Page 37 of Keeping it Real

“That’s the perfect name for a hockey dog.My fans are going to eat you up.”Sloane wrapped her arms around Hattie’s neck and gave the dog a squeeze.

Hattie soaked up the love as if it was her due.Sheridan rolled her eyes.

“Does she have a social media account?”Sloane asked when she stood back up.

“I’m sorry, what?Um.In case you haven’t noticed, she’s a dog.”

Now it was Sloane who was rolling her eyes.“She’s the adorable dog of a sexy hockey player.Just think of how much money you could make with a few posts a week.”

“Except she’s not Alek’s dog.She belongs to Finn.And Alek isn’t a dog person.He tolerates her in his house for Finn.”

“What?”She gave the dog a commiserating look.“Shame on Alek.Who couldn’t love that adorable face?”She made some kissing noises.

Hattie’s tongue lolled.

“I still say you’re missing a golden opportunity to pad Finn’s college fund,” Sloane continued.“But to each his own.I came over to make sure you’re ready for the party tonight.And it’s a good thing I did because this dog has given me the most awesome idea for your Halloween costume,”

Excuse me?

“Um, I have my costume,” Sheridan improvised.She hadn’t planned on dressing up.“I’m going to wear some scrubs and carry a stethoscope.”

Sloane sighed.“That’s original.I bet you wear that every year.”

She did.But the other woman didn’t have to know that.

“I have a better idea.”She had that determined glint her eye that Sheridan had come to know and loathe.“And I can’t believe I have everything you’ll need.Thank goodness for all those times my dad dragged me to German Fest.”

This was ridiculous.She wasn’t letting Valentine’s girlfriend browbeat her into wearing a costume.

“Please don’t go to any trouble on my behalf,” Sheridan insisted.“No one is going to see my costume.”

“Of course, they are.I’m livestreaming it.And as one of the WAGs, you need to up your game.We have a reputation to uphold among the other teams in this town.I am not letting the Growler girls show us up again this year.”

Sheridan had to work hard to keep her patience in check.“You seem to keep forgetting.I’m not Alek’s girlfriend.Therefore, I’m not a WAG.”

“I haven’t forgotten.But there are only twenty guys on this team.The Growlers have nearly fifty, which gives them twice as many of them as there are of us.If we want to outshine them on social media, we need all the bodies in costumes that we can get.”

“Is ‘outshining’ the other wives and girlfriends that important?”

Sloane rocked back on her heels as if Sheridan had pushed her.“I’m an influencer.Getting eyes on my posts is how I make my living.I want tooutshineeveryone.”She blinked rapidly a few times.“I want people to know Timothée and his teammates as human beings, too.That sort of content keeps fans in the seats.Even when things aren’t going their way.You should want that also.”

Crap.

She hadn’t figured Sloane for being such a guilt machine.But the other woman was spot-on.Sheridan owed it to Alek to play along.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Yay-ee!”Sloane’s face lit up.“Meet me at Claire’s at five.I’ll bring everything you’ll need.”She pointed at Hattie as she hurried back into her car.“And don’t forget this beauty.She’s part of your costume.”She blew a kiss to the dog as she started up the car.“Bye-ee!”

And that was how Sheridan found herself wandering the streets of Claire’s neighborhood later that evening wearing a vintage beer girl costume with thigh-high white stockings and a revealing lace-up bodice.

“I cannot believe I agreed to this.”She pulled her coat more tightly around her as she and Freya escorted several of the Mayhem’s kids trick-or-treating.

Hattie was in her glory with people stopping them on the sidewalk to snap pictures of the dog adorned in her little feathered hat and a wooden cask around her neck.Finn and Gunner were dressed head to toe in Mayhem gear, both boys carrying hockey sticks.Their pillowcases were growing heavy with candy.

“You agreed because you are young and haven’t had three babies,” Freya told her.“I’d kill to still be able to pull off such an outfit.”She made a noise deep in her throat.“Henrik would be chasing me around the house.”

Dear Lord.

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