Chasing Charli - Kat Mizera Page 0,14
little late. If I’m going to be more than half an hour late, Amy will come get him.” Amy Schumaker was Kane and Hailey’s nanny and she helped out sometimes when the team traveled.
“Oh, it’s no problem. If you want, I can bring him home with me and we can hang out until you get done.”
“Are you sure?” Sara looked a little harried and Charli laughed.
“Of course. He’s a sweetheart and I don’t do much at night anyway.”
“Oh, you’re the best! Drinks on me at the game Saturday night.” Sara paused to kiss the top of Niko’s head and then was gone.
“Are we going to hang out tonight, Miss Charli?” Niko asked her.
“If Sara’s late, then yes, we are. Is that okay?”
“Are we going to your house?”
“If you want to.”
“Can we have pizza?”
Charli laughed. “Let’s see what happens with Sara first. Then we’ll talk about pizza.”
“Okay.”
Niko was at the kitchen table eating a slice of pepperoni pizza when Miikka called that night and Charli took the phone into the other room to talk.
“Hi!” he said, automatically beginning their routine. “I’m Miikka Laasonen and I’m a hockey player.”
That was a new introduction and she laughed, something she did a lot with him. “Well, hello, Miikka. I’m Charlotte and I’m a kindergarten teacher. Tell me, what position do you play?”
“I’m a left wing.”
“Really? How fascinating.” She tried to improvise every time to mix things up. “What does that mean?”
“It means I’m a badass.”
They both cracked up and Charli shook her head, even though he couldn’t see it. “How are you?” she asked.
“I’m tired,” he said. “This has been…” His voice faded as he struggled to find the right word.
“Long? Exhausting?”
“Yes. Sometimes travel is…ex-haus-ting.”
“Very good, Miikka,” she said softly. “Your pronunciation is getting so much better.”
“You want I read now?”
“You want me to read now?” she corrected. “And yes, you can read to me for a little while, but I have a hot date tonight and he’s already here.”
“You have date?” Miikka sounded so confused, Charli chuckled.
“It’s Niko,” she said.
“Niko?”
“Dani and Sergei’s son? Sara had an emergency with one of the animals so he’s here with me. We’re having pizza.”
“Oh! Yes, I see. I would like pizza also.”
“We had that when we were together. Do you like pizza?”
“Very much.”
“What’s your favorite food?”
“Pizza.”
“What kind?”
“Everything.”
“You like it with everything?”
“No fishies.”
“Fishies? You mean anchovies? I’m not a fan either. I like extra cheese…”
“Extra sausage.”
“Aren’t I the one who’s supposed to like extra sausage?” She couldn’t believe she said that and clapped her hand over her mouth.
“Eh, perhaps we both like, yes?” Then Miikka laughed.
“And white chocolate raspberry cheesecake,” she said with a breathy sigh. “Mmm.”
“This is good? I no try.”
“Oh my god. Better than sex,” she responded before clapping her hand over her mouth again, even though he obviously couldn’t see it.
“Better than sex?” He seemed intrigued. “This is not possible…”
“Well, you’ll have to try it first.”
“Yes. Next time I see you?”
“Sure.” She had no idea if he was flirting with her or if he was genuinely interested in cheesecake, but she didn’t care because she was having too much fun. When was the last time she’d flirted with a guy?
“Pizza and cheesecake. Then we decide.”
“What do we decide?” she asked softly.
“Which is better.”
“Better than—” She cut off abruptly as Niko came into the room.
“Miss Charli, can I have another piece?”
“Of course.” She nodded at him before turning her attention back to Miikka. “Anyway, Sara’s going to be here any minute so I won’t be able to talk until later. Will you be up for a while?”
“Yes. I don’t sleep well sometimes.”
“Can I call you back?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
She was still thinking about the pizza and cheesecake conversation when Niko came back in, another piece of pizza in his hand.
“Miss Charli?” Niko came around the corner.
“Yeah, sweetie?”
“Can I finish eating in front of the TV until Auntie Sara gets here?”
“Sure. Let’s put on the Disney Channel.” She changed the channel and went to get some paper towels from the kitchen. Niko jumped onto the couch, pizza in one hand, paper towel in the other, and snuggled against her side. He was such an easygoing kid, she loved spending time with him. He was also a vague reminder of the children she would never have. Not to mention the one she’d had to give away. That child was about the same age as Niko and as she cuddled him, tears pricked her eyelids. She’d only ever held her own child once; holding Niko was as close as she