Page 32 of Hutch (Minnesota Raptors #2)

Hutch

“Jonathan, be still.”

My mother is stirring whatever is in the pot and acting as if everything is normal.

Nothing is normal. A top sports agent is about to come into our home and possibly represent me and Collin.

It’s going to change our lives for the better.

For all of us, including Mom because I’ll be able to afford to move her into a better neighborhood.

“Mama Kat.” Collin comes in through the kitchen door. “Smells good.”

“Everything smells good to you.” She smiles and turns the burner down to simmer.

“No, not everything. Migi tried to cook last week and it was inedible. We’re still smelling it at the house.”

“When’s this guy getting here?” I glance around the kitchen, noticing how small it really is. Me and Collin take up a lot of space, leaving little for Mom’s boyfriend.

“I asked him to stay home.”

“Why?” Collin and I both ask together, the suspicion plain in our voices.

“Because this is a big night for my boys. I don’t want you distracted by meeting Thomas. The only thing you should be doing is talking to this agent. What’s his name by the way?”

“Her.”

Mom’s eyebrows shoot up at that.

“You chose a female agent?”

“She seemed the best fit.”

“Hmmm….” Mom glances from one to the other. “Is that the only reason? I assumed you’d both pick a man.”

“Coach gave us three names. One I didn’t like.

The one I did like, he joined an agency that has been in the news for all the wrong reasons and Gretchen owns her own agency with good reviews.

She only handles hockey players from what I can see and I know all the names.

They got good deals. She seemed the best fit.

And she personally knows Coach. He volunteered to pick her up from the airport.

He did say to tell you thank you for providing the home cooked meal.

His wife is taking care of her sick aunt or something. ”

“Anything for my kids.” Mom gives us a warm smile. “I need to go change. Jonathan, you’re in charge of making sure the rolls don’t burn. Collin, don’t let him forget them.”

“You can count on me.”

She laughs and goes upstairs.

“Coach just texted.” Collin turns serious. “He’ll be here in a few minutes. Are we sure this is who we want?”

“You tell me. You looked at everyone’s websites and Googled them same as me.”

“She specializes in hockey players.”

“Or she just can’t get any big time clients from the NFL, NBA, or the MLB.”

He frowns. “I didn’t think about that.”

“I didn’t until just now either.”

“Let’s not get lost in the weeds. She specializes. It said so on her website.”

“And her clients got good deals,” I remind him as much as I do myself. I’m already second guessing my choice, but I force my doubts aside. I can’t prejudge her ability just because she’s a woman in a predominately male profession.

Collin nods and checks the rolls. He loves Mom’s rolls. I saw him eat an entire pan of them over the summer. She makes her own honey butter and he growls anytime someone tries to move the container away from him. I hope he doesn’t do that with Gretchen.

“Coach knows people, right? I mean he used to play in the NHL so we trust his judgment when it comes to agents don’t we?” Collin sounds as worried and second guessy as I am right now.

“We trust Coach. He wouldn’t steer us wrong.

” I keep telling myself that at least. I wish Daisy was here, but she got called in to work.

I told her I’d come pick her up after her shift.

I don’t want her anywhere by herself. She promptly said she could drive herself and I agreed, but I told her I was showing up anyway and I’d just follow her home to make sure she made it safely.

Girl actually rolled her eyes at me. But she agreed to let me drop her off and pick her up.

Win for me. I have some of the guys keeping eyes on her and they agreed to eat at where she works instead of at the place we normally eat.

The team takes care of its own. Daisy is mine and therefore, the team looks out for her.

“How’s our girl?” Collin asks.

“Working.”

“Was it a good idea for her to work as upset as she is?”

“You want to tell her she needs to stay home?”

His eyes widened. “Uh, no. No, I don’t.”

Collin’s look of horror sums it up nicely. Daisy might be upset and vulnerable right now, but she’s still a firecracker who will tell you off in a heartbeat.

There’s a knock at the door and we both go still. They’re here. Our lives are about to change forever. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes, say a prayer and then go answer the door.

Coach is standing beside a woman in her early thirties. She’s got brown hair that’s put in some kind of messy bun and she’s wearing jeans and a nice blouse. I kinda expected a business suit honestly. And killer heals.

“Sorry about the clothes. I came straight from the airport and flew in from California. I tend to dress comfortable when I’m on long flights.”

“Oh, no worries.” I step aside so they can enter, berating myself for letting my feelings show in my expression. I don’t want to offend her before I even say a single word to her.

Coach glares as she moves in front of him and I look down, embarrassed. He went through a lot of trouble for me. I need to get it together.

Mom comes down the stairs, dressed in one of her nicer dresses with her hair brushed out and light makeup on.

Mom’s in her forties, but she’s still a looker.

Like Daisy, I don’t think she’s aware of how beautiful she is, which makes her inner beauty shine out.

This new boyfriend better understand what a catch Mom is.

Collin and I will make him understand if he doesn’t.

“Hello.” Mom smiles warmly at our guests and shakes their hands. “Nice to see you again, David.”

“You too, Kathleen. Allow me to introduce you to Gretchen Morris. She flew out from LA to meet our boys. Gretchen, this is Kathleen Hutchinson, Jonathan Hutchinson, and Collin Mendoza.”

This time I remember my manners and shake her hand, earning a nod of approval from Coach.

“Nice to meet you,” I say. “Thanks for coming all the way out here.”

Coach sniffs. “Is that your pot roast, Kat?”

Mom laughs. “I know it’s your favorite.”

Coach and his wife have joined us for dinner several times over the last few years. His wife and Mom are good friends.

“Gretchen, you are going to love Kathleen’s pot roast. It’s better than my mother’s.”

“High praise,” she says softly, looking around as we walk into the living room. “I ate your mom’s pot roast on more than a few Sundays.”

Collin and I exchange a look. Coach must be really good friends with her.

Gretchen caught the look. “I grew up next door to David and his wife. My dad was away a lot and I stayed with them more often than not. They became Uncle David and Aunt Molly to me.”

Wow. No wonder he recommended her. Nepotism isn’t a bad thing as long as she’s good at what she does.

“I’m sure you three want a chance to talk. Dinner won’t be ready for a good hour, so feel free to use the living room to talk. I’ll make myself busy finishing dinner.”

Of course Mom would move it along. She knows how nervous me and Collin are. I guarantee we could eat dinner as soon as the rolls come out of the oven, but she’s making sure we get the hard part done so we can actually enjoy dinner.

“The rolls…” Collin looks toward the stove.

“They’ll be in the warmer.”

“Can I steal one while we talk? My stomach is hangry.”

Mom laughs. “As soon as they come out, I’ll bring you one.”

“With the honey butter?” he asks hopefully.

Shaking her head, she turns back toward the kitchen. “I’ll bring out rolls and butter for all of you and make more for dinner.”

Collin and Coach grin like Cheshire Cats.

“Don’t mind them. They’re both simps for my mom’s cooking.”

“I might be too by the looks on their faces.” Gretchen smiles. “Uncle David’s mother makes a mean pot roast, though.”

“Kat’s is better,” Coach reaffirms.

“Uncle David, can you get my bag out of the car, please? I left it and it has all the necessary paperwork in it.”

He nods and hurries out of the house while Gretchen takes a seat. Collin and I sit down as well, nerves settling into my stomach.

“I’m sure you guys must be more than a little nervous. It’s got to be exciting, but a little terrifying getting a call from a major NHL team.”

“I sat and didn’t move for a good ten minutes,” I admit. “I was stunned.”

“All of my rookies respond about the same.”

“You handle just hockey players?” I ask, curious. “Why just hockey and not all major sports?”

“Because I know hockey. My dad was a hockey player and I grew up around it.”

“Who’s your dad?” Collin starts to finally pay attention with this news.

“Greg Kline. I use my mother’s name in my business because I don’t want my success built on my dad’s name. I’m telling you who he is because you’re both new players to the NHL and might be a little cautious about hiring a woman to manage your career.”

Yes, yes, we are.

“I know the business and I know how to get what I want from teams. I fight hard and since I grew up around the sport, no one is getting one past me. Teams are little afraid of me because they understand they’re dealing with a hard core agent who won’t walk away from the table until I wring the best deal out of them for my clients. ”

I know who Greg Kline is. He retired for Chicago and was one of the best centers in the NHL during his career. He’s a little bit of a legend.

“Did you play?” Collin asks but then gets distracted when Mom brings out a basket of rolls, a container of honey butter with a butter knife, and four small plates. His stomach growls loudly and Mom ruffles his hair.

“Eat before that monster climbs out and devours us all.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He wastes no time in reaching for a roll.

Mom slaps his hand. “Did you wash your hands?”