Page 22 of Keeping it Real

Was there an invitation there?

When she took another healthy sip from her glass, the corners of his lips turned up slightly, and he gave his head a little shake.

“I’m going to have to get used to the fact that you’re old enough to drink wine.”

Annnd, there it is again.

There would definitely be no invitation forthcoming from Alek.She needed to stop misinterpreting his signals.Of course he didn’t mean what her overactive and undersexed mind thought they did.

“Ignore him, Sheridan.”Peri topped off her own wineglass.“He’s the same way with his sister, Alicia.He thinks she’s still twelve despite the fact they are twins.You should have seen him when she was pregnant.”She gave her head a disgusted shake.“He didn’t think she could handle motherhood.”

“She was running a marathon while pregnant with twins!”

Peri grimaced.“Yeah, that might not have been her finest moment.But in her defense, she didn’t know it was twins at the time.”She shrugged.“Hard to believe but Alicia has always been the more daring of the two.”

“Sounds like someone I’d like to meet.”Sheridan could use some pointers on how to be more daring.She started by taking another swig from her wine to annoy Alek.

“She’d like that, too,” Peri replied.“Perhaps over the holidays?”She glanced between them, wearing a hopeful look.

“Mum.They haven’t even been here one night yet.Why don’t we table any discussions about trips to Canada for another time?”

“Who’s going to Canada?”Finn raced into the kitchen.

“The only place you are going is to the showers, little man,” Sheridan said.“Please give Hattie some water first.”

The dog hovered in the doorway, panting.She was trained not to venture into the kitchen without permission.Who knew Jamie had such a knack for dog whispering?Managing his money?Not so much.

Peri glanced down at her phone.“My car to the airport will be here in ten minutes.”

Sheridan’s stomach sank.She’d been delighted and relieved to find Peri here with dinner waiting when they arrived.Now her human buffer was deserting her.More wine was probably not a good idea.She put her glass down on the counter.

“You don’t live here?”Finn asked once he’d returned from the mud room that housed Hattie’s crate and her dishes.

Peri stroked her palm over Finn’s hair.The tender gesture had a lump forming in Sheridan’s throat.Finn needed this right now.He needed Alek to step in for Jamie.And he needed the care of a woman who actually paid attention to him.

“No, sweetheart,” Peri told him.“I live in Ottawa with Alek’s dad.I was visiting with clients in Chicago yesterday, which meant I could scoot up here for the day and say hello to you.”

“What do I call you?”Finn asked.

Sheridan’s gut clenched.

An adoring smile lit up Peri’s face.“How about if you call me Peri?”

Finn grinned back at her as he nodded.

“Come on.”Peri guided Finn from the kitchen.“The shower in your bathroom can be a little thorny.Alek’s dad can never figure it out.I’ll show you the secret trick.”

Hattie fell into step behind them.

Sheridan drew in a deep breath.“Thank you,” she said softly.

“For what?”Alek asked.

She spread her arms out.“For this.For everything.For taking us in despite everything that happened with ...Jamie.”

“I didn’t do it for Jamie.Finn is Madison’s son, too.”

The harsh way he spoke the words caught her off guard.