Page 72 of Cheap Shot

He stopped, mortified that he’d said all that aloud. It was just that Catherine had been listening so intently, the look in her blue eyes soft and concerned. Motherly. He cleared his throat. “Anyway, I am afraid I am going to have to say no. I hope that once I am able to get more help here, if you haven’t already found anyone else, you’ll still consider me.”

“Of course,” she said. “But now I’m more concerned about you and your family. Is there anything we as an organization can do for you?”

“Oh, no, I don’t think so,” he said, taken aback. “That’s kind of you to offer though.”

“Uncle Sebby?”

He turned to see a sleepy Harper standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes. She’d been upstairs napping in his bed.

Sebastian hadn’t had time to scrub the leather clean after Crawford’s bare ass had been on it last night and he hadn’t been about to make Harper sleep onthat.

“Hey, kiddo,” he said in a soft voice. “How was your nap?”

“Okay. I’m kinda hungry though.” She climbed into his lap.

“Then it’s a very good thing I have snacks in my desk,” he said, pulling open a drawer. “Pick whatever you want.”

She rooted through the granola bars, fruit snacks, and trail mix packs he kept there, then grabbed a granola bar.

“Harper, would you like to say hi to the lady over there?” Sebastian asked, nodding across the desk. “That’s Catherine O’Shea. She’s Connor’s mom.”

“Connor? The captain of the bird men?” she said, turning to look at Catherine.

Catherine smiled. “Yes. He and Jesse said they had a really fun day hanging out with you.”

Her face lit up. “Dancing goalie?”

“Yes. That’s Connor’s boyfriend.”

“You need a boyfriend, Uncle Sebby,” Harper said, leaning back against Sebastian’s chest.

“Uhh, maybe someday,” he said. “Not right now.”

“I like Mr. Luke.”

Sebastian tried not to choke. He was pretty sure she didn’t mean anything by that. She was just rambling in that still-sleepy way kids did when they just woke up. Even more unfiltered and random than usual.

But shit. He really didn’t need Catherine getting the wrong idea.

“Yeah,” Sebastian said, clearing his throat. “For some reason Crawford is her favorite player. I have no idea why.”

Catherine’s smile widened. “He’s a good guy. I know on the ice he’s a menace, but he has a big heart under all that gruffness.”

“Mmm,” Sebastian said. He’d sort of seen it with Harper but otherwise, he wasn’t so sure about that.

“Is he gonna be okay, Uncle Sebby?” Harper craned her neck to look at him. “You were s’posed to find out.”

“Uhh,” Sebastian said. “I’ll have to check later.”

“I am sure he’ll be fine, Harper,” Catherine said. “He’s a tough one and the players get the very best care there is.”

“Dat’s good.” She munched on her granola bar.

Sorry,Sebastian mouthed at Catherine, aware it probably wasn’t the most professional meeting he’d ever held. He was just making a mess of this left and right, wasn’t he?

But Catherine’s expression turned even softer as she looked at his niece. “Harper, did you know I have several granddaughters who are right around your age?”

“Yep,” Harper said. “Connor and Jesse are their daddies. They showed me pictures!”