Page 76 of Keeping it Real

“Three nights in a row?”

“Well, yeah.Van Horn and his wife are out there sitting with Finn’s teacher.I assumed you’re all going out after the game.Although your agent is yakking her ear off.The poor woman is going to need some extra lovin’ after putting up with Collin all evening.”Picard nudged him.“Make it up to her with a spectacular dinner tomorrow night.”

Shit.

The last thing he wanted to do was let his friend down.Picard was right.Thanks to having his mug on half a dozen products, people around the world knew who the Growlers quarterback was.It would be quite the coup to have Van Horn dine in the restaurant opening night.It would mean coming clean to his teammates about his relationship with Sheridan, though.

Alek wasn’t sure he was ready to do that yet.Despite how well they fit, things still felt fragile.What they had was too important for him to risk.His teammates were like his second family, however, and misleading them made him feel like a class A jerk.

Time was ticking, and he still needed to tape his stick.“We’ve got a noon puck drop on Sunday.A Saturday night out might not work for me.What if I can get Dex Fletcher and his wife to go with the Van Horns?”he improvised.Alek and the Scottish placekicker became friends when they discovered they shared a fondness for Scotch whisky, especially the label they both promoted in their home countries.

“Dude!That would be huge.”Picard heaved a sigh of relief.“I’ll save the best table for them.”

“Let me see what I can do to make it happen,” Alek told him.

Valentine’s “fresh legs”added another goal in the third period to make the final score four nothing.The reporters gathered around Alek in the room reminded him he’d defended the net for eight periods of scoreless hockey.After the start to the season he’d had, Alek was relieved to be back in the groove—and out of the media’s crosshairs.

His phone pinged with a text from Sheridan.

Leaving in thirty minutes.See you at home.

He shoved his phone into the pocket of his suit jacket and navigated through the crowded room to make his escape.Finn, Gunner, and Kyle pounced on him as soon as he reached the family room.

“That was awesome!”Kyle said.“Thanks for inviting us.”

“Look at all the dog toys we collected tonight!”Finn and Gunner both held up large plastic bags filled with stuffed animals.

Van Horn was taking up space behind London’s little brother while his wife and Claire held an animated conversation about an upcoming WAG charity event.It would be easier to get London’s buy-in on dinner at Picard’s, but it didn’t look like the two women were going to stop chatting anytime soon.And Alek was in a hurry to get home before Sheridan.

“I’m glad you guys could make it.”He took the bags of dog toys and set them down at his feet.“Why don’t you go ask the equipment crew for a puck?”

The three boys ran off as if they were in a foot race.Alek looked at London again, but no luck.

He sighed.“Hey, do you have dinner plans for tomorrow?”

Van Horn scrutinized him.“As flattered as I am by your interest, you do know I’m off the market.”

Alek swore softly as he pinched the bridge of his nose.“Why do you have to be such an ass?”

The quarterback shrugged.“Only to you.And because it’s fun.”

“Picard’s steakhouse is opening tomorrow night.I’m trying to do him a solid by putting butts in the seats.”

“Why?Does the food suck or something?”

Alek glared at him.

“Oh!”Van Horn rocked back on his heels.“This is for publicity.You’re conceding that football players have more cred than hockey players?”

“God, I really hate you,” Alek mumbled.

Van Horn laughed loudly.His wife peeked out of the corner of her eye at him, but she didn’t end her conversation.

“I could be persuaded to partake in a meal there.I might even be able to sweet-talk my beautiful wife into ginning up some social media content for the place.”He leaned over toward Alek.“She claims I have magic fingers.And she likes the way I use them on her body.”

For fuck’s sake.

“Good for you.Picard’s holding a table for four.Bring Fletcher and his wife.I told Picard to have plenty of scotch on hand.”

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