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“If you’re reading this, you probably want to rip me a new one.

But hear me out, Sher. A very wise man has been riding my ass for several years about how I take advantage of you.

About how I let you pick up all the tasks Mom would have done when you should be out enjoying your teenage years. Well, that ends here.”

You picked a fine time to listen to me, you jackass , Alek thought.

“I know no one will love Finn like you will. Full stop,” Eileen continued reading. “Like me, he’ll be a better man for having you as his mama bear. But not if you haven’t taken the time to discover who you are first. You’re too young to be saddled with raising another Cobert hellion.”

Her aunt nodded vigorously as she read on.

“I haven’t told you this enough, but I love you, Sher.

I wouldn’t have made it to the top of the game without you by my side.

I’m so grateful to have you for a sister.

” Her aunt swiped at a tear rolling down her cheek.

“Hopefully, you will never see this letter. Once you’re settled into your own life with your own happy family, I’ll change this caveat.

For now, though, I’ll rest easier knowing Finn will be taken care of should anything happen to Madison and me.

I have no doubt that together, you and Alek will give my son the very best life. ”

“I knew it!” Finn cried from the doorway of the office. “Dad promised you would take care of me.”

An anguished sound escaped Sheridan’s lips as her nephew charged into the room and stood before Alek. The color was back in his cheeks and his blue eyes danced with delight.

“I don’t remember going to my dad’s games when he played,” Finn gushed. “But now I’ll get to see all of yours. Are we going to live at your house?”

It felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. Probably because everyone inside it was holding their breath. Alek met his mother’s gaze above Finn’s head. She looked genuinely stricken. She opened and closed her mouth several times, but no pearls of wisdom emerged.

He looked back down at Finn. The little boy’s cheeks began to lose some of their rosiness as the moment stretched. Alek’s temple began to throb harder.

You’d never take it out on Finn. I know you too well. Your honor is bigger than your bluster.

The words were out of Alek’s mouth before he could stop them.

“Yeah, Finn. You are going to live at my house.”

Sheridan’s groan of dismay was drowned out by Finn’s whoop of excitement.

“Yes!” He hugged Alek’s waist. “My dad was right. You are the best.”

The reality of what he’d just done made Alek’s throat grow thick.

Finn dropped his arms and headed to the door. “I have to tell Hattie we are going to live in Milwaukee.” He spun back around to face Alek. “Oh, I almost forgot. Do you have a backyard?”

The question caught him off guard. “Um, yeah, sure. Big enough to build a small rink if that’s what you want.”

“Cool!”

Alek felt the weight of everyone’s eyes on him as soon as Finn was out the door. But the only ones he was interested in belonged to Sheridan. And they were shooting daggers at him.

“How could you encourage him?” she demanded as she unsteadily rose from her chair.

Her aunt moved to placate her. “Hold on a second, Sheridan. Maybe this isn’t such a bad idea in the short term.”

Sheridan recoiled at her aunt’s perceived betrayal. Eileen ignored her, turning to fix Alek with a hard look.

“I assume you have health insurance?”

“Of course.”

The older woman nodded. “Good. Finn needs refills of his asthma meds.”

“I’ll call our GM and get it taken care of right away,” Alek told her.

“No!” Sheridan shouted. She turned to Collin. “You said this could easily be fixed in the courts. How do I make that happen?”

“Sheri, honey. That will take some time to sort out,” her aunt said. “We need to deal with the here and now.”

“I’m not handing over my nephew to him.” She flailed her arm in Alek’s direction. “Not to someone who thinks this is a joke.” She aimed her next words directly at Alek. “Because it’s not a joke to me. None of this is. And that little boy is all I have left.”

Alek was pretty sure his heart stopped when her voice cracked.

“I’ll take care of his asthma meds,” she continued. “And I’ll take care of Finn.”

“How?” her aunt demanded. “You can’t take him to Spain.

Not with his guardianship all messed up.

Where will you live while that gets straightened out?

The house belongs to the bank. And this bar .

. .” Eileen actually growled. “Well, any income from it is lost to you and Finn, thanks to your idiot brother.” She shook her head as she mumbled Jamie’s name and what sounded like a few choice expletives.

“You should take Alek up on his offer. If for no other reason than Finn seems happy with the situation.”

“And why wouldn’t he be?” Sheridan cried. “Alek just promised him an ice rink, for crying out loud! How am I supposed to compete with that?”

Eileen sighed. “This isn’t a competition, sweetheart. It’s the wind blowing a little course correction for you. But it’s only a temporary one. Just until the storm passes.”

Sheridan huffed a sigh as she sank back down into the chair.

“Would you mind giving Sheridan and me the room?” Alek asked.

The only person who looked like they might object was Sheridan. Instead, she crossed her arms defensively and remained where she was. Her aunt pressed a kiss to the top of her head before following Collin to the door.

Mum gave his biceps a squeeze. There was an odd look in her eyes. Almost as if she was proud of him. At least she didn’t think Alek was as crazy as he felt at the moment.

When the door closed behind them, he scooted the second chair closer to where Sheridan sat as if she were wrapped in a strait-jacket. He cautiously lowered himself into it so he was facing her.

“I should have consulted with you first,” he began. “I apologize.”

His words seemed to take away some of the tension in her shoulders.

Alek sighed. “I got caught up in the moment. He’s been through a lot, and I couldn’t . . . let him down.”

She sighed softly and nodded. “Get used to it. He has Jamie’s charm, and he knows how to use it.”

He chuckled. “I’ve been warned.”

Her eyes were shiny when she finally met his. “Are you really serious about this?”

“I have a big house. I’m there only half the time. It seems like a solid plan while Collin gets the guardianship sorted out.”

“And once he does? What happens then? How do I tear Finn away from hockey games and his own private ice rink?”

Alek dragged his fingers through his hair. “Yeah. I probably should have given this more thought.”

She snorted. “You and Jamie both.”

The harsh way she said it surprised him. He didn’t like being lumped in with Jamie. This wasn’t Alek’s fault. Her brother was still jerking all of them around from the grave.

“One year.” Again, the words were out before he even registered thinking them.

“You and Finn stay with me through the end of the season. Collin will have all the guardianship crap sorted out by then. That should be enough time for Finn and me to build a solid relationship. One that will be strong no matter where life takes us. I’ll be the role model Jamie wanted me to be. ”

She snorted again. This time, her censure stung.

“Let me do this. I want to help. And not only with Finn.” He started to reach for her hand, but the stiff way she held herself had him jerking it back.

“I want to help you, too, Sheridan. You were a big part of my college years. Jamie’s wasn’t the only life you made easier.

Hell, you were practically a little sister to me, too. ”

She jumped from the chair and stormed toward the door. “I can take care of myself,” she said without bothering to turn around.

Alek stood as well. Everything inside him was screaming do not let her walk out the door.

“No one is doubting that,” he argued. “You’re the most capable person I know. But don’t you think it would be nice not to have to be everyone’s keeper for once in your life? Even if it’s only for a year?”

She paused with her hand on the doorknob.

“If you can’t do it for yourself, at least do it for Finn.” Alek was playing dirty pool. The Sheridan Cobert he once knew always sacrificed her happiness for the men in her family. It was in her DNA. As much as he’d wanted her to change, he took a shot that she hadn’t.

Her shoulders bunched up as she drew in a slow, deep breath. She pressed her forehead to the door. “Finn is the only reason I’m agreeing to this absurd arrangement.”

A rush of relief coursed through him. “Thank you.”

“Mm-hmm,” she replied before pulling the door open.

A dog was barking excitedly somewhere inside the bar. And not a small dog, from the sound of it.

“Someone brought a dog to a funeral?” Alek shook his head. He shouldn’t be surprised by the idiotic things people did.

Sheridan swiveled her chin back in his direction. There was no mistaking the wily smile on her face. “That’s Hat Trick. Better known as Hattie. She goes where Finn goes.”

Shit.