Page 9 of Game On

I bent down to his height. “Come on, buddy. Let’s go home.”

He reached out for my hand and I took it, nodding at Cynthia. “Thanks. I owe you one.”

She waved me off. “He’s the sweetest. I don’t mind.”

“I really appreciate it. I need to find a new nanny.”

Her eyes went wide. “You fired another one?”

I nodded. “Yup. Another one looking for a meal ticket…sorry, is that sexist?”

She laughed. “I don’t think so. You want someone to help you with your nephew, not a wife.”

“You know of anyone good?”

She squinted. “I’ll have to think about it, but nobody comes to mind.”

“Honestly, I think I need a sweet old grandma type.”

“Good luck with that.”

I groaned. “Anyway, thanks. I’ll get out of your hair.” I ruffled Liam’s hair. “Say bye to Cynthia and thank her for watching you while I was at work.”

“Bye, Liam!” Cynthia said to him.

“Bye, Cece,” he said. Cynthia was still hard for him to say, so ‘Cece’ had always been what he called her.

She made a cooing noise. “He’s so cute. You’ll find someone soon.”

I wished she was right, but I was having my doubts. I even asked the GM’s assistant if she could help me. She put feelers out, so I could find someone soon, but nothing so far.

I walked into the condo and sat Liam down at the table in ‘the big kid chair’ and made us lunch. I sliced apples and spread creamy peanut butter on bread while I asked him if he behaved himself at Cynthia’s.

I watched him as he munched away at lunch until he asked if he could play. I set him up in the living room and watched him play with his toy truck and dinosaurs while I checked my email. I sighed when I didn’t see a response from the nanny agency yet. I needed someone permanent for Liam. I couldn’t keep asking my friends for favors.

Liam fought me when I put him down for a nap—another sign he was starting to grow out of them. The fight was more because he wanted to be in my bed and not in his own room, no matter how much I encouraged him to sleep in his ‘big boy bed.’

I probably should’ve taken a nap too, but instead, I logged into Dragonspire.

I smiled when I saw FlowerChild183 online. Outside of my teammates, I didn’t really have friends. It was hard when all you did was eat, sleep, and breathe hockey. It was why the team was so close-knit and was always all up in each other’s business.

I requested a chat with her and slid on my headset.

“Hey,” her soft voice cheered in my ears.

“Hey,” I sighed.

“Oh no. What’s up?”

“Ugh. I had to fire another nanny.”

“Oh no! What happened?”

I sighed again. “Um… so I’m single, and they keep coming onto me.”

“Oh.”

“Yup. I just need someone who can take care of my kid when I travel for work.”