Page 21

Twelve

“You were right. These are the best pancakes ever,” Finn mumbled around the food in his mouth.

Valentine laughed as he transferred a piece of bacon from his plate onto Finn’s. “I think you almost put away as many as I did, Finnegan Begin Again. Here. Take this as a token of my respect for your gluttony.”

Finn’s belly laugh echoed throughout the canteen.

The sound of his unbridled joy eased the tension in Alek’s chest. Given everything Jamie’s son had been through this past month—losing both parents, being uprooted to a new home and a new school—Alek shouldn’t have been caught off guard by Finn’s demeanor this morning.

Still, he’d been scared shitless. Finn’s personality was so much like his father’s.

Happy- go-lucky. Outgoing. Resilient. Sometimes it was easy to forget the boy was only eight years old.

Seeing him so down made Alek want to move heaven and earth to bring the smile back to his face.

He was relieved that Finn’s funk had disappeared.

“You skating with us, Cobert?” Picard asked from the doorway. The Mayhem captain had already donned his helmet and pads.

“Can I?” Finn exclaimed.

“I don’t see why not,” Picard replied. He glanced at the Mayhem’s head coach who was refilling his water bottle. “Any objections, Coach?”

Coach shook his head. “I’m excited to see what you’ve got, little man.”

Valentine knocked knuckles with Finn. “Let’s go get you suited up.”

Alek had always considered his teammates to be his brothers and the Mayhem as an extension of his family.

But their acceptance and treatment of Finn touched him in a way he couldn’t articulate.

Not one person had questioned why Jamie had left Alek in charge of his son.

Or Alek’s decision to honor his former best friend’s request.

He was also sure there were those in the hockey community who knew the circumstances behind the end of Alek and Jamie’s friendship. Yet if there were whispers, he never heard them. For that, he was grateful.

Fifteen minutes later, the Mayhem were on the ice. Jordan would be taking all the goalie reps today. That freed up Alek to give Finn some pointers on stick handling.

“As if a goalie knows what he’s doing.” Valentine shook his head. “Come let the first line show you how it’s done.”

Finn’s infectious grin had even the normally stoic Henrik smiling.

Alek stretched out his legs as he glided around the ice.

Finn soaked in everything Gus, Picard, and Valentine taught him until the kid was able to slide the puck between Jordan’s skates and into the net. Everyone broke out into cheers.

“His father was a hell of a natural talent. They don’t come twice in a lifetime like that,” Henrik said when he skated up beside Alek. “But Finn shows promise. He takes direction well.”

Merriweather skated past, putting in as little effort in practice as possible.

“Which is a lot more than can be said for some of the people getting paid good money to play this game.” Henrik didn’t bother lowering his voice. He was as sick of Merriweather’s shenanigans as the rest of the team.

Smirking, Merriweather pulled up to a stop and leaned on his stick. “Oh, I don’t know. I played with Cobert. If anything, his kid skates like you, Bergeron. He’s even got your legs. You sure he’s not your kid? I mean, look at him. He doesn’t even look like Cobert.”

The rink was covered in gloves before Merriweather could finish his absurd statement.

“What the fuck, Merriweather,” Picard snarled.

Henrik had Merriweather by the shoulder pad and was dragging the little prick into the corner.

As he did, Alek spotted Finn behind Merriweather where he likely heard everything the jerk had said.

His eyes were as round as saucers, and his face deathly pale.

He dropped his stick to the ice and clutched at his chest trying in vain to draw in a panicked breath.

“Finn!” Alek raced to him and scooped him up. “Your inhaler? Where is it?” he asked as he skated off the ice.

But the only answer Finn could give was a high-pitched wheeze. One of the trainers met them in the dressing room. Gus dug around Alek’s stall and found Finn’s backpack. He pulled out the inhaler and handed it to the trainer.

“We may be past that. His pulse ox is dropping quickly,” the trainer said as he pulled an Epipen from the emergency kit.

Alek felt his own lungs seizing up. This time, he didn’t know how to help Finn. He had never felt more useless in his life.

Valentine tugged off Finn’s hockey pants. “My sister has asthma. I’m a pro at this,” he explained as he took the Epipen from the trainer and stuck it in Finn’s thigh. After it clicked, Valentine counted to ten.

The trainer inserted Finn’s inhaler into a plastic tube with a mask at one end. He placed it over Finn’s mouth and nose and pressed the button on the inhaler. Similar to what Sheridan had done at the funeral, he counted out breaths for Finn.

Almost as quickly as it had begun, the asthma attack subsided. Tears were streaming down Finn’s cheeks when the trainer removed the mask. Gus brought over a cup of water.

“Pulse ox is back up to ninety-five,” the trainer said. “He probably should let his doc take a peek at his lungs, though.”

“Uh, yeah,” Alek replied. He grabbed his phone. “I’ll call Sheridan.”

“Already done,” Lori announced as she entered the dressing room. “She’s on her way. It’s going to be a few minutes. Why don’t we wait for her up in Mr. Kellogg’s office? It’s a lot more comfortable up there.”

Valentine had removed Finn’s skates. Alek sat on the bench in his stall and carelessly tugged his off. He shoved his feet into his sneakers before reaching for Finn’s backpack. Gus took it from him.

“I’ve got this,” he said. “You take him.”

Finn sat in front of Picard’s stall, looking spent. His face was streaked with dry tears. His gaze was focused somewhere off in the distance. Alek crouched in front of him.

“Hey, bud. Do you feel well enough to walk?”

He nodded, but he wobbled when he stood. Alek kept his hand on Finn’s shoulder for guidance while they followed Lori to the front office. The guys all murmured a “feel better” or “hang in there” as they filed past. Finn seemed to barely notice.

Questions were ricocheting around Alek’s mind like shots on goal. Could Finn be his son? Is that why Jamie had left the boy in his care?

He shook his head. Nah. Merriweather was being a dick because he didn’t want to come to practice today. He’d pay for taking it out on an innocent kid. Alek would make sure of that.

The facts were the facts. Alek and Madison last slept together the night before he left for Team Canada camp in early May. Jamie and Madison were married in July. Finn was born the following May. There was no possible way he could be Alek’s son.

The pain of that realization nearly took him out at the knees, however. It suddenly occurred to him that he’d give anything to have a son like Finn. No matter the circumstances. His father would be lost to him soon. But Alek would have someone else to carry on that father-son bond.

“I’ll send Sheridan in as soon as she arrives,” Lori said. “There’s a mini fridge over there. Help yourself to whatever you need.”

Alek needed half a bottle of whisky for the discussion he was about to have with Finn. He settled for a bottle of water instead. Finn unwrapped a lollipop he’d taken out of his backpack and stuck it in his mouth.

“Aunt Sher says these help my breathing,” he explained, his voice still raspy.

“Makes sense.” Alek sat down next to Finn on the leather couch. “Got any more?”

Finn nodded. He pulled out a plastic baggie filled with lollipops. Alek chose one flavored with butter rum. They sat there quietly for several long moments, enjoying the candy, until Alek couldn’t stand it any longer. He needed to address the elephant in the room.

“Look, Finn,” he began. “About what Merriweather said?—”

“Is that why my mom and dad fought so much?” Finn interrupted. “Because she was mad that you are my dad?”

Christ. Jamie and Madison fought? Was Madison unhappy?

“My dad was my best friend. But I wouldn’t be mad if you were my real dad. I know my mom was your girlfriend once,” Finn continued.

Alek bit back a groan. “Who told you that?”

Finn shrugged. “Grown-ups always think kids aren’t listening.”

Alek was regretting poking the sleeping elephant. He draped his arm around Finn’s shoulders. “Your mom and I were over before she and your dad got married.” He couldn’t feel guilty about the lie. Not if it protected Finn. “She loved your dad more.”

It was the first time he’d admitted that part out loud.

“And they loved each other enough to make you,” he told Finn. Pushing the words past his tight throat was painful, but it was important the boy know that. He gave Finn’s shoulders a squeeze. “Jamie will always be your dad.”

The door flew open, and Sheridan sprinted in.

“Finn!”

She dropped to her knees in front of them and cupped her nephew’s face.

“Your color looks really good.”

“They had to use the Epi,” Finn told her.

“I heard you were very brave.” She brushed the hair back from his forehead. “Can you take a few deep breaths for me?”

Finn did as she asked. Alek wasn’t sure what she was listening for without a stethoscope, but she seemed to be satisfied because she gave Finn the most gorgeous smile. Alek would have done just about anything to have one of those pointed his way.

“You are a rock star. What do you say we go show off to the pediatrician?”

“Do I have to?”

She nodded. “You know the drill.”

Lori poked her head in the door. “There’s some leftover Halloween candy in the business office, Finn. Before you go, will you help a lady out and take some of the temptation away from me?”

Finn gave Sheridan a pleading look. She nodded. He was out the door in an instant.

“Jesus,” Alek groaned. “It’s like it never happened.”

“Yeah. It’s like that sometimes.” The gorgeous smile was long gone from her face. “He’s eight years old, Alek. He couldn’t keep up with a group of elite professional athletes even if he had a perfect set of lungs. How could you let this happen?”

He stood and dug his hands into his hips. “Whoa. That is not how things went down.” Although now Alek was kicking himself for not keeping a closer eye on how much Finn had been exerting himself.

She tilted her chin up in challenge. “Then what brought on his attack? A pretty serious one if they had to bring out the Epi.”

Alek sighed. “If you must know, it was Merriweather.” Shit. She was going to be furious. And hurt. “He implied that Finn might not be Jamie’s son. Finn overheard him.”

Sheridan opened and closed her mouth several times, but no words came out. She dropped down into the spot on the couch where Finn had just been.

“Wh-what?” she croaked.

“Yeah.” Alek shoved his fingers through his hair. “The asshole suggested I was Finn’s father. We both know that’s impossible.”

She continued to stare at him, open-mouthed.

“Right?” he demanded as a fission of doubt coursed through his body.

Her eyes narrowed. “The gestation time of a human baby is the same here as it is in Canada, you idiot. Do the math.”

“I did!” he snapped. “But there were a lot of curveballs coming out of nowhere that summer. I have no idea what really went down.”

She seemed to deflate right before his eyes. “Finn isn’t yours. Not biologically, at least. For the time being, though . . .” She shrugged. “You handled today well. All of it.”

He let out a humorous laugh as he sat down beside her. “You make a better nurse than I do.” He bumped her shoulder with his. “In fact, it’s impressive watching how you interact with him.”

“The important thing is not to panic. Staying calm helps keep the attack from escalating.” She patted his hand where it rested on his thigh. “It’s always scary. But if you can keep your cool, it helps.”

Alek captured her hand when she went to pull away. He threaded his fingers through hers. “Finn knows about me and Madison.”

She snorted. “Figures. Nothing is ever secret for long in a small town.”

“Were they happy? Madison and Jamie?”

Her head whipped around to stare at him. Her lip quivered slightly. “What do you mean?”

“Finn mentioned Jamie and Madison fought a lot.”

Sheridan sighed. “It was hard on both of them when they didn’t get the life they both expected.”

Alek scoffed. “Yeah well if Jamie and Madison fought, it was likely about money and the way that idiot was draining their finances for who the hell knows what.”

It was the wrong thing to say given the abrupt way she yanked her hand free and stood.

“They are gone, Alek. And they’re never coming back. There is no point in rehashing their life. Or the choices they made that summer and after. It’s water under the bridge.”

“I got you some gummy bears, Aunt Sheridan,” Finn announced when he came back into Kellogg’s office. He beamed up at her. “Now you won’t get hangry at the doctor’s office.”

Alek was immediately jealous that the gorgeous smile was back on her face.

“You are going to make the perfect husband someday,” she told Finn. “Let’s go get you a doctor’s note for missing school today.”