Just as her T-shirtproclaimed.
He kissed her forehead. “I’m all yucky, but as soon as I finish my shower I’ll pick you up.Deal?”
Lily cooed inreply.
She and I played while he showered, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest—like the countdown clock on New Year’sEve.
Ten. Nine.Eight…
Only in this case, it taunted me with the reminder that nine a.m. was rapidlyapproaching.
There would be no spectacular firework show once the clock struckmidnight.
But on the bright side, Lily’s crib wouldn’t be turned into a pumpkineither.
For the past few weeks, rumors had been circulating about which teams were showing an interest in him, but while Josh chose not to talk about them, Trent had pointed out they were exactly that—rumors.
And because I didn’t want to stress out about where Josh could be moving to next, I avoided anything where I might glimpse a knock-me-on-my-arserumor.
And that included telling my colleagues that under no circumstances, whatsoever, were they allowed to mention hockey in mypresence.
To do so would not bepretty.
Naturally, I saved this announcement while holding one of Lily’s dirty diapers, so that might’ve had something to do with their totalcooperation.
“If we’re lucky, San Jose will sign Daddy,” I toldLily.
But luck had nothing to do withit.
Nor did wishing on a shootingstar.
But in case it did, I might have tried it. Once ortwice.
Okay,thrice.
But you know what they say about three times thecharm…
“And I’ve heard Vancouver’s really nice,” I told her—in case he signed with another Canadianteam.
Please, please, please, if he has to join a Canadian team, make it Vancouver.Not only was it closer to San Francisco, it was the one Canadian city that didn’t suffer from brutalwinters.
Maybe I should’ve also wished for that when it came to the shooting stars—as PlanB.
As Josh stepped from the bathroom, his phone rang from the kitchen table. He briefly glanced in my direction and I could’ve sworn I stoppedbreathing.
I could hear him talking to whoever was on the other end but was unable to hear what he was saying. I couldn’t even tell if it was good news ornot.
After what felt like a hundred and twenty years, the phone call ended. Josh walked toward Lily’s room—his expression giving nothingaway.
“Was that your agent?” I asked.Seven. Six.Five…
He shook his head and I released a shaky breath. “It was the Rock. They were calling me to tell me I got theinternship.”
“Internship?”
“I didn’t say anything to you in case it didn’t pan out, but I’ve decided to retire fromhockey.”
“You have? But I thought you weren’t ready to give it up yet.” I couldn’t believe I was actually trying to talk him out of it—what was Ithinking?
