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“I could be persuaded to partake in a meal there. I might even be able to sweet-talk my beautiful wife into ginning up some social media content for the place.” He leaned over toward Alek. “She claims I have magic fingers. And she likes the way I use them on her body.”

For fuck’s sake.

“Good for you. Picard’s holding a table for four. Bring Fletcher and his wife. I told Picard to have plenty of scotch on hand.”

“You’re not joining us?”

“I already have plans.”

Van Horn crossed his arms over his chest and smirked at Alek. “Huh. Keeping your pretty houseguest all to yourself, I see. Not that I blame you. There’s something about her that is?—”

He was toe-to-toe with Van Horn in an instant. “You better think carefully about the next word that comes out of your mouth.”

The quarterback held up his hands. “Whoa. My wife was right.” He took a step back and lowered his hands as he shook his head.

“For some reason, she’s determined to see you happily involved with someone.

I’m sure you can imagine how that pisses me off.

But from what little interaction we had last night, I liked Sheridan.

My first inclination should be to warn her off. ”

Alek felt his fingers tightening up into fists.

“But she suits you.” Van Horn had the audacity to look amazed. “And my gut tells me she can hold her own. I hope it works out for you two.”

London joined them before Alek could reply.

“Boys,” she murmured. “People are watching.”

Van Horn placed his palm on his wife’s back. “Good news. You can wear that hot new red dress you bought. We’re having dinner in Milwaukee’s premiere new steak house tomorrow night.”

She looked between both men. “O-kkay?”

Alek took his life in his hands when he kissed London on the cheek, his lips lingering longer than they should have. “My treat,” he told her. “Be sure to try the lemon cake. It’s to die for.”

“Do I even want to know what’s going on?” she asked.

“You tell me all the time that us Milwaukee jocks need to stick together.” Van Horn reached out his hand. “Thanks for both invites. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.” The asshole winked at Alek.

London seemed to hold her breath as Alek shook her husband’s hand.

“Thanks,” Alek told him. The truth was, he meant it. The quarterback made London happier than he ever could. And someone better had come along when he least expected it. Now all he had to do was try not to screw it up.

“We each got a puck,” Finn said when the boys arrived back.

“Good because the Ferguson bus is pulling out,” Claire announced.

“Are you sure you want three boys at your house?” London asked.

Van Horn shot her a WTF look.

Gus walked up with a sleepy Grace nestled on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’m going to make them clean out the garage tomorrow if they’re too loud tonight,” he teased.

Finn was all smiles as he and his friends raced to the parking garage. Alek tossed the bags of dog toys into the back of his SUV before retrieving Finn’s duffel bag for him.

“You have your inhaler?” he asked him.

“Of course,” Finn said as he took the bag. “Tell Hattie we’ll take the toys to the shelter tomorrow.”

Alek ruffled his hair. “Behave. Have fun. Mind your manners.”

He tried to remember all the things his parents used to say to him when they dropped him off at a friend’s house. Or hockey practice. Or camp.

A knot formed in his stomach. Finn was going to Gus’s house, for crying out loud. Nothing was going to happen to him there.

So why did he feel like he was going to throw up?

“Finn!”

The boy waited his turn to climb into the third row of Gus’s Infinity. Alek reached him in three strides. He pulled him into a hug, brushing his lips over the top of his head. “Love you, bud.”

“Love you, too,” Finn replied as he returned the hug.

“You have your phone?”

Finn nodded.

“Okay. You call me if you need me.”

“Sure,” Finn said, starting to look a little embarrassed.

Behind him, Gus was struggling not to laugh. Alek restrained himself from flipping his friend off in front of the kids. When he turned back to his SUV, Collin was leaning against the liftgate, arms and legs crossed and a droll smile on his face.

“Don’t.” Alek snapped.

Collin pulled out his phone and pretended to dictate into it. “Hey Siri, send Bergeron a book of dad jokes for Christmas.”

Alek did flip him off only to notice too late Finn’s teacher was waiting in the shadows. She had the good grace to pretend to be looking at her phone. He turned to Collin and arched an eyebrow.

“She said there wasn’t anything between you two. I wanted to make sure,” Collin said softly.

“Yeah. No.” Alek shook his head. He was beginning to think he’d taken a puck to the head he wasn’t aware of.

“Which is it?” Collin hissed.

“There was nothing.” He stepped closer to Collin in order to make himself clear. “But she’s not your type.”

Collin’s eyes narrowed. “My type?”

“A weekend fling. That’s Finn’s teacher. Gunner’s too. You hurt her and Gus and I will tear you limb from limb. Then we’ll hand the leftover bits to the boys to take care of.”

His agent looked over to where Marissa was still scrolling on her phone.

A goofy smile spread over his lips. “Yeah. She’s definitely not my usual type.

But maybe I’m ready for something else.” He smacked Alek on the chest and began to walk away.

“Tell Sher I’ll email the paperwork to her next week. ”

“Paperwork? What paperwork?”

He turned and walked backward. “The forms for the custody hearing. It’s been set for the end of December. I was able to coordinate it with your road trip to Boston.”

Alek’s confusion must have been apparent because Collin stopped walking. “She didn’t tell you? We discussed it last night.”

Last night felt like an eternity ago. It seems like something they would have talked about though.

Could she have mentioned it, and he forgot?

He had jumped her bones the moment Finn fell asleep, so she really didn’t have the chance to say too much before rushing off to the hospital.

That had to be it. And with everything going on with Merriweather’s kid, there wasn’t the opportunity today.

“Alek?” Collin was standing in front of him again. “Hey. You’re still okay with transferring the guardianship, right?”

“Yeah. Sure. Whatever Sheridan wants.”

It won’t change anything.

Gus honked the horn as he finally pulled away. Alek waved.

“Are you sure?” Collin gestured to the retreating SUV. “Because you seem pretty attached to Jamie’s kid.”

“That was the whole point of them moving here.”

“Yeah.” Collin sucked in a breath. “But are you going to be okay when they are somewhere else?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Sheridan said in her interview she plans to go back to being a traveling nurse. To show Finn the world.”

Alek swore he felt the parking garage floor move beneath his feet. “What interview? When?”

Collin gave him a pitying look. “The interview the judge conducted when Sheridan filed her petition.”

“That was nearly two months ago.”

“Yee-aah. Has something changed since then?”

Damn straight something had changed.

Not that he was discussing that with his agent.

“We’re all good.” Alek gestured to where Marissa was still waiting. “I thought you said you were going to treat her right. Quit ignoring her.”

The goofy look was back on Collin’s face. He saluted Alek as he jogged over to where Finn’s teacher waited. Her face lit up with a smile identical to Collin’s. Alek shook his head in amazement before getting into his car and driving away.