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Alek swore under his breath. He knew bringing them to practice this morning would be distracting, but Finn had been so eager to meet Gunner.

It was a Sunday morning, and most of the guys brought their kids to hang out and watch.

Plus, he wanted Sheridan and Finn to meet some friendly faces before tonight’s game.

“I didn’t imply.” Alek clipped on his leg guards with a little more force than was necessary. “You inferred. Learn the difference.”

Gus chuckled as he reached for his glove. “And ‘Auntie Sheridan’ is like a sister to him, so leave her off the list.” He shot Alek a smarmy grin.

“Oh, no need,” Valentine replied. “I’ve already found the future Mrs. Bergeron. Gunner’s entry has gone to the top of the polls.”

“Let me guess.” Gus sighed. “I’ll bet he suggested his teacher, Miss Lane.”

“Sure did.” Valentine pulled his phone from his pocket. “And I found a pic of her on the school’s website. It’s no wonder all the boys in the second grade are in love with her.”

He shoved the phone in front of Alek. The woman staring back at him was laughing at something in the distance, her amber eyes shining.

A smattering of freckles across her nose made her look school-age herself.

The action shot had a ponytail of strawberry blonde hair appearing to swing out behind her.

“She’s like the princess from Enchanted ,” Valentine said, his tone reverent.

“What’s with you and Disney flicks?” Alek wanted to know.

Gus laughed. “Look at him. Valentine is already under her spell. Miss Lane has that effect on people. Males in particular.” He smacked Alek on the shoulder with his glove. “You’ll see tomorrow when you take Finn to school. She’s his teacher, too.”

Valentine placed his phone in the cubby above his stall. “Dude, that’s the perfect meet cute.”

“Jesus, Valentine, no wonder my daughter adores you. You speak the same girlie lingo,” Gus said.

“Hey, it never hurts to know your audience. Not all women are into video games and hockey, you know.” Valentine pointed at Alek.

“I’ll bet my left nut that Miss Lane watches Hallmark when she’s home alone and hosts Vanderpump Rules viewing parties with her girlfriends.

You should probably brush up on those before you meet her tomorrow. ”

“Draft me up some CliffsNotes , and I promise to look them over tonight.” Alek grabbed his helmet and stick and headed to the rink.

“Seriously, dude?” Valentine gave him a fist bump. “I have a good feeling about this. Remember me when you’re choosing a best man.”

“Sure thing,” Alek called over his shoulder before leaving the dressing room.

Gus walked beside him. “Why am I getting the feeling you weren’t jerking his chain back there?”

Alek shrugged. “Maybe you guys are right. I should put myself out there more.”

“Well, damn.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” Gus replied after a long pause that told Alek his friend was choosing his words carefully. Or holding back. “Just make sure you don’t do anything to hurt Miss Lane, or Gunner will come for you.”

Gus stepped out onto the ice and began to circle the rink. Alek pulled his helmet over his head. He was about to lower his face mask when the sound of Sheridan’s laughter drew his attention over to the coaches’ box at the end of the rink. Picard was leaning against the boards flirting with her.

Dammit.

He was hurrying across the ice to intervene when Gunner and Finn raced across the bleachers to join Sheridan. Finn waved his arms.

“Alek! Over here!”

“Ah, here he is,” Picard was saying when Alek skated up. “I was asking your aunt about you, Finn.” Picard reached out to shake Finn’s hand. “I’m Zach Picard. I had the privilege of playing with your dad when we were on junior US teams. He was a great hockey player and one of my favorite people.”

Finn curled his lips in as he pumped Picard’s hand up and down. “That’s cool,” he managed to say.

“I’m glad you’re a part of the Mayhem family. Most of the kids wear their dad’s jersey on opening night.”

Picard signaled to Lori, who was hovering in the background. She came forward carrying a Mayhem tote bag.

“I figured you might like one of your own,” Picard continued.

Finn pulled a jersey out of the bag. Gunner helped him unfold it.

“You got number one!” Gunner yelled.

“It isn’t taken this year, so I exercised my authority as team captain, and I assigned it to Finn. It even has your name on the back. Check it out.”

The boys flipped it over and, sure enough, the name Cobert was there in block letters. Alek’s gut squeezed. How many times had he and Jamie talked about wearing the same team’s hockey sweater in the pros?

Finn regained control of his voice. “This is so dope. I was gonna spend my birthday money on one of Alek’s jerseys. Now I don’t have to.” He shot Alek a sheepish look.

Alek waved him off. “I have several jerseys I’m happy to hand down. But that one is one of a kind.”

He shoulder-checked Picard, a little ashamed he hadn’t thought of the gesture himself. Yet he was grateful for his teammate’s thoughtfulness. Sheridan’s eyes were shiny as she mouthed a “Thank you,” to Picard from where she stood behind Finn.

“What do you say?” she prompted.

“Thank you,” the boy shouted. “Thank you so much. This is the best gift ever!”

Something about the way Sheridan’s face softened as she watched her nephew shrug the jersey over his head sent Alek’s heart racing.

“We should get you one, too.” Alek motioned to Lori.

“No need.” Lori smiled at Sheridan. “The WAGs have it all taken care of.”

Of course Sheridan protested. “I don’t need?—”

She was interrupted by Merriweather showing off his skating skills, shooting up a spray of ice particles in his wake when he stopped short in front of her.

“Well, if it isn’t Sherrie Baby all grown up,” he said. “I heard a rumor you might be coming to town. Great to see you again.”

Sheridan looked a bit confused before her face brightened. “It’s Brad, isn’t it? You played with Jamie in Boston.”

“Ayup. We were both rookies together. Although I was drafted at a younger age than your brother.”

The arrogance of the little shit.

Sheridan’s smile grew more brittle the more Merriweather yammered on.

“As I recall, we were the only two underage drinkers at the hotel bar that night. But we still managed to have a good time, you and I, didn’t we?”

It was all Alek could do not to gag.

“There were a lot of people at the bar that night,” Sheridan replied diplomatically.

“Sorry to hear about Jamie. He was a solid guy.” He gestured to the two boys, oblivious to the conversation as they leaned along the rails watching Gus shoot slapshots into the empty net.

“Too bad about you getting stuck with the kid.”

Alek dropped his gloves onto the ice. Picard bristled beside him. Lori’s soft gasp was hard to miss.

Sheridan’s eyes grew hard. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Merriweather was either an idiot or a masochist because he wasn’t picking up any of the signals around him.

“Well, everyone knows Bergeron is a hermit.” He actually had the nerve to wink at Sheridan. “If you need someone to show you around town, I’m happy to offer my services.”

“You already leave your wife home alone with two little kids half the week. Do you think you should be offering up your ‘services’ to someone else?” Picard threw out.

“You’re married?” The astonishment in Sheridan’s voice was hard to miss.

Merriweather glared at Picard before turning to Sheridan with an “aw shucks” look. “We have an understanding.”

“I need the defensemen to the line,” Coach called out. “That includes you, Merriweather.”

“Think about it,” Merriweather called as he saluted her with his gloved hand before skating off.

Sheridan shook her shoulders. “Why do I feel like I need a shower?”

“The better question is why didn’t any of the scuttlebutt surrounding that guy mention he was such a creep?

” Lori’s knuckles were white where she was gripping the boards.

“I’d better have a word with the GM. He could be trouble on the road.

” She turned to Sheridan. “It was nice to meet you. Look for me at the arena tonight. Mr. Kellogg would like to say hello to you and Finn.”

Picard bent down to retrieve Alek’s gloves. “Let’s get this done. We’ve got a game tonight.”

He skated toward center ice as Alek pulled on his gloves.

“I’m taking Finn and Hattie for a walk in the park this afternoon. I know you guys like to grab a nap before games. If we’re gone, the house will be quiet for you.”

Alek stared at her.

“What?”

“Thanks.” He was lucky to manage that one word because the moment the word “nap” slipped past her lips all Alek could think about was crawling into bed. With her.

He was so screwed.