Page 19 of Keeping it Real

“That’s odd.”

Finn shrugged again.Sheridan made a mental note to check the phone and block those callers when her nephew yelled in delight.

“Yay!We are in Wisconsin.Almost there, Hattie.”

The dog nuzzled his shoulder.Sheridan mentally braced herself before repeating her mantra for the next year.

I’m doing this for Finn.

Alek tried notto squirm beneath the shrewd gaze of the Mayhem’s owner.At thirty-five, Maxim Kellogg could have been a contemporary of most of the players on his team.Except for the fact the man was heir to a billion-dollar beer company, and he signed their paychecks.One-on-ones with Kellogg weren’t exactly the norm.

The Mayhem were six days into the new season, and they’d already dropped their first three games.The season was long, and it wasn’t unusual for any team to start out slow, especially since the Mayhem had yet to play a game on their home ice.But it was hard to ignore that Alek had allowed eleven goals to slip into the net during that time.Not a good look for a team hoping to make it to the finals.

Coach and the team’s GM weren’t too stressed about it.Both men told Alek to shake it off.Apparently, Kellogg preferred to address the situation head-on.Probably because the guy had signed Alek to the second-highest contract for any goalie in the league.In the year since, Alek’s play hadn’t exactly lived up to all the zeros in his paycheck.The whispers on sports talk radio at the end of last season were growing louder with the team’s less-than-stellar start to this year.

Alek couldn’t deny that the distractions of the past two weeks had played a role.Not an hour went by when he didn’t question his rash decision.But then he’d hear his mother’s voice reading Jamie’s letter.

You’re the only dude I know who will be the perfect father and role model for my son.

When he should have been focusing on his play, he’d been juggling all the details associated with Finn and Sheridan moving in with him.Including having a fence installed to contain a dog the size of a pony.Of course, the boy and his dog were attached at the hip.Foisting her off on a relative or friend wasn’t an option.

Finn insisted the dog was well-mannered.Apparently, his father had trained her himself.Leave it to Jamie to have a pet that’s more beast than fur-baby.Alek clenched his fists tightly.

Bottom line: His piss-poor play between the pipes was all his former best friend’s fault.

Kellogg would probably think poorly of Alek for blaming a dead guy, though.Thankfully, his long-term houseguests were arriving today.He’d get them all settled in tonight, then Alek would turn things around in the Mayhem’s home opener tomorrow.

Never one to mince words, Kellogg got right to the point.“Are you sure taking on a kid right now is what you want to do?”he inquired over his steepled fingers.

“Absolutely,” Alek replied.

The word rolled off his tongue a lot easier than it had the week before.Kellogg wasn’t the first person to ask him that over the past ten days.Since the funeral, Alek had been fielding the same question from his family, his teammates, and himself.

“If you’re concerned this will impact my play, don’t be.”Alek tried to project as much confidence as he could, despite both men knowing there were no guarantees in life.

“Your play is the least of my worries.The season is barely a week old.And you’re one of the best in the league.”

The owner’s reassurance had Alek’s shoulders relaxing.

“Raising a child isn’t something to be taken lightly,” Kellogg continued.“They should always take priority.Sometimes even before hockey.”

“Nothing about my work ethic is going to change.You have my word.”Alek may be getting new roommates, but the goal wasn’t changing.The Mayhem were winning the Cup this season, no matter what it took.

Kellogg shot him a look that clearly said “we’ll see about that.”

Alek was aware the man was speaking from experience.He had grown up the bastard son of the team’s original owner, Norm Clarkson.Old Man Clarkson had spent three decades ignoring the existence of his “love child,” only recognizing him months before his death when he gifted him his hockey team and a percentage of his beer company.According to the gossip, Kellogg almost turned his inheritance down out of spite.

The Mayhem players were glad he didn’t.Kellogg was a fair and generous owner.Most of all, he wanted to win as much as Alek and his teammates did.It didn’t hurt that his half-siblings owned two of Milwaukee’s other professional sports teams.The competition among the family was rumored to be fierce, not to mention great fodder for the media.As a result, Kellogg spared no expense getting the talent and the facilities needed to ensure the Mayhem were always competitive within the league—and his newfound family.

“It’s a responsibility I’m taking very seriously,” Alek assured him.

Kellogg nodded.“In that case, he’s a lucky boy to have you.”The phone on his desk rang, putting an end to their discussion.“Whatever you or Finn need, we’ve got your back.”

Alek waved his thanks as he stepped out of the owner’s office.When he closed the door behind him, he heaved a big sigh of relief.

Gus, Valentine, and Picard surrounded the desk of Kellogg’s executive assistant, Lori Lewis.

“Did you see the dessert menu?”Picard was saying to her.

---