by Anna Sugden
It was touching to see the brawny goaltender holding her tiny nephew so tenderly, his green eyes looking fondly at the gurgling baby. Someday, he’d probably hold his own children with the same confidence. Look at them with the same affection.
She ignored the tug in her chest.
Tracy didn’t want to be the woman who gave him those children. She was happy with her life and her business; she answered to no one but herself. She enjoyed the freedom of doing what she wanted, when she wanted. Sure, she dated. Some guys had even lasted a few months. But every time things had started to turn serious, she’d felt hemmed in and backed away.
As for children... Well, she was a fantastic aunt and that was enough for her.
Really, it was.
Tracy turned to Maggie and asked brightly, “How are you feeling?”
“Pretty good, considering.” Her sister lowered her voice. “I don’t want to upset the men by telling you about my stitches, so I’ll give you the gory details later.”
Tracy bit back a laugh as the two hockey players winced. “At least we’re in the right place if they pass out.”
“I’ll go and check if anyone else is in the waiting room,” Jake said quickly.
“I’ll come with you.” Emily hurried after him, already bored with her new brother. “I wonder if Nonna and Poppa brought me a big-sister present.”
Maggie shook her head indulgently. “Jake’s poor parents have been bombarded with helpful suggestions for gifts.”
“Em’s thrown a few ideas my way,” Tracy said.
“Mine, too.” Ike nodded.
“The little monkey. We had a talk about that and I told her not to try it on.”
Tracy patted her sister’s arm. “Emily’s excited about Joe’s arrival, which is nice, given she’s been an only child for so long.”
“I know. She’s a good kid, just a little cheeky.”
“I don’t blame her. It’s not like our parents ever spoiled her.” When their father was alive, Em had been lucky to get a birthday card, let alone a present. Dominic Hayden had believed gifts were frivolous. Since his death, their mother had continued to abide by his rules. God forbid she should have a thought of her own.
“True.” Maggie grimaced. “I suppose I should let Mum know about Joe.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll call her later.” Tracy deliberately changed the subject. “Have the doctors said when you can go home?”
“Tomorrow, assuming everything’s okay.” Her sister sighed. “I’m sorry. This has messed up our plans at work for the next few weeks. I can’t believe I went into labor so early. Everyone kept telling me I was bound to be late because it had been so long since I’d had Em.”
“Babies come when they want to,” Tracy reassured her. “I’d factored in the possibility. Which is why the intern we recruited is starting ahead of schedule—on Monday. Carla’s grateful for the extra money and I’m happy to pass over the admin duties, so it’s all good.”
“Even more reason for you not to pay me while I’m off work.”
“Don’t start that again. You know how well the business is doing and there’s more than enough in the budget to cover your maternity pay, so relax. Besides, didn’t I read somewhere that worrying turns a mother’s milk sour?”
“That’s an old wives’ tale.”
Tracy shrugged. “I wouldn’t want to risk it.”
“Okay.” Maggie laughed. “Can I at least ask if you heard back from those two new business pitches we made this week?”
“Not yet, but I’m sure they’ll let me know before the weekend,” Tracy lied smoothly, not wanting her sister to start fretting again about her workload.
Both contracts were in the bag, which would be a nice boost to their bottom line and another step closer to Tracy’s goal of getting their business to number one. Even with Carla’s help, she’d be working flat out until Maggie returned. But the extra hours would be worth the financial cushion it would give them for next year.
“How will you cope if we win them both?” her sister asked.
“I thought we just agreed that everything was under control,” Tracy scolded.
“Yes, but...”
Thankfully, Maggie’s protest was interrupted when Jake’s parents bustled into the room, followed by Ike’s mum and stepfather.
As the older folks exclaimed excitedly over Joe, Tracy was touched by the joy and love in the room. So different from when Emily was born, when Tracy had been the only family member to visit. Their father had hated London and refused to travel south. Even though it had broken their mother’s heart not to see her first grandchild, as usual she hadn’t fought her husband’s decision. Horrified, Tracy had sworn then that she’d never let a man control her life. Sadly, only a short while later, she’d fallen into the same trap.
Tracy’s phone vibrated against her hip, breaking into her dark thoughts. Grateful for the interruption, she stepped away from the bed to check the caller ID.
Bloody hell. She’d missed a call from Glen at the Brooklyn Bridgers, one of the local Major League Soccer teams. She and Glen had played phone tag all day. The Bridgers were interested in the Helping Hand services her business had recently begun to offer. They had a new French star, Marcel Chabal, whom she’d been helping to relocate from France. Marcel’s wife didn’t speak much English and needed support for the transition to living in a new country.
As she listened to Glen’s voice mail, she saw Ike frown at her. His obvious disapproval made her bristle. How dare he judge her? Her business was successful because she was available to meet her clients’ needs 24/7. Unscheduled calls like this one were rare, but right now, time wasn’t on her side. She needed project and budget approval so she could have everything in place for when the couple arrived this weekend.
“I’ll be available until eleven tonight.” Glen signed off. “Call me.”
If she phoned right now, she might catch him. Since no one other than Ike—and he didn’t count—was paying her any attention, Tracy slipped out of the room.
Luckily, the waiting room was empty, so Tracy could call Glen in privacy. This time, they connected and he approved both the proposal and the budget. “Send over the revised paperwork and I’ll sign it.”
Tracy kept her voice calm and professional, though she wanted to fist-pump the air. “Great. I’ll get that to you first thing tomorrow.”
Once she’d hung up, Tracy decided to celebrate with a coffee. As she waited for the machine to do its thing, she gave a happy wiggle. Major score! And a very nice boost to her turnover. Hopefully, once the Bridgers saw how Helping Hands enabled Mme. Chabal to settle more easily and eased Marcel’s stress, they’d extend the contract to cover all their foreign players. Their positive reference would be invaluable for pitching the service to her other clients.
Collecting her coffee, Tracy glanced at the clock. Visiting hours would be over shortly and she wanted another cuddle with her new nephew. It had been a good evening all around.
“Excuse me.”
Ike’s deep voice, close to her ear, startled her.
She jerked her head around as he leaned forward to program the machine. Their gazes clashed.
He was too close. Tracy could feel the heat radiating from his body. Prickles of awareness danced across her skin. Her pulse skipped as emerald fire flared briefly in his eyes.
Then he blinked and the flames disappeared. “Finished your business?” Ike reached past her for his coffee.
Tracy jerked away from him. Hot coffee splashed over her hand.
She swore and sucked on the sore patch before answering. “Yes, thank you. A client needed me,” she added, before she could stop herself. Damn it. She didn’t owe him any explanations.
“What kind of relocation emergency can there be?”
Her earlier irr
itation returned at his sarcastic tone, but she fought to stay polite. “You, of all people, should know that problems don’t just happen between nine and five. As I recall, you liked me to be available whenever you needed me.”
A muscle twitched in his jaw. “I had to work viewings around the Ice Cats schedule.”
“Then you should understand when other professional athletes need flexibility, too.”
“Sure, but there are times when business should take a backseat. Like when your sister’s just had a baby.”
He was acting as though she’d abandoned Maggie and Joe. She’d stepped out briefly, leaving a room full of people to fuss over them. “Really? So you’ve never had to leave a family event to get to a game or missed a family occasion because you’ve been on a road trip?”
“That’s different. I don’t get a choice about where I have to be or when. I thought the whole point of running your own business was that you were in control. I remember how vital being your own boss—in every part of your life—is to you.”
His bitter tone brought up memories she’d rather had remained buried. Arguments better forgotten. “You’re the one who wouldn’t compromise.”
“You didn’t want compromise—you wanted things all your own way.”
“I didn’t want them all your way. Big difference.”
“What was so wrong with expecting you to take me, our relationship, as seriously as your career?”
Once again, he was twisting the facts to make everything her fault. Irritation turned to anger. “That wasn’t what you expected at all. You wanted my career to take a backseat to yours.”
“I never said that.” He drained his coffee and threw the cup in the bin.
“Maybe not exactly, but you made it clear that you thought my business was only something to keep me occupied until I had a husband to look after me. Meanwhile, you chasing around after a puck was—” she used air quotes “—‘so much more important,’ even though you only had, at best, another ten years.”
He clenched his fists by his sides. “I’d make enough money in those ten years to keep you living comfortably for the rest of your life.”
“I didn’t need you to take care of me and I didn’t need your money.” Tracy worked so hard because she never wanted to be dependent on another man or his money again. “I can bloody well look after myself.”
“Yeah, you’ve made it pretty freaking clear there’s no room in your life for a man.”
“Not quite true—there’s no room in my life for you.”
“Trust me, babe, I’m glad,” he drawled. “I had a lucky escape. I get banged up enough on the ice—I don’t need a ballbuster in my bed.”
Tracy gasped at his cruel words. Then she tossed her coffee over him. She’d show him a ballbuster.
* * *
IKE SWORE AS he wiped down his sweater and jeans with his handkerchief. From the heat around his zipper, the coffee had got too close to the family jewels for comfort.
Tracy Hayden had been a major pain in his ass from the moment she’d strutted into his life on those killer legs. With a toss of her dark hair and a glint in her brown eyes, she’d challenged him in every way. Still did. Damn woman was as irritating as grit in an oyster, except he never got a pearl. That said, a coffee shower was a first.
“I should apologize.” Tracy’s crisp tone, which emphasized her still-strong English accent, was grudging.
“Why bother, if you don’t mean it?” He stripped off his sweater. Beneath it, his T-shirt was damp but wearable. “I thought the one thing we had left was honesty.”
Her gaze lingered on his chest before flicking up to meet his. Color tinged her cheeks. “You’re right. Your remark was uncalled for, but I reacted badly.”
His conscience pricked him, taking the edge off his anger. It was partly—okay, largely—his fault. One minute Tracy had been cooing over her nephew and the next she was desperately checking her phone. Since she’d just told Maggie that everything was under control, what could be so freaking important?
Ike hadn’t deliberately followed Tracy into the waiting room. The cozy family image Jake, Maggie and Joe had presented had scraped on his already raw nerves, reminding him of the life he’d once hoped he could have with Tracy and making the hospital room feel claustrophobic. He’d escaped to get some air. He’d been surprised to find Tracy by the coffee machine and had nearly turned back. But then he’d seen that damn wiggle. That sexy hip-shimmy she always did when she was happy. The one that always fired up his pulse—and his groin.
He’d barely got himself under control when she’d spilled coffee on her hand. He’d wanted to kiss the burn better. The thought of putting his lips on her had sent desire rocketing through his body once more. Frustration had fuelled his annoyance. After all this time, he hated that he was still so pathetically affected by her, while all she felt for him was aggravation. And he’d snapped.
“No harm done,” he said stiffly. “I should apologize, too.”
“Okay.” Tracy dropped her empty cup in the trash and turned back to the coffee machine.
As she tapped in her selection, Ike stifled the urge to offer to buy her a drink. He turned to go when her voice stopped him.
“I know you won’t believe this, but I wouldn’t ordinarily let business intrude on such a special occasion.”
“So why the exception?” He was pleased his question held no hint of his skepticism.
“It was a time-sensitive issue.”
“Aren’t they all?”
“I suppose so.” Tracy smiled ruefully as she collected her drink. “But in this case, it would have been a costly mistake. The Bridgers are a major client.”
He frowned, unsure how one phone call could be that important. Unless she’d been about to lose the soccer team as a client. “Is Making Your Move in trouble?”
“Not at all. In fact I’m trying to broaden the range of services we offer with the new Helping Hands package.” Tracy explained the extra support her company wanted to give players and their families.
Ike obviously had a different definition of emergency. If her company had been struggling, he’d have understood. But how could adding business when her company was already successful be more important than celebrating a new member of the family?
Don’t go there.
What was the point? It would only lead to another fight and he probably wouldn’t survive another dousing unscathed. Besides, all of this only reinforced what he already knew—the two of them would never work. He couldn’t be with someone who put work ahead of everything and everyone else. He sure as hell wouldn’t compete with a woman’s career.
Ike acknowledged that his own childhood colored his thinking. Not just the weight of responsibility that he’d carried from too young an age, but also the way his mother had worked herself to exhaustion to provide for the family after his father had walked out. Ike was determined that his future wife and children would not struggle or suffer. Which was why he firmly believed the traditional male-female roles were necessary. Men provided and supported so that women could take care of the family.
Tracy would never be that type of woman.
Now if only his body would get the message.
“So you can see why I couldn’t risk messing up and not getting the Bridgers on board.” Tracy wound up her explanation and looked at him expectantly.
He was damned if he understood. Luckily, Ike was saved from having to come up with a suitable reply when his younger brother, Kenny, ambled toward them. “So, this is where the sane people hang out. The kid’s cute and all, but do we really have to sigh over every gurgle and dribble?”
“I’m afraid so.” She patted his shoulder sympathetically. “Give it a few weeks and you’ll be doing the same. I’ve seen harder men than you going gaga over a cute baby.”
“No way.” Kenny gave an exaggerated shudder.
Tracy laughed. “Well, I’m not afraid to say I want another cuddle.”
“Good luck prying him away from the grandmas.” Kenny rolled his eyes. “I’ll grab a drink and wait until the bloodshed is over.”
“Coward.” She waggled her fingers in farewell.
Ike and his brother watched Tracy walk back down the corridor.
Kenny punched him in the arm. “I don’t know why the two of you don’t just sleep together and get it out of your system.”
Ike choked. “Where the hell did that come from?”
Kenny smiled smugly. “So you don’t deny you’re hot for her.”
“Because it’s too dumb to bother denying.”
“Ike’s got the hots for Tracy,” Kenny added in a singsong voice.
“Mom must have dropped you on your head when you were a baby. You’re seeing things that aren’t there.”
“And you’re protesting a little too much, especially since you still haven’t taken your eyes off her admittedly great legs.”
“Leave her legs out of it,” Ike growled.
Kenny held up his hands in mock surrender. “She’s all yours. Or would be if you’d get your act together.”
“Trust me, the last thing Tracy or I want is a relationship.”
“Who’s talking about a relationship?” His brother plugged change into the soda machine. “I’m talking about doing the horizontal mambo until neither of you can move or snipe at each other.”
Damn it. Even Kenny’s teasing words were enough to spike Ike’s temperature. He did not need to remember what that had been like with Tracy. “I know for a fact we’re not compatible.”
“How do you know unless you give it a sho—” Kenny stopped and stared at him. “Holy cannoli. You already did it, didn’t you?”
Although Ike had never told anyone what had happened, Kenny and his other brothers had picked up on something between him and Tracy—perhaps the electricity in the air whenever they were together—and delighted in giving him crap about her. Maybe if he admitted it, they’d lay off. “A long time ago. It didn’t work out. Game over.”
