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He made a grumbling noise. She patted him on the shoulder. “It’s for a good cause. I’ll have Thanksgiving weekend off. I hear the pool at the hotel in Tampa is amazing.”

“Wait until you see the Jacuzzi tubs in the rooms,” he murmured with a wink.

“Alek!” A boy wearing a Growlers jacket and pom-pom hat sprinted toward them.

“Kyle, my man.” Alek wrapped him up in a hug. “How are you?”

“Great! Whoa! Is that Gus Ferguson?” Considering they were standing on the sidelines with most of the Growlers team milling around them, it was odd to see the boy so starstruck.

“It is.” Alek motioned his friend over. Gunner, Finn, and Hattie came with him.

“Kyle, this is the man, the legend, Denis Gus Ferguson. Gus, this is my pal, Kyle Prince. Don’t let the football gear fool you.

He’s obligated to wear it because his sister is married to the QB.

The kid’s really a hockey fan and a genius with a puck and some lumber. ”

Gus shook the boy’s hand. “Sounds like someone I want to know. Nice to meet you, Kyle.”

Alek finished the introductions. “And this is Gus’s son, Gunner, also a magician on skates. And this guy is Finn Cobert. Hockey is in his blood, too. His dad and I played together in college before he went on to play for Boston.”

Sheridan looked on with gratitude when Alek’s hand landed on Finn’s shoulder as naturally as if he’d known the boy all his life.

The way his explanation about Jamie rolled off his lips so easily made her heart swell, too.

The animosity he normally displayed whenever the subject of Jamie arose was nowhere to be seen when he was around Finn.

His thoughtfulness made her adore him even more.

Hattie nosed her way into the circle of boys.

“Oh my gosh. You are even cuter in person.” Kyle nuzzled the dog’s head. “I wish I had a dog like this. Or any dog.”

A beautiful redhead all decked out in Growlers gear joined them. “I tried for years to get Mom to get me one,” she said. “But maybe you’ll wear her down, Kyle.” Her face lit up with a stunning smile when she spotted Alek. “Hey, you.”

Sheridan felt a little kick to the chest at the familiar way Alek embraced her, holding on for longer than was necessary, in her opinion. She nearly jumped at the sound of an angry snarl behind her.

“Down, boy,” the woman hugging Alek said when she stepped out of his embrace. “I married you, remember?”

A very tall man in a Growlers uniform made a point to step between the woman and Alek before pulling her into a possessive side-hug.

“Bergeron,” he bit out.

Alek taunted him with a cocky grin. “Van Horn. You must not be treating your wife right if she’s hugging other men.”

“Knock it off, both of you,” Collin demanded as he slipped between them. “We recently put all that bad blood press to bed. Could you two at least act like you like each other?” He glared at Alek. “You both represent the same city. The goal is for you to share fans, remember?”

Gus snorted as he leaned in to give the Growlers quarterback a man hug. “Hey, his fans don’t have a problem with me,” Gus said with a laugh. “Can my boy get a pic with you?”

Van Horn dropped his arm from his wife’s waist and held his hand out to Gunner and Finn. Both boys’ faces lit up with appreciative grins.

“As long as I can get a pic with this beauty,” Van Horn said as he knelt on his knee beside Hattie. “Once she meets Kessler, she won’t have eyes for anyone else. I swear the guy keeps kibble in his pocket.”

Sheridan was so busy watching the boys, she didn’t notice the woman had strolled up beside her.

“You must be Sheridan.” She held out her hand. “I’m London Head—uh, Van Horn. Sorry. I’m still getting used to it.”

“Congratulations,” Sheridan said as she shook the other woman’s hand.

London’s smile grew as she openly appraised Sheridan. She turned her gaze to where Alek and Gus were bantering with some of the Growlers’ players before turning back to Sheridan.

“You’re perfect for him,” she said with a nod.

Her statement caught Sheridan completely off guard. She and Alek agreed they were not ready to go public with their relationship. Especially since neither one knew what it really meant. Were they simply scratching a ten-year-old itch? Or could it be something more?

Sheridan hadn’t dared tell even Aunt Eileen. Had Alek told his ex-girlfriend about her? Her suspicions must have shown on her face because London pressed a gloved hand to Sheridan’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to speak out of turn.

Maybe you don’t even like him that way. Alek is a great guy, though.

He deserves someone to share his life with.

He’ll never admit to needing anyone, but I always got the sense he felt—” London shrugged as she seemed to search for the appropriate words.

“Not lonely, exactly. Detached might be a better word. Like he was missing out on something, but he didn’t know what.

Or where to look. And then poof, here you are.

Someone who shares a connection with him.

Almost as if you were that piece he’s been missing all along. ”

Sheridan stood there, dumbfounded. She already knew Alek was her missing piece.

But could she trust that he felt the same way?

The wounds his words left on her heart all those years ago were scarred over, and she didn’t dare pick at them again.

It was safer to believe they were simply roommates with benefits and enjoy the ride for now.

At least that was what she kept telling herself.

She didn’t have time to contemplate it further because Hattie was suddenly barking and jumping at one of the Growlers players.

“Well, hello to you, too, gorgeous.” He got down on his haunches and began to wrestle with Hattie.

It wasn’t hard to see why the dog had gravitated to the man she assumed was Luke Kessler. His sly smile was so similar to Jamie’s it almost hurt to look at him. Hattie fell at his feet and showed off her belly.

“What a good dog,” Kessler cooed. “And what a generous one, too. Thanks for sharing your toys with all my shelter pups.”

“We’re ready for you, Luke,” one of the grounds crew shouted.

Luke jumped to his feet. “That’s our cue. You ready, Finn? Bergeron?”

“Did the Mayhem send any one to do social media?” London looked around. Not seeing anyone, she let out a frustrated groan. “Whomever is handling your team’s PR needs to come by my firm for a little one-on-one.”

“We have a guy who posts game recaps,” Gus said.

London rolled her eyes. “You really need someone embedded with the team to share more than that.” She pulled her phone from her belt bag. “Tell Kellogg tonight’s post is pro bono. Tomorrow, he’s getting a piece of my mind.”

Her husband looked on with pride as London trudged after Alek, Finn, and Hattie, who walked with Luke to the center of the field.

“Wait!” Miss Lane rushed onto the sideline. The tall boots she wore beneath her green cashmere coat with its matching beret slowed her progress. “I’m here,” she huffed.

Collin nearly tripped over himself getting to the woman’s side.

“No worries.” He offered her his arm. “Allow me.”

Miss Lane fluttered her lashes. “The traffic was awful,” she explained as the pair walked toward midfield.

Van Horn snorted beside Sheridan. “You might want to warn her about Collin.”

“Trust me, she can take care of herself. In fact, it might be fun to see Collin get handled.”

The quarterback laughed before giving her a little side-check. “I have a feeling we are going to be great friends.”