Status Updates From Defending Dani (Alaska Bliz...

Nothing had changed but a hug from her big brother always made things seem better anyway.

She was prepared to defend you and she did. Feeling guilty about it makes a mockery out of what she did. She didn't do that to make you suffer; she did it so you and her son would be free.

(brother?) Toli is 5 years older than Sergei. (departed wife) Tanya was three years older than Sergei.

"I wouldn't have thought a blonde could pull off beige, but I would've been wrong!"

"Eventually, you'll probably remarry and ..."

"No. Tatiana was my second wife, and I think two strikes is plenty."

"Two strikes? Did your first wife die too?"

"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."

(Wouldn't it be more of a "ball", if we keep with the baseball/softball analogy?)

only a handful of people ever get to represent their country in the Olympics. ... It's a dream I'll never fulfill because I'm not willing to sacrifice my professional career for a gold medal.. So you'd be doing it for both of us. Kind of the way I hope I represent you every time I get out on the ice.

Dani = Danielle Cloutier

Sergei Petrov is 33. He had one ex-wife (Maria) & one late wife (Tatiana / Tanya). And one son, Niko(lai).

Dani(elle) won't be 23 until late summer.

So - as he pointed out - there's more than a decade between them.

I read this series out of order. Dani is in a similar situation as Cassie (from “Calling Cassie” later in the series). She’s a 20-something hockey player who’s finishing up college soon and tight on funds.

Sergei - like Logan in the later book - is part of how she finds a way to make a little more money to ease her worries.