Ricky Reed stepped forward and said, “Toni, I brought you and your kin some help.”

Toni looked over and her eyes widened at the sight of Bo Novikov. Then Kyle perked up and said, “Mr. Novikov! Are you here to pose for me?”

“No!” Novikov and Toni said simultaneously.

Toni focused on the large hybrid. “What are you doing here?”

“Reed’s idiot brother called me—”

“I do have a name, hoss.”

“—and said you needed help with schedules and organization.”

“But don’t you have practice?”

“Malone canceled it for tonight, which meant my other option was another thrilling dinner with a bunch of never-shutting-up wild dogs.”

“They love you!” Blayne said with a huge grin.

Novikov glanced at his fiancée and back at Toni. “See what I mean?”

“Hi, Toni!” the wolfdog cheered.

“Oh.” Toni frowned. “Hi, um . . .”

The wolfdog’s smile slowly faded. “Blayne. Blayne Thorpe.”

“Uh-huh.”

“We just met this morning?”

“Uh-huh.”

She tried again. “Bo’s fiancée?”

“Oh. Right. Bane.”

“Blayne.”

“Right.” Toni turned back to Novikov. “So you’re here to help?”

“What makes you think you can help us?” Troy asked, sounding particularly snobby. “I mean you’re just a sports guy, right? You’re like Oriana . . . only with skates.”

“Physique wise, though,” Kyle pointed out, “he is perfection.” When everyone stared at him, Kyle added, “Perfect for a sculptor like me.”

“Okay.”

Novikov walked over and stood next to Toni so that he towered in front of the kids. He was like a giant wall.

“What I am, small child I can easily crush with one hand, is the best hockey player in the States. Not one of the best. I’m the best. And I ensure I stay the best with focus, determination, and a willingness to destroy anyone who tries to get my puck. What ensures that I stay on point with all that I have to do in a day is maintaining my schedule and organizing my life. That’s my fiancée, Blayne.” He pointed over at Blayne, but she was still staring at Toni. “She’s all over the place. Schedules mean nothing to her. She writes lists but she doesn’t follow them. That’s probably why she’s a plumber.”

That’s when he had Blayne’s full attention. “I like being a plumber.”

“But you’re not the best plumber.”

“I’m one of the best plumbers in the Manhattan area.”

He looked back at Paul’s children.“One of the best,” he repeated. “See what I mean?”

“But you can help us, right?” Kyle asked.

“I will help you. It’s the least I can do for your sister.”

“For Toni?” Troy briefly studied his sister. “What do you owe her?”

“I’m the best in the States. And she’s going to help me get to Russia to prove that I’m the best in the world.” He looked at Toni and, for the first time since walking into their home, the hybrid smiled. It didn’t make him look any more approachable or nicer but it still helped . . . a little. “Right, Toni?”

Toni swallowed and, with a sigh, nodded her head. “Yeah. That’s right.”

“Then you better get going.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Toni asked. “They’re really horrible children.”

“Where’s the loyalty?” Kyle demanded.

“They’re not horrible,” Novikov corrected. “They’re just determined. I understand determined. I can handle determined. What I can’t handle is telling me my wedding will start around three o’clock.”

“Are you still bringing that up?” Blayne snarled.

“Yes!”

“You’ll need a new dry-erase board,” Toni pointed out.

“I don’t like dry-erase boards.” He looked at the kids. “Can anyone tell me why?”

Kyle raised his hand and when Novikov pointed at him, he answered, “Because they can be erased?”

“Exactly. There’s no permanence. But I saw an office supply store a few blocks away. Let’s go get those giant Post-it notes that we can stick to the walls. Actually, let’s get an array of sizes of Post-its. In different colors. And multicolor permanent markers. Permanent. Not erasable. That way we can color-code things permanently. I like color-coding.” He pointed at the twins, Freddy, and Dennis. “These very small ones will stay here. I won’t be responsible for their safety. But I’ll take these three with me.” He pointed at Oriana, Kyle, and Troy. “I can tell they’ll be the most trouble during this process.” Yet that didn’t seem to bother him.

“Can I come?” Blayne asked.

“No. You’ll wander the aisles and want to buy things that aren’t needed for this process. But I will pick you up a couple of those giant Butterfingers that they sell at the cash register.”

Blayne grinned. “Okay!”

“You three,” Novikov ordered. “Let’s go.”

And for the first time Paul could think of, his three middle children got to their feet and followed after someone without question. It boggled his mind.