Page 52 of Keeping it Real

Up until recently, it was a rare occasion when his parents waited for him after a game.Once or twice during the season, his sister and her family might make the trip to a home game, giving him a reason to venture into the family room.Tonight, though, his insta-family, as Gus called them, waited for him, along with his parents.

Finn rushed to him as soon as Alek entered the room.He was carrying an armful of dog toys of his own.“Check it out!Hattie has fans.”

“I’ll say she does.”Alek gestured to the trash bag.

“She’s going to think it’s Christmas,” Finn joked.

Alek waited for Sheridan to burst Finn’s bubble and tell him Hattie wasn’t keeping all the dog toys.She remained where she was, however, across the room, listening to an animated conversation between Claire and Freya, all the while watching him out of the corner of her eye.

“Actually, I was thinking we could donate these to a local dog shelter,” Alek told Finn.

“That’s dope!Hattie just tears the guts out of them anyway.”

Good to know the dog is consistent.

“I’ll reach out to one of the Growlers who works with the Humane Society.He can help us.”

“Really?Will I get to meet him?”

“I think that can be arranged.”

“Make sure you let someone in PR know when you’re doing that,” Lori said as she joined their conversation.“Maybe take Hattie along to donate them.It will make a compelling human-interest reel.”

She left the part about him needing some positive PR unsaid.

“I’m going to meet one of the Growlers,” Finn told Alek’s dad when they joined their group.

“Aren’t you a lucky guy?”

Alek turned at the sound of Marissa Lane’s voice.He’d forgotten he’d even invited Finn’s teacher to tonight’s game.And what the hell was he thinking having her at one his parents were attending?The woman was bound to get the wrong idea, saying nothing of his mother.He hadn’t even kissed Marissa yet.Up until a few hours ago, his plan was to remedy that tomorrow night, hoping it would lead to a whole lot more.

That was before Sheridan had come bursting into his room, her cheeks glowing with annoyance and her nipples fully alert.His ego appreciated the fact she’d immediately become flustered by his half-dressed appearance.So had the rest of his body.

And that was the problem.He couldn’t think of anything else but getting her naked.Not even when a six-ounce rubber disk was flying at his head at nearly one hundred miles an hour.

Gus was wrong.Finn and Hattie weren’t the distractions.It was the other member of his insta-family who owned that honor.

“Are those more dog toys?”his father asked.

“We’re going to donate them to a dog shelter,” Finn chimed in proudly.

“That’s an excellent idea.”His father took the trash bag from Alek.“Let’s add your toys Finn and then we can go put this in the car.”

“Yes, we need to head out.We’ve got an early start tomorrow,” his mum added.

“We are going to see some real wigwams at the Potawatomi museum,” Finn told his teacher.“Alek is going to take some pictures of me there so I can show the class.”

His mum placed her palm on Finn’s shoulder.“Alek isn’t coming with us, honey.”

Finn’s face fell.

“I wish I could, bud.But I have to be at practice,” he told Finn.

“Oh, yeah.Right.”

Gunner sidled up next to Finn.

“And then he’s got a date with MissLa-ane,” Gunner announced in a sing-song voice.

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