Zack gives me a look that’s firm with resolve. “Call it an overprotective-dad thing—you two can relax in the family lounge until the game is ready to start.”
“Do you not trust me with Ben outside of this house?” I ask curiously…okay, maybe a bit defensively.
Giving me a chastising look, Zack says, “You know I do.”
“Then why can’t I just come later with Ben—” I start to argue even as Zack’s eyes are narrowing at me, when we both hear Michelle calling from the front of the house, “Yoo-hoo. Anyone home?”
“Fuck,” Zack mutters, and rubs the bridge of his nose. “I really need to get those locks changed.”
I forget all about our argument and can’t help the giggle that comes out. He muttered that same curse the last time she barged into his house, explaining to me later that she and Gina had exchanged house keys at one point and he wasn’t sure how to ask her for it back. He had resolved to just get the locks changed and let that message speak for itself when she tried to come into the house uninvited again.
“I’ll call a locksmith later today,” I whisper toward Zack just as Michelle comes tottering into the kitchen in black leggings, an off-the-shoulder black sweater, and red five-inch-high heels. Zack shoots me a grateful smile and then squares his shoulders as Michelle ignores me and heads straight toward the kitchen table. She sits down facing Zack, her back to me.
“Just thought I’d check in on you and Ben, see how you’re doing,” she chitters as she pats his forearm, then strokes it.
I roll my eyes, and on the downward swing I see Zack cut me a quick but panicked look. He then turns his gaze to her while slowly moving his arm from her grasp. “We’re great,” he says with a smile. “And actually…getting ready to head out for the day.”
Leaning over to look at me past Michelle’s shoulder, he says, “You mind going to get Ben ready for me, Kate?”
Michelle turns in her chair and glares at me.
I know Zack isn’t anywhere near ready to leave the house to take Ben out, seeing as how I haven’t even cooked his eggs for breakfast yet and he’s still in his pajamas. But he’s desperately trying to get rid of Michelle.
“Um…yeah,” I say quickly. “I can…um…cook these eggs I just whipped up for myself later.”
I quickly rinse my hands, give them a pat with a kitchen towel, and head around the island for the back staircase. As I pass by the kitchen table, I try to avert my gaze from Zack, as I’m afraid I might bust out laughing over how uncomfortable Michelle makes him.
“I was thinking,” Michelle says in a syrupy-sweet voice, “I know you’re in town this weekend. Want to take Ben and Beau to a movie with me on Sunday? A matinee or something. It would do you good to get out of the house some more.”
Just before I raise my foot to place it on the first stair step, I’m struck with brilliance. Rounding on the two of them, I dramatically slap my palm to my forehead. “Oh, crap, Zack…I forgot to tell you. I seemed to have lost my house key.”
Both of their gazes swivel toward me, Michelle looking extremely irritated I’ve disrupted her invitation to Zack to go out.
He just stares at me blankly. When Michelle turns her face back to him, I mime behind her back with my hands the action of putting a key in a door lock, and I can see when understanding dawns on him.
“Oh, well, that’s not good,” he says calmly, “since you’re going to be out running errands today while we’re gone. Can’t leave the house unlocked.”
“Hmmm,” I say as if a bright idea just came to mind. “Michelle…how about letting me borrow your key today so I can get back in the house when I return? I’m sure I’ll be back well before Zack and Ben today.”
Michelle huffs in annoyance but starts to pull Zack’s house key off her ring. “Honestly, Zack…if she loses a house key, how do you know she won’t lose Ben at some point?”
I wince, because damn, that was harsh, but then I smooth my face out when she turns to hand me the key. “I’ll expect to get that back once you have another key made. In fact, you should have a copy made when you’re out today.”
Fat chance of that, lady.
Zack covers his mouth with his hand to hide his smile. I just give Michelle a grateful look and say, “Thanks, Michelle. I’ll do that.”
Figuring Zack can handle the rest of the work of getting her out of the house, I bound up the stairs to get Ben ready to go out for the day with his daddy.
And then I’m struck with another semi-brilliant idea. I’ve been mulling over Zack’s words to me that I didn’t have anyone I should be hiding myself from. I really didn’t have any errands to run today, but now I think I do.
To the mall.
I got my first paycheck yesterday, and let me just say…Zack pays me well.
For the first time ever, I’m going to buy myself something nice.
Chapter 11
Zack
“And tonight’s most valuable player,” the Cold Fury announcer says with a long drawl, “is number fifty-seven, Zack Grantham.”
The arena erupts and I step back out onto the ice to make a small lap with my stick raised high. The fact that my son is here to watch this makes it that much better. The game MVP title is sweet. As a second-line left winger, those opportunities don’t come as frequently as they do for guys like Alex and Garrett who play on the first line, and for a damned good reason. They are phenomenal players who are graced with amazing natural talent. I have to work twice as hard to play as good as they do, so that makes this even sweeter.
“Do you not trust me with Ben outside of this house?” I ask curiously…okay, maybe a bit defensively.
Giving me a chastising look, Zack says, “You know I do.”
“Then why can’t I just come later with Ben—” I start to argue even as Zack’s eyes are narrowing at me, when we both hear Michelle calling from the front of the house, “Yoo-hoo. Anyone home?”
“Fuck,” Zack mutters, and rubs the bridge of his nose. “I really need to get those locks changed.”
I forget all about our argument and can’t help the giggle that comes out. He muttered that same curse the last time she barged into his house, explaining to me later that she and Gina had exchanged house keys at one point and he wasn’t sure how to ask her for it back. He had resolved to just get the locks changed and let that message speak for itself when she tried to come into the house uninvited again.
“I’ll call a locksmith later today,” I whisper toward Zack just as Michelle comes tottering into the kitchen in black leggings, an off-the-shoulder black sweater, and red five-inch-high heels. Zack shoots me a grateful smile and then squares his shoulders as Michelle ignores me and heads straight toward the kitchen table. She sits down facing Zack, her back to me.
“Just thought I’d check in on you and Ben, see how you’re doing,” she chitters as she pats his forearm, then strokes it.
I roll my eyes, and on the downward swing I see Zack cut me a quick but panicked look. He then turns his gaze to her while slowly moving his arm from her grasp. “We’re great,” he says with a smile. “And actually…getting ready to head out for the day.”
Leaning over to look at me past Michelle’s shoulder, he says, “You mind going to get Ben ready for me, Kate?”
Michelle turns in her chair and glares at me.
I know Zack isn’t anywhere near ready to leave the house to take Ben out, seeing as how I haven’t even cooked his eggs for breakfast yet and he’s still in his pajamas. But he’s desperately trying to get rid of Michelle.
“Um…yeah,” I say quickly. “I can…um…cook these eggs I just whipped up for myself later.”
I quickly rinse my hands, give them a pat with a kitchen towel, and head around the island for the back staircase. As I pass by the kitchen table, I try to avert my gaze from Zack, as I’m afraid I might bust out laughing over how uncomfortable Michelle makes him.
“I was thinking,” Michelle says in a syrupy-sweet voice, “I know you’re in town this weekend. Want to take Ben and Beau to a movie with me on Sunday? A matinee or something. It would do you good to get out of the house some more.”
Just before I raise my foot to place it on the first stair step, I’m struck with brilliance. Rounding on the two of them, I dramatically slap my palm to my forehead. “Oh, crap, Zack…I forgot to tell you. I seemed to have lost my house key.”
Both of their gazes swivel toward me, Michelle looking extremely irritated I’ve disrupted her invitation to Zack to go out.
He just stares at me blankly. When Michelle turns her face back to him, I mime behind her back with my hands the action of putting a key in a door lock, and I can see when understanding dawns on him.
“Oh, well, that’s not good,” he says calmly, “since you’re going to be out running errands today while we’re gone. Can’t leave the house unlocked.”
“Hmmm,” I say as if a bright idea just came to mind. “Michelle…how about letting me borrow your key today so I can get back in the house when I return? I’m sure I’ll be back well before Zack and Ben today.”
Michelle huffs in annoyance but starts to pull Zack’s house key off her ring. “Honestly, Zack…if she loses a house key, how do you know she won’t lose Ben at some point?”
I wince, because damn, that was harsh, but then I smooth my face out when she turns to hand me the key. “I’ll expect to get that back once you have another key made. In fact, you should have a copy made when you’re out today.”
Fat chance of that, lady.
Zack covers his mouth with his hand to hide his smile. I just give Michelle a grateful look and say, “Thanks, Michelle. I’ll do that.”
Figuring Zack can handle the rest of the work of getting her out of the house, I bound up the stairs to get Ben ready to go out for the day with his daddy.
And then I’m struck with another semi-brilliant idea. I’ve been mulling over Zack’s words to me that I didn’t have anyone I should be hiding myself from. I really didn’t have any errands to run today, but now I think I do.
To the mall.
I got my first paycheck yesterday, and let me just say…Zack pays me well.
For the first time ever, I’m going to buy myself something nice.
Chapter 11
Zack
“And tonight’s most valuable player,” the Cold Fury announcer says with a long drawl, “is number fifty-seven, Zack Grantham.”
The arena erupts and I step back out onto the ice to make a small lap with my stick raised high. The fact that my son is here to watch this makes it that much better. The game MVP title is sweet. As a second-line left winger, those opportunities don’t come as frequently as they do for guys like Alex and Garrett who play on the first line, and for a damned good reason. They are phenomenal players who are graced with amazing natural talent. I have to work twice as hard to play as good as they do, so that makes this even sweeter.
