soft and calm. This wasn’t Brodie’s fault. I dropped on my knees on the cold tiled floor. “I’m so sorry, pal. Your old man’s stressed. I don’t like to be late. Do you think we could get going?”
He nodded and stepped into my embrace. After a hug, he ran off to get dressed, and I scrambled to get my kit ready. I’d have to take him to the game with me. It wasn’t great, but I’d find one of the crew to watch him.
How could Lana leave me in the lurch like this? Was this it for us? She’d run out on me after every encounter. She’d looked as though I’d slapped her around the face the one time I’d dared to suggest we were making progress toward a relationship. Had things got too heavy for her and caused her to panic and run? I’d have to find her, but first I needed someone to look after Brodie. I could only pray I made it to the stadium before kickoff.
Chapter 36
Lana
“Comein.”
Claire called me into her office. Anxiety ground in my gut. I hadn’t been able to shift the nervous fluttering since she’d texted me and asked me to come to the training suite. I pulled out my phone to switch it off. There were a dozen missed calls from Alex. I didn’t bother to read them. I’d hardly responded to his messages the past couple of days. The guilt wouldn’t allow it. I had to speak to him and give him a heads-up but every-time I tried to think of the words I couldn’t do it. I had to find the right time.
Coward.
Shame made my heart pound. I’d have to deal with Alex before the story broke, but first Claire wanted to talk to me. I switched my phone off, took a deep breath, and stepped inside Claire’s office. She gestured for me to take a seat. Her usual icy mask had hardened into one of cold fury. Claire scrolled her phone and passed it to me. I stared at the screen; my brain unable to process the headline:Exclusive—My Love Affair with Sugar Daddy, Alex Mac. The Wild Child of Women’s Football Tells All.
I scanned the story. It was even worse than I could have imagined. I’d given Karen the truth. I’d told her that Alex was the first man I’d ever loved. Maybe some part of me had thought he wouldn’t be so mad if he saw how much I cared about him, but this article was sensationalist bullshit. It focused on the age gap, and the ongoing scandal with Sean Wallace. It looked terrible for the team. My heart sank. After this, everyone would know it was me that had been leaking information. No one would ever trust me again.?
Claire’s glinting gaze met mine. “What were you thinking?”
“She’s twisted everything. This wasn’t my fault. I didn’t even want to talk to Karen Delaney. The press department made me do it.”
“PR wants you to talk about women’s soccer and paint the team in a good light. You’ve made this place sound like a den of iniquity: bed-hopping, drug taking, kickbacks, affairs.”
I took a sharp breath. “She’s made it all up. My private life is private. I didn’t ask for any of this. The media hounds anyone in the public eye. You know what this is...”
“The press can be awful, but I need to ask you a question, and I want you to be honest.” She inclined her head, but she wore a hard cold-eyed smile. “Have you been leaking information about the team to the press?”
