The Penalty Box (Vancouver Wolves Hockey #3)(50)

I took a deep breath and moved around the corner. She was a beautiful older woman. Her hair was jet black, and she had the same angular features that Mica had along with identical bright blue eyes. She looked polished. Diamonds glittered in her ears, and she had multiple huge rings on her fingers. Her clothes looked like they were haute couture, and she held a squirming, fluffy white puppy in her arms.

Mica looked up at me and her eyes followed. She studied me back, no expression on her face.

“Mother, this is Charlie, my wife.”

Her accent was heavy. “So, this is my new daughter.”

I felt inexplicably nervous. I worked a smile on my face. “Hello.”

She snapped her fingers. “Come here. Let me see you.”

Wishing I had opted for something more fashionable than jeans and a sweater, I moved to stand closer.

She stepped forward and looked me over before speaking to Mica in Russian. I made eye contact with him.

Mica spoke in English. “Charlie only speaks in English.”

“I am Mica’s mother, but you can call me Yelena.” She stepped forward and held up the puppy. “This is for you.”

“Oh.” I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice. “Thank you.”

She put the squirming ball of fluff in my arms. “His name is Sasha. He is a purebred Samoyed.”

I lifted the puppy up to my face and looked into his round black eyes. He was adorable. I smiled and kissed his face. “I love him.”

“She’s on the thin side, and something needs to be done with that hair, but she’s cute.”

I froze, realizing she was talking about me.

“Mother,” Mica warned.

“Mica, please move my bags to my room.”

I cuddled the puppy as Mica, without speaking, began to move the half-dozen Louis Vuitton bags that were stacked at the door.

“Would you like some coffee or some breakfast?” I offered, valiantly trying to get us on the right foot.

She ignored me. “Mica, when are you going to move out of here into a place more respectable? You’re no longer a bachelor. You need a real home.”

He responded in Russian.

I set the puppy down on the floor. Sniper crouched down and inched towards the puppy, reaching with his nose to sniff. His tail was going crazy. In response, the puppy squatted and peed on the floor. Mica walked by with some bags.

“He’s not house trained yet, but that is good training for you. First a puppy and then babies.”

I hid my face as I bent over to wipe up the mess with a paper towel. When I stood up, she eyed me critically. “Are you pregnant yet?”

Holy shit. I looked towards the guest bedroom, willing Mica to return. “Um, no.”

“Are you sure?” She stared at me. “Sometimes women don’t know.”

Pretty sure. “I’m focused on my career.”

“What do you do?”

“I work at a sports agency.”

“Pssht. Mica has enough money. Your job is to make big, healthy babies for him and to stay home and make a nice home for him.”

I had no idea how to respond to that. “I like my career.”

She dramatically rolled her eyes. “You need to focus on my son. Are you planning on breastfeeding?”

I felt like I was in some kind of nightmare. “Excuse me?”

“Breast is best.” She pulled a silver cigarette container out of her purse. “Do you smoke?”

I shook my head.

“Mica tells me all the time that I need to smoke outside.” She called to the dogs. “Come on, puppies. Outside we go.”

Sniper looked at me with a question on his face.

“It’s okay,” I said. “You can go.”

I watched as she let herself out to the back deck. She studied the scarecrow without reaction.

Mica appeared beside me. “How is it going?”

I turned on him, not even trying to hide the desperate notes in my voice. “You have to tell her the truth.”

“I can’t.”

I hissed in his face. “She’s talking to me about quitting my job, making big babies with you and breastfeeding.”

His eyebrows shot up comically. “Uh.”

“Tell her we are not even thinking about having kids and that is your decision. Not mine.”

“She knows I don’t want kids.”

That shocked me. It’s not like I was ready to have kids, but they were always in my hazy future. He sounded pretty damn sure about his decision. “Fine. Remind her of that.”

He looked grim.

I know it sounded dramatic, but I added under my breath, “Do not leave me alone with her. You don’t get to leave, and if you do, you take her with you.”

He sighed. “I know she’s a lot.”

“Mica!” His mom called from the balcony. “Who bought this patio furniture?”

He walked to the balcony door and spoke to her. I stood watching as they talked, and then he came walking back to me.

“What’s wrong with the patio furniture?”

“She said it looks cheap.”

I had no idea how to deal with this woman. Her only saving grace was that she was Mica’s mother, and for that reason alone, I would be as gracious as possible with her.