Babysitting The Hockey's Star Niece For Christmas
“Who the hell are you?” Lauren demanded, pointing the Spatula like a sword.The guy raised his hands, looking more amused than threatened. “Easy there, warrior. I am Margaret’s brother.”Her stomach sank. “The Larry?”“Yeah. The Larry,” His smirk widened. “And you must be Lauren. The Christmas Grinch babysitting my niece.”Lauren glared at him, still clutching the poker. “Why are you here? Margaret said you wouldn’t be home for Christmas.”Larry shrugged, leaning against the doorway like he had all the time in the world. “Change of plans. Hope you’re ready for some company.”And just like that, Lauren’s carefully controlled holiday nightmare went from bad to so much worse.Lauren hates Christmas. Every twinkling light and festive carol reminds her of the day she lost her boyfriend in a tragic car accident. She’s made it her mission to avoid holiday cheer at all costs.But when her mother's best friend, Margaret, begs her to babysit her lively but to hard to handle six-year-old daughter so that Margaret and Lauren's mother can go on on a girls trip for the season, Lauren reluctantly agrees. What she doesn’t anticipate is the unexpected company of Margaret’s younger brother, Larry, an arrogant yet undeniably hot hockey star.Forced into close quarters, Lauren struggles to keep her guard up as Larry’s charm and confidence begin to melt the icy walls around her heart. But with painful memories and their clashing personalities standing in the way, can the holiday cynic and the hockey star overcome their scars and discover the magic of Christmas together? Or will their differences and the ghosts of their pasts keep them apart?
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Chapter: Sick until Christmas?The sound of a soft cough echoed through the apartment, barely audible but enough to make Lauren pause. She glanced over at Sophie, curled up on the couch with her blanket draped over her shoulders. Sophie’s usually bright eyes were dull, and her small form seemed even smaller than usual, as if the energy had been drained from her. Lauren’s stomach twisted with worry.Sophie let out a small cough, a rattling sound that made Lauren freeze in place. She immediately stood up and moved closer to Sophie, who looked up at her with a half-hearted smile."Hey, you okay?" Lauren asked, her voice more concerned than she intended. She gently placed a hand on Sophie’s forehead and frowned. It was warm. Too warm.Sophie gave her a weak smile, her lips trembling slightly as she spoke. "I feel... hot."Lauren gently placed a hand on her forehead. It was warm—too warm. "You’re running a fever," Lauren muttered, kneeling beside her. She could feel the familiar wave of panic rise in her chest. Sophie
최신 업데이트: 2026-06-08
Chapter: PrankstersLauren’s day started innocently enough, as innocent as it could be when you have two people that loved making your day was at home.She walked into the sitting room, arms full of snacks, only to find her chair mysteriously missing. She froze mid-step, scanning the room, her annoyance bubbling.Yes, it was her comfy beautiful chair. Black as her heart. It was her favorite spot and the only way she had been enduring the two troublemakers.“Looking for something?” Larry’s voice drifted from behind her, casual and smug.Lauren turned, her glare locking onto him. He leaned against the doorframe, that infuriating grin plastered on his face like it belonged there.“Where’s my chair, Larry?” she demanded, placing her books on the desk with a sharp thud.He shrugged, the picture of nonchalance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Did you bring a chair from your house?”“Don’t play dumb. I know it was you.”Larry feigned offense, clutching his chest dramatically. “Me? Accuse me of such cri
최신 업데이트: 2026-06-08
Chapter: Not merry memoriesLauren sat in the cramped therapy office, her arms crossed so tightly across her chest it was a miracle she could still breathe. She stared out the window, pretending the woman across from her wasn’t waiting for an answer.Dr. Patel, her therapist, smiled gently from the chair opposite her. “How are you feeling today, Lauren?”“How do you think I’m feeling?” she muttered, not meeting her gaze.“I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking,” Dr. Patel said, her voice calm but persistent.Lauren rolled her eyes. “I’m fine.”Dr. Patel set her pen down deliberately. “Fine isn’t a feeling, Lauren. Let’s try again. Are you angry? Sad? Anxious?”“Then I don’t know. Take your pick. Angry? Tired? Over it? All of the above?” Lauren muttered.“That’s okay. Let’s talk about it, then. What’s been on your mind lately?”Lauren’s head snapped toward her. “What’s always on my mind? You know what it is. We’ve been doing this for months.”Dr. Patel’s expression softened. “Grief doesn’t have a timeline. It’s oka
최신 업데이트: 2026-06-08
Chapter: Too broken to MerryLauren sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the photo she couldn’t bring herself to put away. It was dog-eared and faded now, but Lewis’s smile still burned as brightly as ever. She traced her finger over his face, her chest tightening.The world had moved on. People talked about healing and "letting go," but for her, time felt frozen, trapped in that single moment.The accident had shattered her. The months afterward had nearly destroyed her.The first month after Lewis died was a fog. Lauren barely left her bed, let alone her house. Every noise outside felt like an intrusion, every attempt to comfort her felt like salt in a wound.“Lauren, sweetheart,” her mom’s voice filtered through the haze of her thoughts, but Lauren didn’t turn around. She was curled up in the corner of the couch, staring at the TV that wasn’t even on.Her mom hesitated, then sat down next to her, holding out a plate of food. “You need to eat something.”“I’m not hungry,” Lauren murmured, her voice hollow.“Y
최신 업데이트: 2026-06-08
Chapter: The Christmas EveLauren sat on the couch, staring at the soft glow of the Christmas lights twinkling against the window. She hated this time of year. It was like the universe was mocking her, wrapping her pain in bright colors and cheerful carols.Her tea sat untouched on the table. It had gone cold, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.“Lauren, come look at the snowman I made!” Sophie’s excited voice called from outside.Lauren forced a smile, standing and peeking out the window.“Lauren?” Sophie’s voice yanked her back to the present.Lauren blinked, her breath catching. She hadn’t even noticed the tears streaming down her face.Sophie stood in the doorway, her small frame silhouetted by the lights from outside. “Are you okay?”Lauren quickly wiped her cheeks, forcing a smile. “Yeah, sweetheart. I’m fine. Just… tired. Your snowman looks amazing, Soph! You’re a pro!” she called back, her voice a little too high-pitched, even to her own ears.Sophie didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push. “Do y
최신 업데이트: 2026-06-08
Chapter: Cancel December?Lauren glanced at the clock. It was almost noon, and she was still in her pajamas, lounging on the couch with a cup of coffee. Sophie was perched next to her, flipping through channels like a tiny tyrant with the remote, looking for a channel that Lauren would like hate.“Nothing’s on,” Sophie whined, her nose scrunching in annoyance.“Maybe because you’ve scrolled past like ten channels five times,” Lauren said, taking a sip of coffee."Because they don't have cartoon," Sophie argued.“Don’t you have work or something?” Larry’s voice interrupted as he strolled into the room, his hair damp from a shower.Lauren raised a brow. “Don’t you have a life or something?”Larry smirked. “Touché.”Sophie threw the remote onto the cushion. “I’m bored now.”“You’re always bored,” Lauren said, rolling her eyes.“Well, maybe if someone would take me to the park...”“Hard pass,” Lauren interrupted, already seeing where this was going. “You’re not dragging me outside today.”“Why not?” Larry asked, g
최신 업데이트: 2026-06-08
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