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CHAPTER 1

NOAH

Warning sign #1: My bedroom light was on.

Warning sign #2: I didn’t hear Evie’s voice.

Warning sign #3: The smell of roses perfuming the hall as I approached my room, my jaw tight.

After a full day of training, all I wanted was to take a hot shower, catch up with Evie, and pass out. Unfortunately, that was no longer an option.

A small part of me hoped I was wrong, but when I pushed open the door, I was greeted by my worst nightmare—the sight of a gorgeous woman in my bed.

For fuck’s sake. Not again.

At least she was sitting on the edge of the bed rather than sprawled across the mattress. But still, seeing her there—seeing anyone other than my family in my private space—made my muscles bunch with renewed tension.

Hazel immediately straightened, her face lighting up. “You’re home! How was training?”

I ignored her question and swept my gaze across the room. No flowers, but there was a rose-scented candle burning on the nightstand. No music or lingerie either, thank God. Hazel was fully dressed in jeans and a sweater, but that didn’t excuse her presence.

“Where’s Evie?” I finally met her eyes. They were wide and guileless, and filled with a tiny spark of hope that made my head hurt.

“In her room, doing her homework. I⁠—”

“Then why are you in my room?”

Hazel’s smile wavered. “You’ve had a long week, and you’ve been so stressed about the World Cup coming up. I thought you…” She trailed off when I continued to stare at her, my expression stony. “I thought you’d like some company. Someone to talk to. You never have people over, and⁠—”

“You thought wrong. Our contract states you are never to enter my bedroom except in cases of extreme emergency, and this is not an emergency. It is, however, highly inappropriate.”

Hazel flushed red all over. Her smile was completely gone now, and she looked close to tears.

I felt a stab of guilt before I pushed it aside. Yes, I was being a giant asshole, but past experience had taught me that anything short of dickish behavior wouldn’t cut it. People got so caught up in their dreams of dating a professional athlete that they overlooked all sorts of signs.

Sometimes, I wondered if life would’ve been better if I’d stayed in Michigan and taken over my father’s hardware store. It would’ve paid a fraction of what the Premier League did, but at least I wouldn’t have to worry about finding a proper nanny for my daughter—one who was actually interested in taking care of her instead of me.

“I’m sorry,” Hazel said. “I really didn’t think…Evie said it’d be okay if I came in here.”

My headache intensified. Dammit, Evie.

I’d deal with her sneakiness later. Right now, I had more important tasks at hand, like getting Hazel out of the house as soon as possible.

“I appreciate all you’ve done for Evie over the past few weeks, but this is where our contract ends. I’ll call the agency first thing Monday morning.”

Hazel’s jaw dropped. She shot up from the bed, her cheeks turning an even deeper shade of crimson. “You’re firing me? Over one tiny infraction?”

“It’s not a tiny infraction, and the fact you think it is proves why this isn’t a good fit.” I reached for my wallet and pulled out two fifty-pound notes. “Consider this your severance pay. Please make sure to collect all your belongings before you leave. You will no longer be able to access this property once you walk past the gate.”

After a stunned beat, she snapped her mouth shut and stormed toward the door. “Everyone at the agency was right. You are such a dick! No wonder you can’t keep a nanny. There’s no one on earth who can live up to your stupid”—she snatched the money out of my hand—“unreasonable”—she yanked the door open—“expectations!”

Her footsteps clattered down the stairs. A minute later, the front door slammed, and the house was quiet once more.

I checked the security camera app on my phone to make sure she was truly gone before I sank onto the bed and rubbed a hand over my face. The adrenaline rush from confronting her dissipated, leaving me hollow and exhausted.

It was mid-March, and Hazel had been my third nanny since the new year. The staffing agency had been accommodating at first, but even money had its limits. They’d warned me that she was the last candidate they could send before they’d no longer be able to help me, and I’d already tried my luck with every other reputable agency in town.

Basically, I was fucked.