Page 6 of Hat Trick (Titans Hockey #1)

Chapter six

Carter

E mily sent me a few selfies of herself on the couch with a sleeping Annie on her chest, pouty lips open in sleep.

I never knew I could fall in love with someone after knowing them for a day, but I'm in love with Annie.

My daughter. Fuck, it still doesn't seem real.

But her sweet little face, wide eyes and chubby cheeks.

Part of me is furious with Cedar for keeping my daughter from me, but I understand she had gone through some stuff and maybe she thought I wouldn't have been there to help her.

Or worse, that I wouldn't have made a good father.

Shit, I still don't know how to be a good father but I'm going to fucking try.

I creep in the front door quietly. Gabe and Luca had gone out for drinks with the guys after practice, but I wanted to rush home and be with my girls.

It's only been 24-hours but I've already started seeing Emily as my girl too.

It feels like they came as a package and now they both belong to me - to our weird little family.

The boys and I have been together since High School, when Gabe's family moved to our town.

We've been thick as thieves since - playing hockey together, living together, even going to the same college together.

As three of the best hockey players in the High School division, we had our pick of colleges.

We were the dream team - a goalie, offensive and defensive players who have played together for years. We're so in sync. If it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something, we had definitely shared more than 10,000 hours together on the ice and are experts in each other.

We are a unit, a mini-team, and that team now includes Emily and Annie. I'm just not sure how they're going to fit in with our little unit yet.

I've been thinking about them all day. Gabe is right, Emily and Annie are a distraction.

Yesterday played over and over in my head.

How patient Emily was with me, how supportive.

I'd been insecure and vulnerable. Panicked.

Stressed. She'd simply laid a hand on my bicep and supported me.

We made Annie dinner and bathed her together.

We read bedtime stories and watched as Annie fell asleep in her new crib.

I replayed the hug I gave her as I thanked her for being amazing. Her soft body fit into my hard one perfectly. Holding her in my arms felt as natural as breathing. Her soft hair tickled my nose as I breathed in her jasmine and lavender shampoo.

Gabe is right. Emily will be a distraction.

But I can't imagine any other nanny being as kind and patient with me, or loving Annie as instantly as Emily had.

Without reservations or conditions. And I would never take that away from Annie.

Not for all the hockey in the world. I'd step down as Team Captain or ride the bench if it starts impacting my gameplay.

But I have a daughter now. She takes priority.

Shit, any other nanny could have easily sold my story to the papers for a hefty reward. "Team Captain's surprise baby." "NHL Captain's Shocking Baby Revelation!" or even "Carter Rhodes's Hidden Family Unveiled - Meet His Baby Girl! "

I groan. Fuck, that would have been a disaster.

It would invite speculation about Cedar and why I didn't know I had a baby.

They'd speculate I didn't want to raise her, or some sort of child-support/custody battle.

They'd find where we lived and take pictures of Annie.

She wouldn't be able to travel anywhere without the paparazzi following. It would have ruined both of our lives.

Not that Emily couldn't go to the papers later, but why waste time actually being a nanny if you could make money off the story alone? And watching how kind she is with Annie and I? Yeah, that's not an act.

I creep quietly into the living room to see Annie passed out on Emily's chest, covered in a blanket. Emily's arm wraps around Annie's bum while her other hand rests on the back of Annie's head, protectively. Emily twists her head to look at me.

"Hey there," she whispers with a smile. I've never had a woman waiting for me at home, smiling at me because she was glad to see me after a long day and fuck if I didn't like it.

"Dinner's in the oven if you're hungry. If you want to take her.

.." she starts, angling to sit up slowly.

I rest my hand on her shoulder, stopping her from getting up, while my other hand wipes a lock of hair off of Annie's forehead.

Her cheeks are pink, but she doesn't feel hot.

"No, I got it." I say, heading towards the kitchen. "How's she feeling?"

"She's still pretty grumpy and out of it but the doctor said she would be feeling better by tomorrow. Her little body's just doing it's job building up her immunity." Emily says, giving me a reassuring smile.

Emily had left the oven on 'warm' so the chicken thighs and broccoli she had cooked was still warm. I put them into bowls and bring them to the couch. I hand her one of the bowls and her eyebrows raise. "Oh, thank you."

"You made this but weren't going to eat?" I challenge.

"I...uh..." she says frowning. "I don't know the rules, if you wanted me eating your food or not."

"Of course you're allowed to eat the food, Ems." She smiles at my nickname.

Her brother had called her Ems when he was over, so I wanted to try it out - make her feel more comfortable with us.

With me. "I mean, during the season our meals are pretty boring, so you can of course make yourself something different if you ever get bored of chicken and broccoli.

" I snort. "But if you buy any junk food you'll have to keep it in your room.

Luca has zero self-control when it comes to chips. "

She laughs, Annie's little head bobbing up and down slightly on her chest. "Note taken."

"Oh, that reminds me. I need to give you a credit card so you can buy whatever you and Annie need."

"You don't need to do that." She looks at me, almost spooked.

"Of course I do. What, are you going to call me for approval every time you need to buy diapers? And you're certainly not buying them with your money." I explain, eating.

She's silent for a moment, and I wait for her to protest again, but she doesn't.

"How did the house visit go?" I ask.

"Oh, just fine. I was nervous since we haven't had a chance to baby-proof anything yet, but Mrs. Washington said it as all fine. Once she starts walking, we might have to pad some things, so she doesn't get hurt. "

"That's good to know. Will she be walking soon?"

"From what I've seen, probably. She can already stand on her own and scoot along the couch."

I nod.

"Where are Luca and Gabe, anyhow?" She asks.

"They went out for beers with the guys. They won't stay out late, not with a game tomorrow. Oh! Speaking of, Luca got you, your brother and your dad tickets to the game Thursday. Does that work for you?"

"Carter," she shoots me a glare. "I said you guys didn't have to do that. My brother can pay for his own tickets."

I shrug and grin at her. "Yeah, but why if we can get them for him? He seems like a good guy. Consider it a signing bonus for your new job."

She shoots me an affectionate smile, one that warms my chest and makes me feel like a superhero. Fuck, I'd buy her brother a box if it made her look at me that way more.

"What do you normally do after a game, to wind down I mean? My brother was always amped up on adrenaline after a game."

I lean back against the couch and pull her feet into my lap, forcing her to recline more. "Usually, I'll hit the treadmill or bikes at the arena for half an hour or so and then just come home and play video games until I feel tired enough to go to sleep."

"You don't go out with Gabe and Luca and the team?"

"Nah. I want to set a good example as Captain.

I went out a lot to celebrate when I was in college, but that scene gets old fast. You just want to go out and drink a few beers with the guys but can't even carry a conversation without being interrupted by bunnies.

I'd rather invite them over here so we can actually relax and talk. "

She giggles.

"What?"

"I'm literally imagining you beating women off with a stick." Her nose crinkles when she giggles and it's the cutest damn thing I think I've ever seen. I pick up the controller and load Mario Cart.

"You laugh, but these bunnies are ruthless. There are entire websites run by women we've hooked up with previously, ranking our in-bed abilities, what we like, what we don't like, how big our...'s are, and hints for other girls who want to bag a hockey player."

Her smile fades. "God, that's awful." Her brows furrow in thought. "I mean, I've only had one real relationship and I can't imagine how mortified I would be if the details of that became public knowledge. I get why Gabe's so blocked off."

And now I'm imagining my nanny under some prick who probably couldn't even satisfy her. I want to ask her if he was the only one she'd been with. How many?

I shake my head as if I can shake off those thoughts and focus on the switch.

We eat in a comfortable silence. I like having her here. I'm relaxed around her. I'm normally relaxed in my own home, with the guys. But even with them I feel like I can't fully shed the "Captain" roll. With Emily, though, I don't have to be anybody but me.

"Well, isn't this cozy." Gabe growls as he walks in the front door and sees Emily, Annie and me. He slams the door. Emily jumps and sits up fast, still clutching Annie to her chest .

"Dude! Annie's sleeping!" I whisper-shout at him. Annie starts to wake up and whimper, but Emily's quick to her feet, holding Annie close to her chest, bouncing her a little and shushing softly in her ear.

"I'm going to take Annie to bed. Goodnight." Emily whispers quickly before retreating to her room. Fuck, I hate the way she couldn't look Gabe or Luca in the eye as she ran away.

"You need to knock it the fuck out." I stand and point a finger at Gabe. "Emily's here to stay. Get the fuck over it and start treating her with more respect."

"She's getting into your head already!" Gabe shouts back. "You know nothing about this woman you randomly picked up off the street! How do you know she's not going to sell our used underwear online? Or get pregnant and claim it's one of ours!"

"Do you hear yourself right now? I may not know her, yet, but you also can't go around assuming the worst of her when you don't know her either!

" I hate the idea that Emily can hear us right now, but fuck Gabe can't keep being an ass to her.

If I have to choose between the two, it'll be Gabe out on the street.

He's a big boy, he can figure it out. I can't be the dad Annie deserves without Emily, and right now she's my priority.

"Sort your shit out, Karlsson, or I'll sort it out for you."

I turn my back on him and walk down the hall to Emily's room before knocking gently on the door. She opens it, but only a crack.

"Are you okay? I'm so sorry about that." I whisper, rubbing the back of my neck. She opens the door a crack more when she realizes it's just me and lets me into her room. Annie's already fast asleep in her crib.

She gives a half-hearted shrug. "It's alright. I get it. "

I reach out and grab her arm, turning her to face me. I bend a little to get closer to her level. "It's not alright. Whether he likes it or not, this is your home now. You have every right to feel safe and comfortable in your home."

She bites her lower lip, and I can't stop myself from tugging her lower lip away from her teeth with my thumb. The move is way more intimate than I have any right to do, but for some reason, I'm not afraid of her reaction.

She looks up at me with those wide, stunning brown eyes. "I think it's just best if I stick to my room when he's home. Is that okay?"

Fuck no.

But I nod. "Whatever makes you feel comfortable. I'll talk to him again when we've both calmed down."

She nods sadly before I wrap my hand around the back of her head and pull her to my chest. I let out a weary sigh.

"I know I've said it before, but thank you, Ems. I really couldn't do this without you." I rest my cheek on top of her hair, breathing in her lavender scent.

She nods awkwardly. "You're welcome." She pulls back a little to look up at me. "Annie really is the easiest baby I've ever met. And you're a great boss. And this is my dream job. Soon, I'll be able to afford to enroll back in school."

I take the opening as an opportunity to get to know my nanny better. I sit on the corner of her bed. "You never did tell me why you dropped out. It's clearly something you're passionate about." I say, motioning to Annie.

She sits on the bed next to me, but her shoulders and eyes fall.

"I was in a really toxic long-term relationship with my ex.

When things finally ended...I wasn't in a good place, mentally.

I couldn't risk running into him on campus.

Honestly, I couldn't get myself out of bed most days.

" I reach out and lace her fingers with mine.

She curls her fingers around mine. I hate to think of Emily that sad.

I've only known her for two days, but she seems so bright and bubbly.

"Then I got the job with the Titans and while I really liked it, it didn't pay enough to let me go back full time."

I don't like the idea of her working for me for only a few months and leaving me again. "Can you do online classes?"

"Yeah. I already have hours with the daycare, and you, of course. So, everything else would just be online."

"What if I paid for your degree?"

A tiny gasp leaves her lips and I my eyes dip to her open mouth.

"Why would you do that?"

"I'll pay for your degree, if you do it online, and you stay with Annie and I." I can hear the desperation in my own voice. But I school my features before patting her on the knee and rising. "You don't have to answer right now. Think about it and let me know. I know it's a big ask."