Page 88 of Keeping it Real

Two hours later, he pulled into his last stop.It was the emergency clinic where Hattie was recovering.Sheridan had texted forty minutes ago that she and Finn were Ubering home.There wouldn’t be any chance of running into them here.

The receptionist looked surprised to see him when he arrived with a trash bag full of pet toys.“Oh, your family already left,” she told him.

Your family.

Her words were like a knife to the gut.A few hours ago, he’d thought of them as one.Now, doubt ate at him.He needed to follow his own advice and talk to Sheridan.And he would.Once he figured out what to say.In the meantime, he could check on Hattie.

“I was out delivering these toys that fans donate at our hockey games,” he told the woman.“I thought I’d stop in and see how Hattie is doing?”

“Do you want to go back and see her?”She didn’t wait for an answer, instead pressing the intercom button and announcing his presence.

“I’m sure she needs her rest,” he protested.“I don’t want to disturb her.An update on her condition is fine.”

The vet appeared in the doorway.His toothy grin was still present even after a long day of rescuing pets.“You won’t be disturbing her.In fact, she was asleep when Finn left earlier.She’s been a little blue since she woke up and found him gone.”He waved Alek back.“Come on.”

Alek didn’t bother telling him Hattie avoided him at all costs.It was easier to let things be awkward.Except the dog surprised him when they arrived in the recovery area.Hattie hurried to her feet.She looked past him, but she didn’t retreat as she normally would have when she didn’t see Finn.Instead, she wagged her tail tentatively.

“You’re welcome to sit with her.She’s still a little woozy, but she’s recovering nicely.”The vet scooted a giant pillow into the run where Hattie was recuperating.“I’m going off to check on our patients in the cat room.”

Hattie continued to watch Alek with a guarded expression in her big brown eyes.

He sighed.“Last night wasn’t a one-night fling, then, huh, girl?”

She wagged her tail with a little more gusto.Alek shrugged out of his coat.

“Down,” he commanded.

The dog lay down immediately, resting her snout on the edge of the pillow.

Alek chuckled.“How did I not know you were such a flirt?”

As soon as he was seated on the pillow, Hattie crawled forward so that her head rested on his thigh.He buried his fingers in the soft fur of her neck.

“I shouldn’t be surprised.You were Jamie’s dog once.”

He leaned his head back against the concrete wall behind him and looked up at the ceiling.

“Damn you, Jamie,” he whispered hoarsely.“If making me love them, then yanking them away is your way of screwing me over a second time, so help me, I will come up there and drag you down, right straight to hell.”

Twenty-Three

Sheridan and Finnrushed into the family room at the arena with only a few minutes to spare before the team took the ice for skate around.A noon game left little time to get packed for a flight to Florida that evening before she took Finn to sit with Hattie at the vet clinic.Alek left for the arena super early that morning.She knew because she’d lain awake waiting for the garage door to close before venturing downstairs.

She’d managed to avoid Alek all afternoon and evening yesterday.Finn, who’d been exhausted from the sleepover the night before, coupled with worry over Hattie, had passed out as soon as they arrived home from the vet.He’d been restless, though, and calling out for his parents in his sleep.It was easier to hide out in Finn’s room under the guise of taking care of him than to face Alek.

Valentine’s reminder that Alek only thought of her as a sister was a wake-up call of sorts.As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Jamie—and Madison—still cast a long shadow over her relationship with Alek.At least, the relationship she wanted to have with him.The closer she grew to him, the harder it was to live with herself for the role she played in the whole sordid affair of nearly a decade before.

She’d slipped back to her high school self, once again letting herself dream about a life with Alek.Only now, that fantasy was for the three of them to be a family.Hattie, too.Except she had no idea if he wanted that.He certainly acted like he did.Yet he hadn’t corrected Valentine when he misspoke yesterday.It would have been the perfect time to set the record straight.The fact that he didn’t left her feeling unsure of everything.

“Can I go up to my seat?”Finn asked.“I want to tell Alek that Hattie is much better this morning.”

“Sure.Go ahead.”Sheridan took his coat and draped it over the back of a chair as he raced out.

Freya carried two cups of coffee over and handed one to Sheridan.

“Bless you.”Sheridan took a resurrecting sip.

“I figured with the past few days you’ve had that caffeine was likely needed.Although there are mimosas if you want something stronger.How’s Hattie?”

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