Page 24 of Keeping it Real

“She’s like the princess fromEnchanted,” Valentine said, his tone reverent.

“What’s with you and Disney flicks?”Alek wanted to know.

Gus laughed.“Look at him.Valentine is already under her spell.Miss Lane has that effect on people.Males in particular.”He smacked Alek on the shoulder with his glove.“You’ll see tomorrow when you take Finn to school.She’s his teacher, too.”

Valentine placed his phone in the cubby above his stall.“Dude, that’s the perfect meet cute.”

“Jesus, Valentine, no wonder my daughter adores you.You speak the same girlie lingo,” Gus said.

“Hey, it never hurts to know your audience.Not all women are into video games and hockey, you know.”Valentine pointed at Alek.“I’ll bet my left nut that Miss Lane watches Hallmark when she’s home alone and hostsVanderpump Rulesviewing parties with her girlfriends.You should probably brush up on those before you meet her tomorrow.”

“Draft me up some CliffsNotes,and I promise to look them over tonight.”Alek grabbed his helmet and stick and headed to the rink.

“Seriously, dude?”Valentine gave him a fist bump.“I have a good feeling about this.Remember me when you’re choosing a best man.”

“Sure thing,” Alek called over his shoulder before leaving the dressing room.

Gus walked beside him.“Why am I getting the feeling you weren’t jerking his chain back there?”

Alek shrugged.“Maybe you guys are right.I should put myself out there more.”

“Well, damn.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” Gus replied after a long pause that told Alek his friend was choosing his words carefully.Or holding back.“Just make sure you don’t do anything to hurt Miss Lane, or Gunner will come for you.”

Gus stepped out onto the ice and began to circle the rink.Alek pulled his helmet over his head.He was about to lower his face mask when the sound of Sheridan’s laughter drew his attention over to the coaches’ box at the end of the rink.Picard was leaning against the boards flirting with her.

Dammit.

He was hurrying across the ice to intervene when Gunner and Finn raced across the bleachers to join Sheridan.Finn waved his arms.

“Alek!Over here!”

“Ah, here he is,” Picard was saying when Alek skated up.“I was asking your aunt about you, Finn.”Picard reached out to shake Finn’s hand.“I’m Zach Picard.I had the privilege of playing with your dad when we were on junior US teams.He was a great hockey player and one of my favorite people.”

Finn curled his lips in as he pumped Picard’s hand up and down.“That’s cool,” he managed to say.

“I’m glad you’re a part of the Mayhem family.Most of the kids wear their dad’s jersey on opening night.”

Picard signaled to Lori, who was hovering in the background.She came forward carrying a Mayhem tote bag.

“I figured you might like one of your own,” Picard continued.

Finn pulled a jersey out of the bag.Gunner helped him unfold it.

“You got number one!”Gunner yelled.

“It isn’t taken this year, so I exercised my authority as team captain, and I assigned it to Finn.It even has your name on the back.Check it out.”

The boys flipped it over and, sure enough, the name Cobert was there in block letters.Alek’s gut squeezed.How many times had he and Jamie talked about wearing the same team’s hockey sweater in the pros?

Finn regained control of his voice.“This is so dope.I was gonna spend my birthday money on one of Alek’s jerseys.Now I don’t have to.”He shot Alek a sheepish look.

Alek waved him off.“I have several jerseys I’m happy to hand down.But that one is one of a kind.”

He shoulder-checked Picard, a little ashamed he hadn’t thought of the gesture himself.Yet he was grateful for his teammate’s thoughtfulness.Sheridan’s eyes were shiny as she mouthed a “Thank you,” to Picard from where she stood behind Finn.

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