Page 40 of Hotshot
“You could sue.”
“Sue my dad?” I scoffed. “Yeah, I don’t think so. I’m a Cunningham. I doubt I’d win that lawsuit. It would have resulted in a lot of extra publicity…in addition to the billboards. Great for Dad’s wallet, not mine. The whole thing pissed me off. I broke up with Seth, gave my dad my resignation, and took a job mucking out stalls at a neighboring stable for a few months while I figured out what I wanted to do next.”
“Work with horses?”
“Yep. One of the owners had a group of kids with Down syndrome who’d come by once a week to ride. They were teenagers with big personalities, and their outlook on life was so pure. They were in awe of the animals, the color of the sky, the crest of the trails. Every day was an adventure, a chance to learn something new.”
“That’s cool.”
I nodded. “I was hooked. I got my certificate so I could help out, and went back to school for a masters in psychology and counseling. I’d just gone out on my own when Dad got sick.”
“I read about that. I’m sorry. Heart attack?”
“And cancer. His mind is sharp, but he’s weak and frail.” I cleared my throat and looked away briefly. “I agreed to help, ’cause even though he pisses me off, he’s still my dad.”
“That’s cool. I admire that.”
“He also offered me a lot of money, so don’t be too impressed.”
Denny raised a brow. “Hmm. Sounds like you’re trying to get me to do the ad you didn’t want to do.”
“I was tricked. That’s different. I’m not tricking you. I’m being up front and honest. I need your help, I need your name. No BS here. I need to make the mill sound sexy to the Four Forest area and?—”
“News flash, no one thinks a lumber mill is sexy, Hank. And no one in Elmwood will like you if the only thing you talk about is the mill,” he interrupted.
“Hey! I’m very likable…once you get to know me.”
Denny smirked. “I’m sure you are, but the least likable thing about you is your connection to the mill. I did some homework, and your mill is the first corporate entity in the Four Forest area. Everyone is pretty pissed at the former owners.”
“Why?”
“The Larsons pulled a fast one on the city council by not disclosing that they’d taken on a silent partner. They sold a piece of Wood Hollow to your dad three years ago and finalized the deal six months ago, which coincided with a contract for a new housing development.”
“That’s business.”
“Maybe to you, but in my town, your family are opportunists who pose a danger to an insular community that’s used to doing business with handshakes over a beer at the inn.”
“Well, I?—”
“And the fancy house in Elmwood is another problem,” he continued, clearly on a roll. “The only other folks who live on the outskirts of town are Vinnie Kiminski and Nolan Moore. They’re both natives and Vinnie’s famous NHL royalty too, so they get away with it. Plus, they’re super active in the community. Vinnie runs Elmwood Rink and the juniors camp. And Nolan runsElmwood Diner with JC Bouchard, who’s married to another NHL legend, Riley Thoreau.”
“So you’re saying we’ll have to get married,” I deadpanned.
“I’m saying that based onmyresearch, you’re an outsider who’s labeled an enemy. Your image problem is epic. Honestly, I’m not sure how to justify hanging out with you.”
“That hurts.”
“Sorry, but I’m keeping it real.” Denny uncrossed his legs and sat back on the sofa.
“You haven’t kicked me out yet…so that must be a good sign.”
“Yeah, well…it was a pretty fucking awesome blowjob.”
My grin probably had a feral glint, but after a barrage of negative feedback, I was thirsty for praise. “Good. I had my doubts, but this might work out after all.”
He uncapped his bottle and took a sip. “Maybe, but it doesn’t make sense that we’d suddenly be friends. We don’t have anything in common.”
“I like hockey, and you play it,” I offered.