Page 83 of Keeping it Real

Twenty-Two

Finn pickedat the plate of pancakes in front of him.The vet suggested they get breakfast while they waited.Not wanting to spend two hours sitting on a wooden bench, Alek herded them across the street to the Oak Creek Diner.It was familiar stomping grounds for many of the town’s athletes.

“Do you want some of my cinnamon roll?”Sheridan asked Finn.

He shook his head.Finn hadn’t said much since Claire dropped him off an hour earlier.His eyes were still red-rimmed and puffy from when he’d sobbed in Sheridan’s arms once he arrived, but he was putting on a brave face now.

“How much longer?”He’d been asking the same question every five minutes for the past hour.

Sheridan rubbed his back.“I’m sure they’ll call us soon.”

She’d been repeating that answer for the last hour, also.

Alek checked the time on his phone.They were approaching the two-hour mark.The restaurant was busy with customers wanting breakfast before a busy Saturday of errands.A few waiting for tables had begun to throw pointed looks their way.

“How about if we box this up in case you want to eat it later?”Alek said to him.

“I’m not really hungry,” Finn replied.

Alek was signaling to the server when Sheridan’s phone pinged with a text.Finn sat forward in his chair.

Sheridan shook her head.“It’s Claire.You left your phone at Gunner’s house.She’ll bring it by the house later today.”She looked over at Alek with the first smile he’d seen from her this morning.“And good news from the hospital.Jackson is awake.All indications are good.No long-term damage.”

He breathed a sigh of relief.“That’s awesome.”He gave her hand a squeeze.“We’re going to get the same result here, too.I know it.”

After stopping to take a few selfies with fans, they arrived back at the clinic as the surgeon walked into the waiting room.The confident look on his face did wonders for Alek’s nerves.

“Perfect timing.Everything went as expected.We removed the offending items without having to disturb any parts Hattie needs.”

Sheridan’s eyebrows shot up.“Items?”

“Yes.”The vet nodded.“It’s quite the treasure trove.A few socks.Several hair scrunchies and, ahem, the culprit doing the damage, a pair of thong underwear.”

Alek choked back a laugh.All morning, he’d been feeling guilty that Hattie might die because she’d eaten a pair of his briefs.It turned out her underwear fetish didn’t discriminate.He nudged Sheridan’s shoulder playfully.She buried her face in her hands.

“But she’s gonna be okay, right?”Finn’s lips trembled when he spoke.

The vet gave him a reassuring smile.“You must be Finn.Hattie has been asking for you.She is well on her way to making a full recovery.Believe it or not, the surgery is the easy part.The difficult part will be keeping her from opening up her wound again.”He patted him on the shoulder.“Can I count on you to help with that?”

Finn nodded earnestly.“Can I see her?”

“I know she’d like that.She’s still a bit groggy and the techs are finishing dressing the wound.Someone will be out shortly to bring you back.”The vet looked at Alek and Sheridan.“There’s only room for one person at a time, I’m afraid.You’ll have to take turns sitting with her.”

“No problem,” Alek said.“Finn can have my turn.”He extended his hand to the vet.“Thank you.We really appreciate it.”

“Glad I could help.I’ll see you back there in a few minutes, young man.”

Finn stretched his arms around both Sheridan’s and Alek’s waists and hugged them.Sheridan buried her fingers in the boy’s hair.Alek swallowed roughly as he pulled them both in closer.His little makeshift family was going to be okay.

She plans to go back to being a traveling nurse.To show Finn the world.

Collin’s words echoed in Alek’s head.With everything that had gone on last night and this morning, he’d forgotten to bring up the subject of the guardianship hearing.Or Sheridan’s future plans.She’d only promised him this season.But that was before.Surely she’d changed her mind by now?

The cold rushed in when someone opened the door to the clinic.

“Hi-yee!”

The sound of Sloane’s voice had Sheridan jumping away.

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