Page 6

He brushed his knuckles against the back of her hand. “We’ll catch up later?”

“Of course,” she replied with a guarded smile before she turned to a couple and thanked them for coming.

“This way.” Finn led him through the throng of people.

Several heads turned as he and Finn walked past. Alek nodded in acknowledgment while keeping pace with Jamie’s son.

“See!” Finn pointed to a collage of photos on the wall. “That one is when you and Dad were in college.”

Alek recognized the photo. It was him and Jamie right after they’d won the Ivy League championship junior year. Finn’s voice rose as he gestured to another one.

“And that one is when you shot a goal into the empty net when you played on Tier One hockey for Canada, and Dad played for the US.” Finn laughed. “Dad said he didn’t try to deflect it when it went past. That way you’d know what it felt like to actually score a goal.”

Of course Jamie was still making that claim all these years later. Alek bit back a grin as he shook his head. He didn’t bother to point out that Finn’s father hadn’t even been on the ice at the time.

He glanced at another photo from his college days.

This one of a smiling Madison standing between he and Jamie at center ice, her arms draped around both their shoulders.

It was one of many pictures the three took together.

In this one, Madison and Jamie were sharing a smile.

Feeling like a fool, Alek wondered how often they did that without him noticing.

“Dad put up some from your pro days over here,” Finn pointed out.

Alek tore himself away from the picture and wandered over to another collage.

Just as Finn said, a series of photos of him defending the Mayhem net hung on the wall.

He was surprised to see them there, given that he wasn’t drafted into the pros until after he’d cut off all communications with Jamie.

“Ed was very proud of you, too,” a familiar voice said behind him.

He turned to find Jamie’s Aunt Eileen standing with her hands braced on Finn’s shoulders.

“Although Jamie added to it, obviously,” she continued.

“Dad has a bunch of magazine clippings in a file in the office,” Finn added. “He has The Hockey News when you were on the cover after you won the Vezina Trophy two years ago. It’s in a frame on his desk. I’ll go get it.”

Finn dashed off before Alek could call him back. Not that his voice was working all that well right now. He shook his head in bewilderment.

“I’m not going to apologize for Jamie and Madison.

What they did was . . .” Eileen sighed. “It was inexcusable and not what you deserved. But I honestly think Jamie was naive enough to believe you’d come around and he wouldn’t have to choose between the two of you.

” She rested her palm against his biceps.

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about the way things went.

Had I known they were going to come back from the draft in Las Vegas married, well . . .”

“Don’t,” Alek said as he pulled her in for a hug.

“If I’m being honest, Jamie did me a favor.

Playing pro hockey was a pipe dream for me.

I always figured those games in college would be the end of my career.

” He dropped his arms and returned his gaze to the photo of the three of them.

“But I was so damn pissed at Jamie that I worked my ass off to get a shot at being drafted so I could stop every one of his shots on goal when we played against each other.”

Eileen chuckled. “It’s a good thing he didn’t know that because he would have been insufferable taking the credit.”

Alek laughed along with her because she was right. He gestured in the direction where Finn was fighting his way through the crowd to get to the office.

“He’s a good kid,” he said to Eileen. “I’m surprised he’s their only child.”

Eileen’s face dimmed. “Madison suffered from some nasty postpartum depression after he was born. She was afraid to be alone with him. Not very convenient when your husband is not home half the time.”

“I can imagine. But at least they had you to help.”

Jamie’s aunt shook her head. “Not me. Sheridan dropped out of Syracuse and spent two years in Boston playing nanny.”

“Of course she did,” he murmured.

“And now she’ll be dropping everything to take care of him again.” Eileen sighed. “She’s been applying for a position in Spain for a couple of years. She’s finally gotten it, and this happens.”

“Spain?”

Eileen nodded. “She’s a traveling nurse. A good one, too.”

A nurse. That fit. Something that felt a lot like pride coursed through him.

“And it’s just her? She’s not involved with anyone?” He wasn’t sure why he asked. Except Sheridan deserved to have someone taking care of her for once. Especially now.

“She’s never in one place long enough.” Eileen sounded a tad disappointed before she arched an eyebrow. “And you? What’s your excuse for remaining single?”

Alek shook his head. “We’re not going there.”

Eileen opened her mouth to argue when, lucky for him, Finn arrived with the shadow box containing the magazine.

“It’s heavy,” Finn announced with a gasp.

“Here. Let me hold it.” Alek reached out to take the big wooden box from the boy’s hands at the same time as Finn lost his grip. The glass-topped box shattered on the concrete floor.

The conversations around them stopped. Finn’s bottom lip began to tremble as he choked out a sob. Alek dropped to his haunches to pick up the broken pieces.

“It’s okay, bud,” he tried to reassure the boy. “Accidents happen. This can be fixed.”

“No,” Finn wheezed. “It was Dad’s, and now it’s g-gone t-too.”

Alek jumped to his feet when the wheezing turned into gasps. Finn patted his chest as he struggled to pull in air. Sheridan was by his side in an instant.

“Finn,” she said much more calmly than Alek felt. “Look at me. Focus and breathe.” She pressed an inhaler to his lips. “One, two, three.”

The little boy wrenched his shoulders up and down as he inhaled the medicine.

“Again,” Sheridan commanded, and they repeated the process.

When he was breathing somewhat normally once again, she leaned down and whispered something into his ear. Tears began to slowly roll down his face. She pressed her lips to his forehead when Eileen stepped in.

“Uncle Alan has the nebulizer set up in the kitchen,” Eileen said quietly as she steered Finn in that direction. “Let’s go get some juice in those lungs, and then maybe we can find a popsicle.”

As soon as they were out of sight, Sheridan wrapped her arms around her middle and sighed heavily.

“He has asthma,” she explained. “All of this is exacerbating it.” She turned to face Alek, a tremulous smile on her lips. “He’ll be fine.”

Yes, but will you? he wanted to ask.

She wobbled on her high heels when she squatted down to clean up the broken shadow box. Alek reached for her elbow and towed her back up.

“I’ve got this,” he told her.

“Like hell you do,” a very unexpected voice announced beside him.

He turned to find his agent, Collin Slater, standing there. Collin was holding a large envelope in one hand.

“Don’t even think about putting those million-dollar fingers anywhere near broken glass,” Collin said before shaking his head at Sheridan. “Can you believe this guy?”

To Alek’s utter dismay, Sheridan gave his agent the first real smile he’d seen on her lips since he arrived. He was pretty sure his chest was going to explode when she walked into Collin’s arms and hugged him enthusiastically.

Collin closed his arms around her waist before inhaling her scent, the same way Alek had earlier. Alek shot him a death glare. Collin’s eyes went wide before his lips began to twitch. The dickhead took his time untangling himself from Sheridan.

“My dad sends his regards,” Collin said, reminding Alek that he and Jamie were both represented by Collin’s dad, Marty, at one point.

Only Jamie was no longer a professional athlete who needed an agent.

“I would have been here sooner,” Collin continued. “But I was in Australia negotiating with a tennis player we want to add to our rosters.”

“She must be very pretty for you to go all the way down under during football season,” Sheridan teased.

Clearly, she was familiar with his agent. For some reason, the idea didn’t sit well with Alek.

Collin responded with a cat-ate-the-canary grin. “She does have incredibly well-toned, looong legs.”

Sheridan made a sound that was more snort than laugh.

“For crying out loud, Collin,” Alek protested.

His agent winked at Sheridan before waving the envelope in the air. “I come bringing information.” His gaze landed on Sheridan, and he sobered up. “It seems your brother asked my father to draft a will for him a few days after his son was born.”

Sheridan gasped.

“Based on your reaction, I assume you were unaware it existed. Did he and Madison have anything new drawn up since then?” Collin asked.

“No.” Sheridan shook her head. “I’d hoped he might have something on his laptop, but somebody broke into the bar and stole Jamie’s laptop before I could check.”

“Are you kidding me? People suck.” Alek shook his head in annoyance.

“Probably just some kids who took advantage after learning that he’d died,” she said. “We checked with everyone we knew. But no one knew if Jamie had written one.”

Her answer had Collin’s shoulders slumping ever so slightly.

“A will definitely makes things easier.” She let out a relieved-sounding sigh. “My insurance company is making me jump through hoops to get Finn added to my policy. His inhaler alone is five hundred dollars without insurance coverage.”

Collin whistled softly.

Sheridan held out her hand. “Please tell your dad I said thank you. You can leave it with me. I’m sure you’ve got a sporting event to get to tonight.”

Collin nodded. “Monday Night Football in Boston.” He leveled a smirk at Alek. “Bergeron’s favorite quarterback is playing.”

Alek muttered a choice word as he shook his head in disgust.

“It means a lot that you came all this way to deliver it.” Sheridan reached over to take the envelope from Collin, but he kept it firmly grasped between his fingers.

“Actually, the will stipulates the contents be read aloud by Jamie’s representative, which is me. I hate to pull you away, but it shouldn’t take long. Can we find a quiet place?”

“You go,” Alek told her. “I’ve got this.”

Collin rolled his eyes. “What did I just tell you, moron? No touching the broken glass. You’re coming with me.”

Alek was seconds away from popping off on his agent. “I was going to find one of the kitchen staff to help,” he ground out.

“No can do,” Collin insisted. “I need you in the room when I read the will.”

“What the hell for?” Alek demanded.

Collin looked a little sheepish as he cleared his throat. “Jamie left you something.”