Page 107 of Goaltender Interference

“Ugh, I guess.”

Jesse opened his mouth but the front door opened.

“Hello?” a woman called out and Jesse got up to see the girls taking off their shoes and Catherine O’Shea with her arms weighed down with some heavy-looking grocery bags threatening to slide to the floor.

“Hey, do you need some help?” Jesse asked, hurrying to grab them before that happened.

“Please.” She gave him a relieved smile.

“Jesse!” Evie squealed, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Hi!”

Maura latched onto his leg and squeezed. “Jesse! Jesse!”

“Hi,” he said, amused. The girls were so sweet. They’d wanted to talk to him before bed every night he and Connor were gone on the road trip and had done a whole video chat to show off their Halloween costumes. “I’ll give you both a hug in a minute, but let me put these bags down. Apparently, your grandma is superwoman. They’re heavy!”

He flexed, lifting the bags like he was doing bicep curls with them. As he’d hoped, everyone laughed.

“Okay,” Jesse said to Nolan as he set the bags on the counter. “You done with homework?”

“Not quite. I have a little bit of reading to do.”

“Well, help your grandma bring in the groceries, then do your homework. I’m gonna get things put away, then start on dinner. I think your dad will be home soon.”

“I wanna help cook!” Evie said.

“Me too, me too!” Maura chimed in,

There was a clear view from the kitchen to the entryway and Jesse caught a relieved look on Catherine’s face.

After Nolan helped bring everything in from Catherine’s SUV, she gave him a hug too. “Oh, I am so glad you’re here. You really are a lifesaver, Jesse. We’re so glad to have you around.”

“I’m glad to be here,” Jesse said, glancing at Nolan, who was sprawled on the couch doing his homework, and Evie, who was helping Maura wash her hands in the sink. He smiled.

Yeah, being here in the O’Shea house felt good. It felt right. And he didn’t think he’d screwed up the conversation with Nolan too bad either.

Not too bad for someone who wasn’t even a very adulty adult.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“Good talk, O’Shea,” Gavin said, giving him a friendly slap on the back. “I know we dropped a few points in the last couple of games, but I feel like we’re onto something this season.”

“I do too,” Connor said.

“Sorry if this ran a little long.” Gavin reached for the handle of the door on his office. “I know you need to get home to the kids and I can be a little long-winded.”

Connor shrugged. They were with the grandparents. They’d be fine. “Call it thorough, and it’s a positive,” he said aloud.

Gavin laughed. “I knew I liked you for a reason.”

He stepped into the hall and Connor followed. But, to his surprise, Gavin stopped in his tracks. If Connor hadn’t been standing so close, he might not have noticed the sudden tightening of his shoulders and the short, sharp indrawn breath.

“What in the hell are you doing here?” Gavin said hoarsely.

Connor followed his gaze to the man leaning against the desk of Gavin’s executive assistant, Amelia Nicholson. He was clearly flirting with her, based off the way he leaned one hip against the desk, leaning in and laughing at something she said.

Connor studied the stranger as he slowly straightened, turning to face Gavin.

“Is that any way to greet your long-lost twin brother?” he drawled.

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