The Hockey Star's Forgotten Baby Mama novel · Chapter 7 of 32

Chapter 7: The Suite

"Sit down, Leighton."

"I'll stand. I have salmon in the oven."

My father turned around.

He looked at my apron. Something to correct.

"Your sister takes an interest in our star player's safety," he said. "She noticed he was spending his Sundays in Sellwood."

"Kinsley follows him home. That's not safety. That's a hobby."

"She follows him because I asked her to." He touched the photo of Johnny with Lulu on his shoulders. "I pay that man eleven million dollars a year to be the face of this franchise. I'd like to know whose child he's carrying around."

"Mine."

"And whose else?"

The room was very quiet.

Far below, a rowing team slid down the gray river.

"You asked me that question five years ago," I said. "In your study. I gave you my answer."

"You gave me nothing."

"And you gave me one suitcase."

His face didn't change. It never did.

"I'll ask once more. Is Castelli the father?"

I thought about my daughter asleep with a puck in each hand.

I thought about Johnny on my rug drawing rectangles with a purple crayon.

"My daughter's father is none of your business," I said. "He wasn't then. He isn't now."

My father nodded slowly.

He sat down behind his desk and pressed a key on his laptop.

"Then let's discuss your department."

He turned the screen toward me.

A spreadsheet. My budget. Three years of fueling plans, meal costs, supplements, staff, all of it.

Half of the column was struck through in red.

"Performance nutrition is reduced sixty percent, effective Monday," he said. "The kitchen staff are let go. Meals will be supplied by a frozen vendor. Our logistics company has a food-service partner. Very efficient."

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