Chapter 24
SAbrINA
I’m exhausted from keeping up with Maddie as we popped into one shop after another in London. Noah’s credit card has done a lot of work today too.
Maddie digs through the bags, pulling out the various stuffed animals. She had to have them, though we’ll have to ship them back to one of their houses because there’s no way we’ll have room to take all this stuff with us as the tournament continues.
“Isn’t it so cute?” She turns to me, holding out a croissant-shaped stuffie. “It even has a little face.”
It’s adorable. They all are. Even the little peanut keychain she picked out for me and the tennis ball she chose for her dad.
When a knock sounds on the door, I pad over and peer through the peephole.
Smiling, I throw it open. “Hey, Ebba.”
“Hello, darlings.” She pulls me into a hug, the affection so sudden and unexpected that I stiffen. “Oh, sorry. I forget not everyone likes to be touched.”
“It’s not that.” I laugh a little nervously. “I just wasn’t expecting it.”
“I’m a hugger.” She brushes past me, a designer bag hooked over one elbow. “I hear we’re having a sleepover.”
“Yes!” Maddie hops up on the bed and holds out the smiling sun keychain.
Eyes softening, Ebba clutches it to her chest. “That’s so sweet of you. I’ll cherish this forever.” Immediately, she clips it to her fancy bag, then sets her things down on the desk across from the beds.
“We got sleeping bags. And blankets and snacks. Sabrina said we could order pizza too. And we’re going to have a tea service tomorrow. It’s going to be so much fun.”
I pointed out that we did not need sleeping bags, but Maddie insisted. In her mind, they’re a must for sleepovers.
“Sounds like it.” Ebba claps, then turns to me. “What’s up with the room situation? Doesn’t Noah usually reserve suites? It’s a bit tight in here, though I suppose that’s part of the fun of a sleepover too.”
“He does, but he said they were booked this time.” I sit on the edge of the bed and press the toe of one boot to the heel of the other to remove it.
“Mmm,” she hums. “So, Maddie Girl, are you excited for your first sleepover?”
Maddie bobs her head enthusiastically. “This is going to be fun.”
Ebba leans against the dresser, somehow making the pose look elegant. “Have any movies picked out?”
Maddie purses her lips. “What kind of movies are the best for sleepovers?”
“The classics, sweetie.” Ebba’s eyes sparkle. “And by classics, I mean Sleepover with Alexa Vega, of course. An iconic film, if you ask me. Parent Trap is a good one. Sabrina, do you have any suggestions?”
I balk, put on the spot. “Uh … Mean Girls?” The second the suggestion is out, I snap my mouth shut. “Uh, actually, not that one. Um…”
Ebba straightens and gives me a teasing smile. “I’ll handle the movie selection.”
“That might be best.” Despite my career goals and love for kids, I clearly can’t be trusted to make age-appropriate movie choices.
After ordering the pizzas and changing into our pajamas—matching pink and purple sets that Maddie picked out—we stretch out the sleeping bags and Ebba puts the first movie on.
I’ve just gotten sucked into the storyline when my phone buzzes.
I stand and slide it into my pocket. “I’ll be right back. Pizza’s here.”
“Yay, pizza!” Maddie cheers. “Hurry. I’m starving.” She goes from ecstatic to dramatic in a blink, rolling onto her back, hand pressed to her forehead like she’s seconds from perishing.
My laughter echoes down the hall as the door shuts behind me.
It isn’t until I’m stepping into the elevator that I remember I’m wearing pajamas.
So far, I haven’t seen a soul, but downstairs, as my luck would have it, I come face to face with Noah and Elias.
From what I understood, Elias isn’t competing in this tournament—just here to keep up his training for Wimbledon—so it surprises me to see them entering the lobby together.
Elias spots me first and, eyes twinkling, swaggers over.
As much as I want to cringe at his cocky display, I can’t deny he’s good-looking, even if his ego is a little inflated.
Though he may be one of the most gorgeous men on the planet, I only have eyes for my boss, who’s also sexy as hell, but much more subtle.
“If it isn’t my favorite nanny,” Elias cajoles, dressed like he just came from the courts.
“Hi, Elias,” I say, sidestepping to grab the pizza boxes from the delivery guy.
“Thanks so much.” I take them from him and hand him a cash tip. As he walks away, I question whether I should’ve given him a tip at all. Tipping, I’m learning, is mostly American. I shrug off my worry. The guy had to deliver them here, so in my book, he’s earned the gratuity.
“Let me help you with those.” Noah takes the boxes from my arms before I can protest.
Elias cocks his head and takes me in from my slipper-covered feet to the top of my head. “Nice pajamas.”
“Thanks. Maddie picked them for our sleepover.”
“Ah, yes.” He hums, chin dipping. “My sister mentioned it.” He wets his lips and angles in a couple of inches. “Where’s my invite?”
Noah growls.
I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Lost in the mail, I’m afraid.”
Elias chuckles. “I like you.”
“Stay away from her.” The growl has only grown more sinister.
Elias straightens and, fighting a grin, says, “You know that just makes me like her more, right?”
“Don’t fucking care. Come on, Curls, before I kill my hitting partner.”
Too surprised by that statement to object, I follow Noah to the elevators. We step inside and turn to face the front. As the doors slide shut, Elias winks at me.
“You were practicing with Elias?”
“Yeah. Our coaches thought it would be good for us. My strengths are his weaknesses and vice versa, so we might as well learn from each other.”
“And you didn’t kill each other?”
He shoots me a droll look. “We’re both still alive, aren’t we?”
His irritation is more amusing than it should be. I lift one shoulder playfully. “For now.”
Noah shakes his head as the doors open on our floor.
“By the way.” He clears his throat. “Thank you for doing this for Maddie. It means a lot to her, experiencing these kinds of normal kid things. I think she needs the girl time too. She spent so much time with her mom, and now all she’s got is me.
” Deflated, he sighs. “So often I wish I was the one who’d gotten sick.
Maddie needs her mom more than she does me. ”
Intense pain blooms in my chest, absolutely obliterating my heart.
“Noah. No. She needs you too.” The words aren’t anywhere near adequate enough, but they’re all I’ve got. I’m still too stunned by his confession.
“That might be so,” he says, his voice devoid of all confidence, “but not as much as she needs her mom.”
I wish there was a magic solution here, one that would instantly make him feel better. That would allow him to understand that he’s exactly what his daughter needs. But nothing I can come up with seems even remotely adequate.
“Do you want to join us?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “I’ll take the pizzas in for you, and then I’ll hang in my room. Maddie doesn’t need her dad crashing her first sleepover.”
“Noah—”
Before I can argue against the statement, he swoops down and captures my mouth with his own. Caught off guard, I stand frozen for two or three heartbeats before I practically melt. If it weren’t for the pizza boxes, I’d probably throw myself at him.
All too soon, he pulls back and regards me. The soft brown of his eyes is darker than normal.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to beg him to do that again, but I swallow the words down. I’d like to say it’s because I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how viscerally he affects me, but mostly it’s because Maddie is on the other side of the door.
From the heat in his eyes, he wants more too, but he’s holding back.
God, this is so complicated.
It was obvious the first time we met that there was a mutual attraction, but with his bristly personality, I never in a million years thought I’d end up developing feelings for him.
With a deep breath, I swipe my key card, put my game face on, and push the door open so he can enter with the pizzas.
“Look who I ran into in the lobby.”
“Daddy!” Maddie hops up from her sleeping bag. Parent Trap plays in the background. “Look! We’re having a real sleepover!”
He sets the pizzas on the desk. “I see that, kiddo.” He ruffles her hair affectionately. “And look at all these.”
He surveys the line of stuffed animals on the bed and all the other junk we purchased.
The lucky stuffies will sleep well tonight while my back will be screaming tomorrow. Camping out on the floor wouldn’t have been my first choice, but the aches and pains will be worth it if it means Maddie is happy.
“They’re my friends,” she says as she bounces to the nightstand. “I got this for you.” She picks up the neon-green ball wearing a smile that dangles from a keychain. “For your tennis bag.”
Noah’s eyes soften, and I swear his bottom lip trembles almost imperceptibly as he reaches out to take the keychain from his daughter.
“Thank you, Mads.” With a thick swallow, he clears his throat and says, “I’ll leave you ladies to your sleepover.”
Maddie launches herself at him and grasps his wrist. “You gotta have pizza with us first.”
“I…” His brows furrow. “Y-You want me to stay?”
My heart pangs, and if I’m not careful, there’s a good chance there’ll be hearts dancing in my eyes. Flustered Noah should not be this adorable.
“Yeah. I mean, you can’t sleep over. That’s for girls, but pizza is fine.”
He rubs his jaw, clearly trying to hide how her invitation has affected him.
“I’ll grab the plates. Ebba, want to help me?” I ask, hoping to give him a moment to gather himself.