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“Go! It’s my pleasure,” I said, gently shooing him away before turning to Joey. “So, what are we working on today?”

Twenty minutes later, Joey was smiling lightly as she skated around the rink. She had been practicing toe pick turns and was doing rather amazingly, if I said so myself. As the lesson progressed, I noticed more and more that she wasn’t quite herusual self. Joey was a very exuberant child, especially when she was on the ice. Usually, as soon as she stepped foot in the rink, she was skidding around like there were firecrackers on her feet.

Sighing to myself, I skated over to Joey. Her face was flushed, but I didn’t know if it was because of the exercise or something else.

“Hey, come here,” I instructed, lightly tugging Joey toward me. Her eyes were hazy, like she wasn’t seeing me clearly. Taking my glove off, I touched her face, almost hissing at how hot she felt.

“What’s wrong?” she mumbled.

“Sweetheart, you’re really warm. Are you feeling okay?” I asked, crouching down to get a better look at her.

Joey looked at me, but she swayed slightly. “I suppose. My tummy does hurt a little.”

Ah. She was sick.

That wasn’t good.

Everything in me wanted to make her better. Glancing around the rink, I made the decision. I couldn’t let her go through the lesson if she was sick; that would only make her feel worse.

“Let’s get off the ice. I’ll call your dads, okay?” Even though I knew she wasn’t being picked up by any of her fathers, they would be the first people I called when their child was unwell.

“Will you sit with me?” Joey asked in a small voice. Her posture was hunched and she was hugging herself.

“Of course I will,” I assured her as I guided her off the ice, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and keeping her close.

As we stopped at the nearest bench, I pulled my phone out of my back pocket.

“Did you tell your dads that you weren’t feeling great this morning?” I asked as I searched for their numbers.

Joey shrugged, but the movement was lethargic.

I called Jensen first. No answer.

So I tried Cullen and Gideon. Also no answer.

After trying each one of Joey’s dads again and receiving no answer, I cursed mentally. Joey really wasn’t looking good. Her skin was sallow, her eyes unfocused, and she was starting to sway slightly.

The cold rink wasn’t the best place for her to be. She needed to be somewhere warm and comfortable. Thankfully, Mrs. Green’s number was still saved in my phone. A side effect of my job was that I had a lot of parents’ numbers in my contacts list. Mrs. Green picked up on the first ring, and I quickly updated her on the situation. “Are you able to pick up Joey early?” I asked hopefully. “She’s not feeling well and can’t complete her lesson.”

“Uh…”

Shit, that wasn’t promising. “I tried her dads first, but they’re not answering.”

“I appreciate that, but I have several girls at my house today. If Joey’s sick, I can’t risk her spreading germs. You’re going to have to stay with her until her dads come. I’m so sorry.”

She hung up.

I was looking after the sick kid she was supposed to pick up and she’d had the audacity to hang up on me?

Livid, I took a few deep breaths before turning back to Joey. She was miserable. Hunched over, her face red.

“Are we going to have to wait for my dads?” Joey asked in a small voice. She must have overheard the call.

“Yes, but there’s no way we’re waiting here. How do you feel about going back to my place, just until we can get in touch with your dads? I’ve got loads of blankets and comfy pillows, and even some chicken noodle soup.”

“Am I allowed to do that?” she asked in a small voice.

“Well, I’m not going to let you stay here while you’re feeling unwell. Come on.”