Page 31 of Keeping it Real

“I’ll get my schedule tomorrow.Claire and I are going over after we drop the boys off at school.I’m going to pop in to say hello to Finn’s teacher first.”

“I’d like to do the drop-off with you.”

Judging by her expression, his request caught her off guard.

“Finn would like that,” she said with a nod.“Jamie was such a constant in his day-to-day life.You measure up more than I do.”

“I wouldn’t say that.At the risk of repeating myself, Finn is lucky to have you.”

She looked down at her hands in her lap.The silence stretched for a long moment.

“Finn doesn’t talk much about Madison.”In fact, Alek realized he hadn’t heard the boy mention his mother once.“Why is that?”

If he hadn’t been looking so closely, he might not have noticed Sheridan’s flinch.She recovered quickly however, offering up a shrug.

“Oh, you know, everyone grieves differently.Besides, Jamie was practically a big kid himself.They were two peas in a pod, father and son.Maybe it’s easier for Finn to quantify the things he misses about his dad, that’s all.”

“Makes sense,” he said, even though he had a niggling feeling there was something she was dancing around.“Maybe he hasn’t come to terms with losing Madison yet.”

“Mmm.”

He decided to change the subject.“How did you like being one of the WAGs?”

She shot him a look.“I am most assuredlynotone of the WAGs.I tried to explain that over and over again to anyone who would listen.It became one of those situations when it was best to go along for the ride.”

Another pang of disappointment sliced through him.Did she have to be so adamant about not being one of the WAGs?Not that he wanted a line of women clamoring for the prospect.He had hockey to focus on.But still, it would be nice if not every woman ran from the opportunity.

“Sloane can be very convincing,” she added with a frustrated huff.

He laughed.“Yeah.Valentine doesn’t get his way all that often with her.”

She scrutinized him over her glass of water.“I hear Valentine is acting as your matchmaker this season.Rumor has it, he even has a list of potential brides.”

Damn Valentine and his list.

Alek got up and loaded his plate and utensils into the dishwasher.“If you’re worried about me bringing home strange women, don’t.”

She followed him.“I’m not worried about that.I know you want to be a positive role model for Finn.But you don’t have to change your life completely because we’re here temporarily.In fact, it might be easier on Finn to know you are happily in a relationship when we do eventually leave.”

Was she kidding right now?

She rested her palm on his biceps.“I want that too.”

He glanced down at her fingers, which were burning a hole through his dress shirt.Apparently, the heat was only one-sided.

“In fact,” —her lips turned up in a sly smile— “as your unofficial little sister, maybe I can help Valentine vet the women on his list?Narrow it down so the process goes a lot more smoothly?”

Now she was just pissing him off by throwing his little sister remark back into his face.Two could play at that game.

“You know, that might be helpful,” he told her, returning her smile with an insincere one of his own.“You can start tomorrow morning.Apparently, Finn’s teacher is a top contender.”

Her lips trembled ever so slightly before she nodded.“Sure.Of course.”

“You’re a gem.”He decided to play with fire by leaning down and brushing his lips over her forehead.“Thanks for my snack...sis.Night.”

Alek didn’t dare look back.Mostly because he was unable to douse the desire that the feel of his lips on her skin had conjured up inside him.Instead, he made a beeline to his cold plunge tub.

Nine