Page 42

Twenty-Four

Aunt Eileen thumped the rolling pin against the counter. “That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard.”

Sheridan stirred the simmering apples with a wooden spoon, taking a moment to savor the sweet scent of cinnamon and cardamom.

It did wonders to soothe her frayed nerves.

She and her aunt had been having the same argument for three days, ever since Sheridan had revealed that she and Alek were involved as more than Finn’s guardians.

Always a sucker for a happily ever after, her aunt was delighted.

“Alek deserves to know the truth,” she asserted.

Thump!

“The truth isn’t germane to your relationship with him,” Aunt Eileen protested. “Jamie and Madison are gone. Besides, even if they were alive, you can’t go back and rewrite history. Does it really matter now?”

“It matters to me.” Sheridan threw down the spoon. “Jamie will always be my brother. No matter the stupid things he’s done. Alek blames him for stealing Madison away. We both know nothing could be further from the truth. He should know that, too.”

Her aunt put down the rolling pin and wiped the flour from her hands with a dish towel. “Or is this about finally extinguishing any flame he might still have for Madison?”

The softly worded question had guilt washing over Sheridan like a tidal wave. She steadied herself against the countertop. Was she that petty? She had been once. Petty enough to destroy her brother’s friendship.

Tears burned the back of her eyes. Alek still said Madison’s name with such reverence even though she was as duplicitous as Jamie. More so, even. Much more so.

“Oh, sweetie.” Her aunt hugged her. “No one is being hurt by keeping this one truth buried. But you stand to lose so much by opening an old wound. Here is your chance to finally get what you want after spending your entire life giving to everyone else.” She stretched out her arms to look at Sheridan.

“You deserve this. Don’t sabotage your happiness because you think you need to do what’s honorable. ”

Was that what she was doing? Sabotaging her happiness? She could hear her therapist yelling “ yes !” The woman had been accusing Sheridan of that for years. Of being scared to commit. Of feeling as if she didn’t deserve the same joy others had.

She dragged in a deep breath. Maybe her therapist and her aunt were right. But did Sheridan have the strength to take that leap of faith? Alek had unwittingly broken her heart before. She didn’t think she could survive it twice in a lifetime.

Except this wasn’t like before, she reasoned with herself.

Alek finally saw her much differently. Things were good between them.

He’d been telling her repeatedly these past few days how much he wanted her and Finn to be a part of his life for more than the season.

Sure, he hadn’t said the three magic words yet, but he suggested they come out to Finn as a couple this weekend.

She knew Alek well enough to know he wouldn’t do that unless he felt something deeper for her.

Aunt Eileen dropped her arms and stepped back. “Obviously, you need to do what you need to do to live with yourself. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you.”

Sheridan took both her aunt’s hands in hers. “I couldn’t have gotten through the past eighteen years without you. Thank you for being my second mom and for keeping me on track.”

Her aunt laughed out a sob. “It’s been a pretty topsy-turvy track, but I’m awfully glad to have been along for the ride.”

Finn burst into the kitchen. “I need your phone,” he said. “It’s time for me to check in on Hattie. Alek is going to FaceTime with us.”

She hadn’t been surprised to learn that Finn wasn’t the only one checking on Hattie multiple times each day.

The clinic staff were quick to share that Alek FaceTimed the dog even without Finn being on the call.

He could deny it all he wanted, but Alek didn’t tolerate Hattie for Finn’s sake. He had a real soft spot for the dog.

Sheridan smiled to herself as she handed Finn her phone. “Not too long. Alek needs to get his nap in before the puck drops. And we should get on the road to Tampa if we want to be at the hotel in time to watch the game with the rest of the families.”

“Are we taking the pies?”

Aunt Eileen laughed at him. “Uncle Alan wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The Mayhem owner had rented out an entire resort in Tampa.

The families were arriving this afternoon.

The team would travel there after their game in Nashville tonight.

There was a watch party this evening with crafts for the kids.

Thanksgiving Day would be spent beside the heated indoor-outdoor pool while a team of chefs cooked dinner for the Mayhem family.

Aunt Eileen had been preparing a variety of pies all week.

She’d bake them in the resort’s kitchen tonight.

Sheridan was looking forward to catching up with the WAGs.

It had only been a few days since the last home game, but she’d gotten used to seeing Claire and some of the others practically every day.

For the first time in her life, she knew what the companionship of a circle of friends felt like, and she liked it. She liked it a lot.

Dern wore the medallion again, thanks to earning his first assist as a pro that night.

The kid danced in the aisles during the two-hour flight from Nashville to Tampa.

The Mayhem had won the second game of the road trip, a hard-fought shutout against one of the league’s leading franchises.

After getting over the speed bump they had suffered at their last home game, Alek and his teammates had a lot to be thankful for on American Thanksgiving.

Valentine followed Dern up the aisle, referring to the rookie as his assistant since he’d scored the goal from Dern’s assist.

“Dern is going to park his ass at my house,” Valentine announced. “We can’t have my assistant living in some long-term-stay place. Not when I need him to keep feeding me apples for the rest of the season.”

“More like Valentine is lonely now that Sloane is gone,” Gus murmured to Alek.

“She’s already moved out?” He was a little surprised the influencer hadn’t fought harder for a relationship with one of the league’s most recognizable stars. “That explains him dropping gloves tonight.”

“Yep. Sloane moved out and moved on,” Gus replied. “She’s back in California with some pasty white dot.com type.” He pulled up a picture on his phone and showed it to Alek.

“Damn. Two’s instincts about her were spot-on.”

“Sad but true.” Gus eyed Valentine. “I suspect his bonhomie is simply a front.”

“Having Dern to babysit will be a good distraction.”

Gus shot him a look. “The kid is barely old enough to vote. Valentine has at least eight years on him. And Junior is already following him around like a puppy dog.” He gestured to the aisle with his chin.

Dern was shotgunning a beer with Valentine while some of the guys cheered them on.

“I only hope we haven’t replaced one problem with another. ”

Alek hoped so, too, but that was tomorrow’s worry.

Right now, the only thing on his mind was Sheridan.

He was eager to see her. Thanks to several long phone conversations, they’d gotten back to where they were before the incident with Merriweather had shell-shocked him.

Now all he needed was to ensure her body remembered what page they were on.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, contemplating the ways he was going to reacquaint himself with every part of her.

“This is your captain speaking?—”

Cheers and jeers went up among the players as they all sang out “Not my captain” before chanting Picard’s name. Fortunately, the charter pilot was familiar with the routine enough to pause until they settled back down.

“We are beginning our approach into Tampa International Airport. Please take your seats, gentlemen, and fasten your seat belts,” he continued.

The two male flight attendants made their way up the aisle to corral everyone back to their assigned spots.

“Hey, Ice-Berg!” Valentine shouted from six rows up. “You’re on my team for beer pong tomorrow morning. We are going to teach Park-His-Ass here how the pros do it.”

Gus scoffed. “See what I mean?”

Alek sighed. “Yeah. Let’s rope in Picard tomorrow.”

“Odds are he’ll be locked in his room with one of his puck bunnies all day.”

“Lori, then,” Alek replied. “She’ll have some ideas.”

It was close to one thirty in the morning when the Mayhem arrived at the resort.

Thankfully, the bar was already buttoned up tight.

Gus herded Valentine and the rookie in the direction of their rooms while Alek pretended to search for his.

Once everyone was out of sight, he circled back to the front desk and asked for the envelope Sheridan had left for him.

In it was the key to her room. Finn was staying with her aunt and uncle in a suite next door.

Alek made a mental note to buy the couple a very big Christmas gift.

A soft light glowed in the bar area when he entered the room.

He left his roller bag at the door, stripping out of his suit jacket and stepping out of his shoes as he headed for the bedroom.

Moonlight filtered in through a crack in the drapes, illuminating the bare skin on Sheridan’s shoulder.

A primitive sound escaped the back of his throat.

He wanted this woman. Physically. Spiritually. In every way possible. It was like nothing he’d ever felt before. At first, it was simply to protect her. To safeguard her from the mess Jamie continued to make of her life. To allow her the opportunity of being near Finn.

Now, though, his desire for her was boundless. She was the first thing he thought of when he opened his eyes in the morning and the last thing he thought of when he closed them at night. He couldn’t imagine life without her.

He loved her.

Sheridan and Finn were his everything.