Chapter 8 Sabrina
SAbrINA
When I wake up for the second time, I’m much more rested. I told Noah I’d be up at noon, but it’s only eleven thirty. Good, I have a little time to myself before I have to be “on” and entertain the eight-year-old ball of energy.
Arms overhead, I stretch, then I slide out from under the covers. The moment I’m on my feet, my bladder screams at me. Drinking coffee, then immediately passing out for several hours wasn’t my smartest idea. At least the caffeine didn’t keep me up.
Once I’ve relieved myself and washed my hands, I kneel in front of my new enormous suitcase. Not only did my friends force me to take it, but they insisted on purchasing pretty much every article of clothing inside. Even down to the new bras and underwear.
Alyssa and Lucy have always gone above and beyond for me. Frankly, I don’t deserve them. Thankfully, I’ll save plenty of the money I’m earning, so one day, I’ll return the favor. I’m already anxious to spoil their little one.
I sort through the clothes, eventually pulling out a bright pink athletic skort and a fitted white t-shirt. An outfit picked out solely by Lucy because she loves bright colors.
I change quickly and am ready before my alarm is set to go off at noon.
I’m assessing myself in the mirror when the main door of the suite opens and closes.
Exhaling, I smooth my hand over the front of my skort.
First things first, Maddie and I need to find a coffee shop.
Only once I’ve had another caffeine fix can our day together really start.
Thankfully, we don’t have to dive into schoolwork for two more days.
I have a feeling I have Fisher to thank for the time to settle in, since he’s the one who provided me with an itinerary.
Maddie is waiting for me in the hall, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “You’re awake!” she exclaims. “Dad has to go to practice soon, but I want to go for a walk.”
With my hands on her upper arms, I peer down the hall, but don’t see Noah.
“We can do that. I’d love to get some coffee first, if that’s okay with you.”
She nods eagerly, head tipping back. “I know where one is. I’ll take you there. Don’t worry.”
I smile down at this magical little girl. Her self-assuredness is something I wish I had possessed at that age.
“Where’s your dad?” I don’t want to walk out and not tell him we’re leaving.
“In our room on the phone.” She tosses her thumb casually in that direction. “But we can leave.”
I squeeze her arms and give her a small smile. “It wouldn’t be nice to leave without saying goodbye.”
She shrugs. “I guess.”
While we wait, she sits on the couch and scrolls through the channels until she finds a cartoon she likes.
I pull a bottle of water from the well-stocked fridge.
I didn’t drink nearly enough water before I crashed, and I can tell.
I’m glad Noah encouraged me to get more sleep.
I figured my body and brain wouldn’t shut off, but they did, and now I feel like a whole new woman.
After I’ve chugged half the bottle, I unlock my phone to respond to a text from Lucy. When I see a text from my father, I bristle.
Sperm Donor: Where are you? Your landlord said you were evicted.
If my dad was creeping around my former residence, that means he’s looking for money.
As if I have any to spare.
I delete his message like I do every time he contacts me out of the blue like this.
“Is everything okay?”
I startle and bobble my phone. Before it can fall, I clutch it to my chest and huff out a breath. Noah, apparently having emerged, stands across from me, concerned expression marring his handsome face.
It’s annoying how good-looking he is, with that thick dark hair that sweeps over his forehead and eyes a warm shade of brown. (Warm when he’s not giving me a dirty look, that is.)
I slide my phone into my crossbody bag—another gift from Lucy and Alyssa—and pull my shoulders back. “It’s fine.”
Brow furrowed and frown lines bracketing his mouth, he studies me in a way that feels as if he’s seeing right into my soul. Though it’s clear he knows I’m upset, he doesn’t press further.
It’s a relief. My messed-up relationship with my parents isn’t any of his concern.
“I’ve got to head out. Mads?”
She turns her head, though her eyes instantly drift back to the show she’s watching.
“I love you. I’ll see you later.” He kisses the top of her head and heads toward the door.
“I’ll text you when I know what court I’ll be practicing on,” he says to me.
“If Maddie wants to come over, the hotel has a shuttle service over to Melbourne Park, and your credentials to get in are over there.” He waves to the table where he’s laid out passes and two lanyards with cards clipped to the ends.
“All right.” I nod and paste a smile on my face. “Sounds good.”
Despite how easy it is to rile him up, I’m trying to be on my best behavior.
When Maddie’s show is over, I hit the power button on the remote. “All right, girlie.” I clap my hands. “I desperately need coffee if you want me to function like a normal human being.”
Giggling, she pops up off the couch. “Can I have coffee?”
“Nice try, kid.” I pull her into my side in a hug. “You have enough energy without caffeine coursing through your veins. You’re lucky like that.”
“Fine,” she acquiesces, but there’s a glimmer in her eye. This isn’t the last I’ll hear about it.
On the elevator ride to the lobby, she bounces beside me, proving my point that the last thing she needs is caffeine.
“There’s a coffee shop around the corner.”
She’s right. I passed it on my run.
“How’d you know that?” I ask, peering down at her.
“We’ve been here before. With my … with my mom. We got rocky road waffles. They were so good. You should try them.” She looks down at her sparkly pink sneakers, but not before I catch the flash of sadness in her eyes.
I’m at a loss as to what to say. Should I acknowledge the mention of her mom? I haven’t ever had to deal with grief and certainly never a child going through it.
She saves me from saying something potentially stupid by plucking at her bag, identical to the black one strapped across my chest, except hers is pink, and saying, “Let’s get you your coffee. If you’re anything like my dad, you’ll be grumpy without it.”
She sticks her tongue out.
I can’t help but smile at her. I don’t know her well yet, but already, she’s impossible not to like.
Two hours later, Maddie is just beginning to come down from the sugar high she sustained from the rocky road waffles she suckered me into splitting. How could I say no, knowing they reminded her of happy times with her mom?
With her hand in mine, I follow the signage into Melbourne Park. As we make our way to the training courts, Maddie’s head is on a swivel. She takes everything in, even though this isn’t her first visit.
“Have you always been homeschooled?”
She looks up, her hazel eyes a mix of green and gold in the sunlight. “Yeah. When I was younger, Mom thought I might like to go to regular school, but Daddy didn’t want us to be away from him all the time.” Squinting into the sun, she shrugs.
I make a note to get her a pair of sunglasses if she doesn’t have any tucked away in her luggage.
“Dad said you’re a teacher.”
Laughing, I come to a stop near one of the training courts.
Elias Johnson is there with what looks like his coaching team.
I might not know anything about tennis, but I can tell he’s a force to be reckoned with.
At six-four, maybe even six-five, and built like a wall, with tattoos covering one whole arm, he’s a sight to behold.
It seems impossible for a man that big to move as fast or as fluidly as he does.
He’s practically dancing back and forth, sending the ball flying across the net.
I didn’t realize a tennis ball could be launched with such speed.
“My dad doesn’t like him.” In true eight-year-old fashion, Maddie doesn’t lower her voice as she comments.
A guy walking by snickers, but thankfully no one on the court looks our way.
I breathe a sigh of relief and turn, blocking her from their view. “Why doesn’t he like him?”
She laughs. “Because he’s good.”
It’s then that I realize the sound of balls bouncing off the court has stopped.
I spin around, and my heart drops. Elias is stalking our way, his eyes on us and a half smile is on his full lips.
As he approaches, I’m struck again by how big he is.
Hot too. Like the kind of hot that has me questioning if he’s even real.
He stops on the other side of the fence and hooks his fingers through the chain-link. “Spying on me?”
“What?” I blurt, backing up a step with a hand on Maddie’s shoulder. “No. I was just … it was cool to watch. I don’t know much about tennis, but that was … wow.”
He cocks his head and smiles, eyes crinkling at the corners.
His irises are a unique shade of blue-green that pops against his light brown skin.
He definitely has one African American parent, but the eye color makes me wonder if the other is from some part of Europe. “I remember you from the lobby.”
My heart stutters. You mean to tell me that this Adonis—this perfect specimen of a man—remembers me?
Chin lifted, I clear my throat. “I’m Sabrina.” I give myself a mental pat on the back for not sounding flustered.
He gives me a single nod. “Elias.”
“I know.”
Fuck me, why did I say that?
Eyes sparkling with amusement, he chuckles. “You do?”
I shrug. “I was doing research. I didn’t know much—well, anything—about tennis before I was hired to be this one’s nanny.” I lift my hand, bringing Maddie’s with it.
“Hey, sweetie.” He waves at my sidekick.
“Hey, E.” With a sassy wiggle of her fingers, she returns the greeting. “My dad says you’re going down.” She turns her thumb down and pouts her lips, then mouths, “Loser.”
Elias throws his head back and roars with laughter. “Tell your dad he has to actually play me for that to happen.”