“Looking forward to it!It’s okay, Luna, we’re going,” Kayleigh said to the toddler, who had started fussing.
“Take care, Kayleigh, see you and Luna soon!”She waved to her friend and watched her drive out of the gates of the driveway, and then she walked down to where she could see Club Bandit’s parking lot.
She spotted Max’s car parked nearby and a van driving around the lot
Maybe James had called in the electrician to fix the light by the reception.
Ella sighed, exhausted but hanging out with an adorable toddler was exactly what she needed after dealing with Zee’s friends.
Nico and Roger had crashed in their guest rooms and had joined Zee in his morning practice.
Roger had tried to kiss her hand as she poured them coffee, and the seething look Zee gave him made the man back off.
Then they took off for breakfast, and Zee went to his team’s practice in the afternoon.
Ella had planned on packing corset orders and cutting fabric while she waited for her daughters to call her back.
When Kayleigh had called right after Zee left and asked if she’d mind watching Luna, Ella jumped at the opportunity.
Her phone buzzed on the counter, and she smiled, seeing Madison’s number.
“Hi honey, how are you?”
“Fine.”
Ella heard the heaviness in her daughter’s tone and cringed.
“Are you going to Annie’s rehearsal tonight?”
“I play a thousand games a year, and nobody comes to every single one.”
Ella turned her kettle on, taking a deep breath.If Annie was the easygoing, mild-mannered one, Madison was the one who was more stubborn and rough around the edges.
“A thousand games?It’s that many?”Ella practically heard her daughter’s eye roll.
“You know what I mean, Mom.Aunt Rosalind always comes to Annie’s stuff and not mine.”
“Well…” Ella suddenly didn’t have the energy to defend Zee’s sister-in-law.
It’s not that she didn’t like Rosalind; it’s just… she found her hard to relate to.
“Do you want Aunt Rosalind to come to more games?”
“That’s not it,” Madison said.
Ella heard the door slam and wondered where her daughter was at the moment.
“I have a lot going on.Maybe I’ll just drop out and nobody will have to come to my games.”
“Maddie!You love soccer.”
“Yep, I love soccer and I hate school.You know what I want to do, Mom.”
Ella sighed as she took out a mug.
Last year, a professional European team approached Madison with an offer.
Madison wanted to accept the offer, but Zee told her not to, insisting that she finish her education.
