Rent Free

Prologue

"You should've been there yesterday, Y/n. Shubman Gill made a royal entry," the assigned photographer said, still dazed. "Captain Gill, such a nice ring to it. And the sound of his bat hitting a six, acoustic therapy."

You chuckled, looking at the pictures clicked last evening while you had a meeting with your CEO about marketing plans for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024.

"The prince, indeed," you mumbled as you looked at the camera with one thought. Man, he's hot.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"I am, Anish," you said, looking at him. "Please continue your speech on acoustic therapy-"

You stopped your words on hearing a small and familiar cry.

Handing the camera to Anish, you walked across the stands to your co-worker.

"I tried but she's-"

"It's fine, Ara," you cut her off, taking your daughter in your arms. "Let's join Anish. I'll take care of her now."

Ara nodded and you both walked back to where you initially were standing.

It had been just five minutes since you got to the stadium.

You thought your little munchkin would be okay just a few feet away from you for a while but obviously, as always, nope.

"Nini, mama loves you too but I've to work," you talked to her in a soft voice and she listened, as much as listening goes for an eleven month old.

"What about the day care you saw yesterday?" Ara asked, briefly looking at the players who started arriving.

"Not enough staff so they refused," you sighed. This was the third one.

Your daughter was initially accepted in one, but not for long as she had been difficult to control and constantly crying. They had to consider others' needs too.

There are a list of reasons a day care can refuse a child.

But your employer had given you a momentary and only solution which was to think of everyday as a 'take your child to work' day, until you found another day care.

Three weeks and you were still searching.

And on the other side, were the players.

"Hey, skipper," Mohit said, bumping his shoulder with the new captain playfully.

The bashful man just smiled albeit a bit shy as he walked alongside Rashid.

They were all just starting with training for the day at the camp, walking in with their kit bags.

Shubman was just glancing around the place, not really looking forward to seeing anything until his eyes landed on you.

"There's a baby," he said, his dazzled eyes still on you and your daughter.