Page 43 of Hutch (Minnesota Raptors #2)

“And when did I become your girl?” I ask. “I don’t remember agreeing to that.”

He smiles impishly. “You are my girl, but I can wait until you’re comfortable with that title before I use it. I’d rather everyone else use it, though. It gives you a layer of protection here on campus. People will watch out for you because they’re loyal to me.”

It’s hard to argue with that logic. He doesn’t give me time to anyway as he ushers me down the steps and into the car. Collin is in the backseat yawning for all he’s worth.

The ride into downtown is quiet with Collin making some weird noises every time his stomach growls. Even Hutch keeps glancing in the mirror at him.

“You good?” he asks as we pull into a parking lot.

Another yawn rips out of him. “Fuck, I’m tired.”

“Did you get drunk last night?” Hutch turns to face his friend, eyes narrowed, the beginnings of anger blooming in his expression.

“Fuck no I didn’t. I’m not that stupid. We start practice on Monday. I’m not slowing my body down for a buzz that lasts a few hours.”

“Then why are you tired?”

“I was up until four. You disappeared and I was the center of attention. It’s amazing how many lovely women want to congratulate you however they can.”

“That is so gross.” I frown and give him my best disgusted expression.

“It’s gross to have beautiful women falling all over you?”

“No, but the way you said that was gross.”

“She’s not wrong,” Hutch says. “It kinda made you sound a little sleezy. Best not to let a reporter hear you say shit like that.”

“I didn’t even think…” He sighs and gets out of the Jeep along with me and Hutch. “I need to learn to filter my mouth better when I’m tired.”

“That’s why you have me.” Hutch punches his shoulder in a big brother sort of way. “I’m not going to let you screw your career before it gets started.”

The two of them are actually cute together and they do give off brother vibes.

“Let’s eat.” Hutch wraps an arm around me and leads me inside one of the smallest places I’ve ever been since coming to Minneapolis.

There are maybe five tables in here and one is reserved in the back.

Hutch apparently called ahead and asked for a table to be reserved.

When we sit down, between Hutch and Collin, their very presence seems to overwhelm the space and makes it look even smaller.

It’s a cute place. Lots of wooden accents among the gray stone makes it feel very Zen.

The table is small, but the seats are roomy and very comfy.

And it’s packed. People are standing everywhere waiting on their orders.

A definite hole in the wall establishment and in my opinion, the absolute best kind.

“Good morning and welcome to the Egg Hop. I’m Amy and I’ll be your waitress this morning.” She hands us menus. “What can I get you to drink to start with?”

“Coffee,” Hutch and Collin both groan out. “Lots and lots of coffee. Just bring us the pot.”

She only nods at Collin’s request. “Miss? What can I get for you?”

“Orange juice will be fine. And a Dr. Pepper if you have it. I’m not big on coffee, but I need my caffeine fix as well.”

Amy smiles. “I’m the same way. I’ll be back in just a few. Let me know if you have any questions.”

“Do you guys have a paper around here?” Hutch asks, seeing several tables flipping through newspapers. I mean, who reads an actual newspaper anymore? It’s odd. I get all my news online.

“I’ll check to see if we have extras on hand.” Amy smiles again and heads toward the door I assume leads to the kitchen.

“This is a small menu,” Collin complains as he looks over the one page menu.

“Flip it over,” Hutch says around a yawn. “There’s more.”

I flip mine over and see the lunch and dinner menu which says served all day. I do not want any of that so I go back to the front which have several options that sound divine.

When Amy comes back a few minutes later, we’re at least ready to order. Both of the guys get steak and eggs along with bacon, sausage, and waffles. How? I know they’re big guys who burn through a lot of calories in a day, but not even Joseph ate like these two do.

“Don’t give us that look, Red.” Collin swallows half his coffee in one go. “Today is our last day of real freedom. We go on a plant based diet in two days. Let me have my eats today.”

“Do you want me to cook for you tonight? We’ll do a big last supper or something.”

“Ohh, yes. Please.”

“I’ll make you tofu tomorrow.”

He grimaces. “That’s disgusting.”

“It’s not. It just has no flavor. You have to give it flavor. It’s one of the few things my nana could eat near the end before she stopped eating at all.”

“What happened to your abeula if you don’t mind my asking.” Collin pours himself more coffee from the carafe.

“She got diagnosed with stomach cancer. It wasn’t fast. She fought for three years before it got the best of her.”

“Cancer sucks. My auntie died from breast cancer a few years back. I’m sorry about your abuela .”

That it does. I hated watching Nana slowly waste away near the end. It broke my heart seeing her suffer and trying to smile through it for me. It was the hardest experience of my life, even more so than the attack from Joe. The pain her death caused eats at me every day.

“Thank you and I’m sorry about your auntie.”

Collin sits back and finally puts his coffee mug down. “Now that I have coffee in me, we need to talk about asswipe.”

“Let’s wait until after breakfast.” Hutch’s voice is firm. “No reason to spoil our appetite by talking about a piece of shit.”

“Like saying asswipe and shit doesn’t affect the appetite?”

They both stare at me like I said the sun was falling out of the sky. But to boys it probably isn’t gross.

“Are y’all nervous for Monday?” I ask to make sure they stay away from the subject of my ex for as long as I can.

Collin grimaces. “Terrified. It’s one thing to play at the college level, but for someone with a Hispanic family tree, it’s almost unheard of. It makes me feel like I have to work twice as hard.”

“That’s horseshit,” Hutch says before I can basically say the same thing.

“You got there on your talent and that’s all that’s going to matter.

You’re going to be a hero to little kids of all ages, ethnicities, and gender.

It’s not going to matter your family came from Mexico.

All that’s going to matter is your performance on the ice. Everything else isn’t important.”

I wouldn’t go that far. It will depend on the Raptors’ marketing department. They might want to play up his family background and the fact he’s Hispanic. I’m not sure what they’d say if Collin isn’t comfortable with it.

“Can I ask a question?”

Both of them nod.

“Both your parents are from Mexico?”

“ Si .”

“Then how did you end up with the name Collin?”

He grins. “The cab driver who delivered me was named Collin. He happened to have a medical degree from a prestigious university in Ireland and was driving a cab while he waited to try and get those credentials transferred. My parents were so grateful to him, they named me after him.”

“Well, there’s a story you might want to share on your social media. Raptors fans will eat it up.”

“Social media savvy are you?”

“Nope, but Lucy is. It’s her major and she tells me tips and tricks all the time.”

“The basketball player friend?” Hutch takes another sip of his coffee and then yawns. “Fuck, I’m tired.”

“Yes, but she doesn’t want to play pro ball.

It’s not worth it. The pay isn’t nearly fair for women.

But then, that’s true of most professional sports and women.

Men always get paid more. She doesn’t want to deal with it.

She plans on opening up her own PR and marketing firm once she gets some experience under her belt. ”

“That’s cool.”

“She’s coming to visit this coming week isn’t she?”

“She’ll be here to play, but we’re definitely going out the night she gets here.”

“I get to meet your former bestie?” Collin grins.

“Still my bestie and yes, you get to meet her. She’s a firecracker, so be forewarned.”

“Firecrackers are my specialty.”

I really want to warn him off Lucy, but she’ll eat him for breakfast so I’ll sit back and watch the show.

“Here we are,” Amy says, interrupting us as she and another server sets our food down. My veggie omelet, hashbrowns, and toast seem small compared to the massive amount of food surrounding the guys.

“Only the best for our new Raptors players,” the guy says and sets down ketchup, butter, and a variety of jelly and butter packets for the toast.

Both Hutch and Collin pause and look up. “That’s already out?”

“In the paper this morning,” Amy confirms and hands over a copy of one of the local papers. “I had no idea until Steve here told me. You boys are front page news.”

“Wow, that was fast,” Hutch mutters.

“You start practice Monday,” I remind him. “I expected it to hit the new last night.”

“Oh, it did,” Steve says with a grin. “My dad called to tell me. Woke me up too, but I didn’t mind. Glad our local boys got a shot and made it.”

“Thanks,” Collin says and reaches for the butter. “We appreciate the support.”

“Thanks guys.” Hutch turns on his fake smile as he calls it. It doesn’t look fake to me, however, and neither does it to the two people beaming at him. And that’s what counts. He might be screaming inside for them to go away so he can deal with this development, but the fans will never know it.

“We’ll leave you to your breakfast.” Amy sets down a second carafe of steaming hot coffee. “Do you need more juice, hon?”

“No, I’m good. Thanks.”

She nods and the two of them head back to the kitchen while Hutch dives into the paper.

I tap the newspaper when three full minutes go by. He looks up.

“Your food is going to get cold. You can read that after you eat. It won’t taste good for much longer.”

He grins sheepishly. “I got caught up for a second.”

“You deserve that moment too, but not until you eat.”

“This one isn’t going to let you buy with anything,” Collin predicts, his mouth full of food.

“You are so gross.”

“You love me anyway.”

Shaking my head, I ignore the two of them and dig into my food. I want to enjoy the meal before we go somewhere and discuss Joe which I know they haven’t forgotten.

I will take this small reprieve even if it only lasts for a short time.

And enjoy the really good food.