Page 10 of Hutch (Minnesota Raptors #2)

Hutch

I can’t believe it. We won. And I made the game winning goal.

Coach is smiling so hard, I think his face is going to break.

It took us a while to get cleaned up and then through all the interviews.

I had scouts from three different teams come into the locker room to talk to me.

None of them were the Raptors though. It was the only negative about tonight’s game.

The owner was here, but he didn’t come by.

Maybe I wasn’t what he wanted. But I’m not going to let it bring me down at least for tonight.

I know I have a good chance of someone offering me a spot somewhere if I can keep up my winning streak and my time doesn’t fall behind again.

And that’s due to Daisy. Sure, it’s all about superstition, but athletes live and die by superstition. It’s the way it works. If you’re not a sports fan, you’ll laugh. Those of us in the know, well, we know.

I still can’t believe she came. I figured she’d be sound asleep under her blankets or coughing up a lung.

She really didn’t feel good and her fever was pretty high too.

Hopefully, the cold meds I bought her helped.

She looked bundled up appropriately tonight.

I’m guessing Jenny and Christa made sure of that.

And don’t think I didn’t see my mom sitting next to her at one point.

I knew she’d come snooping. I’m glad, though.

It’ll make it easier for me to convince Daisy to go to Sunday dinner.

Maybe not this week or next week, but within the month.

Or Mom will come snooping on campus with food in hand.

The guys will love it since it’s a home cooked meal, but me, not so much.

I love Mom, but she’ll be all up in my business when I have no business to report.

She’ll ask a bazillion questions about Daisy, questions I don’t have the answers to. Yet.

Yet being the key word.

Mom texted that she and the girls were waiting in the family room and that’s where I head as soon as Coach declares the interviews over.

There’s this burning need centered in my gut that rushes me to check on Daisy.

She honestly shouldn’t be here in the cold when she’s so sick, but I’m glad she came.

“Dude, you killed it out there tonight.” Dylan slaps my back as he falls into step beside me. Jenny is waiting upstairs as well.

“Thanks. I was worried since my time’s been off.”

“It wasn’t tonight. I think you were faster than even last season. Fast and deadly. Any team is going to be lucky to pick you up.”

“You did good yourself.”

“Yeah, I hope so.”

“Dude, you did! I don’t think Parsons got a single hit on any of us tonight because of you. You made up your mind about what you plan on doing? Scouts were out and about tonight.”

“No, not yet. Part of me wants to try, but I don’t know if I’m good enough for the pros. High school and college hockey isn’t the same as the NHL.”

“You’ll never know if you don’t try.”

“True.” He frowns, a heavy sigh leaving him. “I just worry, you know? If I let myself want it and then it doesn’t happen…not sure what that would do to me.”

“I get it, but if you let fear hold you back, then that’s a regret that’ll hang over you the rest of your life.

The what if factor as my mom calls it. She told me once that if I lived with that kind of regret, it could ruin me later.

So I just go for what I want and if it doesn’t work, then at least I tried. ”

“Maybe,” he says.

“Think about it, yeah?” I tell him as we board the elevator that’ll take us upstairs to the family room.

“But make sure to let Coach know so he can let the scouts know. We had scouts from several teams tonight. I bet if he calls them to let them know you’re interested in the NHL, they’ll remember you. ”

“Yeah, I’ll think about it.”

Dylan’s a great player. I hope he figures out what he wants. He’d be a solid player for any team.

My mind shifts away from Dylan when we reach the fourth floor of the facility where the family room is located. Daisy will be waiting.

I see her mane of red hair the second I enter the room.

She’s the only redhead in the room and her nose is just as red.

Her cold meds might be starting to wear off.

Did she bring more with her or did she leave them in her room?

I bet she didn’t know how long a hockey game was let alone all the interviews we give afterward.

She sneezes just as I reach her and my frown deepens. Krista should have taken her straight home. It seems everyone else thinks so too as most of the room’s occupants are on the other side far away from Daisy.

“Hey.”

She looks up and the first thing I notice is her eyes are watery. She turns away as another round of sneezing hits her. The girl should be in her bed where she can be miserable in private.

“Come on, I’m taking you home. Mom, I’ll see you later. Thanks for bringing her, Christa.”

Not giving her a second to even say anything, I take her hand and lead her out of the room and back towards the elevators. Everyone moves out of the way not wanting to get sick themselves.

She turns her head into her coat and coughs as we get on the elevator and I push the button to go down.

“You should have stayed home.” I feel horrible for pushing her to come tonight.

“It’s fine.”

She sounds hoarse, like it’s moving into her chest. She’s never going to forgive me if she develops a nasty chest infection. I’m not sure I’d forgive me either.

“Yeah, no.” We step off the elevator and I look left and right before grabbing her hand and running for the back doors.

There are reporters and bunnies near the main entrance.

Most of us use these doors since no one but staff and athletes are allowed back here.

Hopefully none of the reporters will try to follow us to my Jeep.

Once I have her settled into the passenger seat, I climb in and call the smaller pub where I know most of the team won’t be. The place makes a good burger and fries. I’m starved. They have soup too.

“Do you like broccoli cheddar or potato soup?”

She shrugs and leans her head against the window.

“Give me an order of both and a two liter of Mountain Dew. You good with that?”

She makes a face. “It’s too sweet.”

“What kind of soda do you drink?”

“Dr. Pepper, cherry doctor pepper if they have it.”

“Isn’t that sweeter than the Dew?”

“Nope.”

“If you say so.” I finish the order and tell them I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

“Should you be eating all that junk?”

“We always fill up on protein and carbs after a game. Burgers and fries are fine.”

She gives me a look like she knows I’m lying, but she doesn’t push it.

Truth is, I usually eat several burgers and two or three orders of fries after a game.

Since that run in with Shaw when he gave us shit for our diets, I’ve been eating well.

I’m giving myself one cheat day a week. I’ll survive the uber healthy diet if I can have one cheat day.

Daisy waits in the car when I go in and collect the food order. My phone rings while I’m waiting and of course its Collin.

“Dude, where you at? The ladies are looking fine.”

“I’m picking up food for me and Daisy. She’s sick.”

“Daisy…the one you helped get a room over at the athlete’s house?”

“One and the same.”

He makes a hmming sound. “She was at the game?”

“Yeah. She looked miserable so I didn’t want to pull her into a party or anything. She needs her bed, man.”

“You need to introduce me to this girl. First thing when we have class.”

I thank the cashier and head back towards my Jeep. “First thing,” I promise. “Let me get her back to her place and some medicine into her. She looks ready to drop.”

“You do that. I’ll just enjoy all the lovely ladies by myself tonight.”

“Uh huh. Don’t get too drunk.”

“Dude, I haven’t touched a beer since that talk with Shaw. I’m not about to now. We have to be in top form.”

“You’re not ordering wings and chili cheese fries?”

“Don’t be like that,” he says. “I need a cheat day.”

“I have burgers and fries.” I grin because I know he’s grinning too.

“Bro.”

“Bro.” I hang up the phone and put the bags in the back floorboard, making sure the soup is supported so it doesn’t fall over.

Daisy’s sound asleep and I do my best not to wake her as I drive back to her place.

I’ve gone out with girls before who have been sick.

I called or texted to check on them and then went about my day or night if it was after a big game.

I didn’t feel this burning need to make sure they were safe, comfortable, and taken care of.

I cared that they were sick, but not enough to take that extra step like I am now.

This is a new experience for me. One I should run away from because I can’t afford the distraction, but looking at her, all vulnerable and trusting me enough to fall asleep? I can’t walk away.

It does scare me, but not enough to run.

“Wake up, sleepyhead.” I gently shake her when I cut off the Jeep. “You’re home.”

She blinks and comes awake slowly. She looks around and it takes her a moment to realize where she is. “I…” She breaks off as she’s racked with a coughing fit.

“Come on. Let’s get you inside. You got your keys? I’ll get the food.”

She nods and jumps out, huddled in her coat. It’s still fairly warm outside, only in the fifties, but if she’s running a fever, it won’t matter how warm it is. She’ll be freezing.

She’s nowhere to be seen when I go in behind her. My guess is she fled to the attic. She’s just coming out of the bathroom when I go through her door.

“I have your food.” I hold up the bags.

“And yours,” she says, her tone almost surly.

“And mine,” I agree. “But I can take mine home if you don’t want company. Go get yourself changed into some pjs and I’ll get your food out for you.”