The house was perfect. Sergei, Niko and Dani had stepped inside, taken one look around, looked at each other and the two adults simultaneously nodded. It was spacious, with high ceilings and an open floor plan. The glass and chrome gas fireplace in the center of the living room was breathtaking and the stone pedestal upon which it sat was a work of art. The bedrooms were large and the master bathroom had the kind of tub Sergei could stretch out in when he was sore. Niko’s room had lots of closet space and the perfect bay window for a reading nook, and the kitchen was sleek and modern. The screened-in portion of the patio held the hot tub while the rest had plenty of room for a grill and a table and chairs. Best of all, Aaron was leaving the appliances, window treatments, and a lot of the furniture, including the bed in the guest room.

“It’s been used twice, when my mom came to visit,” Aaron had said. “No need for you to buy something new.”

There was also a huge leather couch, a dining room table with eight chairs and a matching china cabinet, bar stools for the island in the kitchen and a few random pieces of furniture that Sergei didn’t bother to ask about. He wrote him a separate check for the furniture and immediately headed home to pack. Aaron had said they could move in before they actually closed, so he’d wanted to get started packing while Dani enjoyed her afternoon at the spa. With Niko playing in front of the television, he threw his clothes into suitcases and packed up the few things he’d accumulated since he’d been here, he called to reserve a U-Haul truck. He didn’t have to do it himself, but if he waited to find reputable movers, Niko might be without his bedroom furniture and other things for weeks. There was nothing in storage he couldn’t move or carry, and if there was anything that was too heavy or bulky, he would call Aaron.

When his phone rang he didn’t recognize the number, but it was local, so he answered in case it was Dani calling from the hotel. “Hello?”

“Sergei, it’s Gage Caldwell.”

“Oh, hello, Mr. Caldwell.” Sergei had only met the man once before.

“I heard you’d arrived in town and wanted to take a moment to officially welcome you to Anchorage. I know you were here in February, but now you’re here for good and I hope you feel at home.”

“Not yet,” Sergei admitted, “but I’m sure that will change once the season starts.”

“I’m having a get-together on July Fourth and thought it would be a good way for you to spend some time with the other guys in a casual environment. A good portion of the team will be in attendance, so I think you’ll enjoy it.”

“Yes, of course, I look forward to it.” Not that he had any choice. A personal invitation from the owner of the team wasn’t optional barring a family emergency.

“You’re welcome to bring a date.”

“Thank you,” Sergei responded automatically. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“My secretary will email you the details. Feel free to contact her if you have any questions, whether it’s schools for your son, the best place for seafood, or an interior decorator.”

“I appreciate that. I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Very good. See you on the Fourth.” Gage disconnected and Sergei put his phone back on the counter thoughtfully. He’d just taken over the team in January. His uncle, Malcolm Caldwell, had died unexpectedly of a heart attack and had apparently left everything to his only and favorite nephew. There had been a bit of scuttlebutt about it because Gage was barely in his mid-thirties and had never been involved in professional sports before. He’d told the team and management he wouldn’t be making any changes until the following season, after he’d had a chance to assess everyone and the roles in the organization, but it seemed that a lot of people didn’t like him, including their head coach.

Sergei hadn’t had much to say and kept his head down, focusing on playing and getting to know his teammates. He’d heard a few rumors about the young billionaire owner, but he’d ignored them because he’d hoped to get traded again. Unfortunately, that hadn’t happened so now he would have to pay more attention.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah, buddy?” Sergei looked down into his son’s big blue eyes.

“When’s Mama D coming home?”

“In a few hours.” Sergei ruffled his hair.

“What’s she doing?”

“She’s at a spa, doing…girlie things.”

“Like dolls and tea parties?”

Sergei laughed. “Not exactly, but kind of like that.”

“I want her to come home.”

“Soon. How about we get some lunch and then go see our new house?”

“Is Mama D coming, too?”

“After the spa.” Sergei sighed. Niko had gotten a lot more vocal after spending time at Toli’s, probably because Tessa’s daughter from her first marriage, Raina, never stopped talking. When he’d dropped him off back in February, he hadn’t been the toddler who consistently asked why. Now, it had become a way of life. Why is the sky blue, Daddy? Why is it bedtime? Why do I need shoes? Why isn’t Mama D home? Mama D was a huge part of Niko’s vocabulary and his life. He adored her, and though Sergei tried to be annoyed about it, he couldn’t. She was great with him, and more importantly, good for him. She loved him. There was no doubt about that. Though she had two nephews from Zakk’s relationship with Tiff and a biological niece that Tiff had given birth to last year, Dani was probably closer to Niko than all three of them. They were like two peas in a pod and it fascinated him. It had annoyed him at first, but with each passing day, watching his son blossom under the young woman’s affection, he had a hard time resenting her for it. Tatiana would be grateful someone loved her child that much.

“Daddy?”

Sergei glanced down at his son almost guiltily, as if thinking about Dani in front of him was somehow inappropriate. “Yeah, buddy?”

“Are we eating now?”

Sergei scooped him up, nodding. “Absolutely.”

---

The next few days flew past. Dani and Sergei worked tirelessly to set up the new house. He’d retrieved everything from storage and their first priority had been Niko’s room. He had a daybed, dresser, toy box and rocking chair. Sergei said he would paint the room after they were settled, so they focused on washing the bedding, putting away his clothes and toys, and hanging up some pictures. Sergei had gone out to get them lunch and was coming down the hall to tell them he was back when Niko’s voice wafted down the hall.

“This is Mommy. Daddy says she’s the prettiest angel in heaven.”

“She’s beautiful,” Dani responded softly.

Sergei froze outside the door, unsure whether to interfere or not. Part of him wanted to hear what Niko thought about Mommy in heaven, but a bigger part of him wanted to know how Dani handled it.

“Daddy says she watches me from heaven.”

“I’m sure she does. All mommies watch over their little boys and girls.”

“But you’ll watch me from down here, right?”

Sergei winced.

“Of course.”

“You’re not going to heaven, are you?”

“Gosh, no. I’ll be right here making sure you’re safe and happy until I go to Colorado to play hockey. Remember?”

“I don’t want you to go,” Niko whispered.

“I know, buddy, but you know how Daddy plays hockey for work? That’s what I do too.”

“Did Mommy play hockey?”

“Um, I don’t think so…”

Sergei cleared his throat. “Hey, guys, lunch is here.”

“Yay!” Niko took off towards the kitchen and Sergei glanced at Dani apologetically.

“I’m sorry. I heard the last part of that—Tatiana didn’t play hockey.”

“I didn’t think so, but I wasn’t sure.” She smiled, placing a picture frame on Niko’s dresser. It was of Tatiana holding Niko just minutes after he was born; Sergei had taken it and it was one of their favorites.

“I don’t know how much to tell him,” Sergei admitted. “He’s three and a half. He wasn’t even two when she died. He doesn’t remember anything about her, and while I don’t want him to forget her, it’s not really fair to implant my memories in him.”

“I don’t think it’s unfair,” she said mildly, putting a few stray pairs of socks away. “You have to tell him the things about her that are most important but then let him conjure up her memory in whatever way works for him. You have pictures and stories, which will be enough when he’s older. Eventually you’ll probably remarry and—”

“No.” He spoke more sharply than he intended, shaking his head. “I’m not interested in doing it again. Tatiana was my second wife and I think two strikes is plenty.”

“Two strikes?” She cocked her head. “Did your first wife die, too?”

“What? Oh, no. We divorced.”

“Well, that might be a strike, if you want to label it that way, but having your second wife pass away isn’t a strike… It’s more of a walk.”

He smiled at the odd but endearing baseball reference. “Maybe,” he agreed. “It just feels like I wouldn’t be a good bet for a woman after one divorce and one death. What’s next? Me dying?”

She shook her head. “Such a pessimist! How about next time is your soul mate? Your happily ever after? The woman who makes all your dreams come true?”

He arched a brow. “Seriously? That’s for romance novels, honey. I got as close as I was going to get to that with Tatiana and there were no happy endings there. At this point in my life, I’m looking for a friend-with-benefits situation, someone who might be willing to put up with a single dad who has a black heart in exchange for good sex and maybe some nice vacations.”

“Yikes.” She wiped her hands on her jeans. “You’re cynical as fuck.”

“Aren’t you the one who said you have no luck with men?” He followed her towards the kitchen.

“Well, yeah, but I still have hope that there’s a guy out there who doesn’t mind that I’m more muscular than he is and will fall in love with me anyway.”

Watching her walk ahead of him, Sergei wanted to point out she wasn’t more muscular than he was, and if he wasn’t the cynical bastard she’d just told him he was, he’d be more than happy to show her how much he didn’t mind her beautifully strong body. He could have a lot of fun with a beauty like her, if only she wasn’t so young. And Zakk’s sister. And his nanny. Not to mention the ramifications for Niko if things went south. Jesus, he needed to get laid or he’d be panting outside her bedroom door every night. Maybe one of the guys on the team knew some local girls who enjoyed no-strings sex. He’d have to give Aaron a call. The pickings were supposedly slim, at least based on statistics, which was why the puck bunnies were all barely legal. He wasn’t interested in girls that young, though.