Page 57 of Goalie Interference

His forehead creased and he refused to meet my eyes. “Yes. Sorry, we need to say hello to more people.” He pulled Maria away.

I struggled to stay calm, watching them leave. Maria looked back with a frown.

I needed to get away from this place, immediately. I couldn’t put on a front any longer. I took a step, startled to feel Remy’s arm tighten around me.

He leaned down to whisper in my ear. “What do you want to do now?”

“Leave.”

“Can you survive a few more minutes and say hi to a couple of my teammates?”

I wasn’t sure. “Why?”

“Because people are watching, and I don’t think you want them to know Otts rattled you. And I should ask Cian to talk up the auction if we’re leaving.”

I didn’t like it but obviously Olliehadgotten to me. I pulled in a breath. “Sure. Who should we talk to?”

By the time we said hello to Larry Han and chatted about his guitar, and I’d met Lappy, the young French-Canadian goalie who was nervous and drinking more than he should, I was in control of myself again. I put Ollie and Maria and her kids in a box that I sealed up until I had time alone to open it.

I was ready to start schmoozing with the rich people again when a familiar voice spoke behind me.

“Sophie? Is that really you?”

I turned. “Hello, Dad.”

Could this night get any better?

Chapter 23

You are beautiful

Remy

Sophie was upset by that encounter with Otts. At least he hadn’t seemed too pissed that I was with her, but with everything else going on it might just not be his first priority. Sophie hadn’t told me why Otts with Maria was a problem, but I was putting some things together. Maybe I wasn’t adding up to the right total but I thought I was close.

By the time we’d talked to some of the guys on the team, she looked like she was in control again. Until an older man who seemed vaguely familiar spoke to her. She called him Dad but tensed up, so I didn’t think this was going to be a happy meeting, not after what I’d heard about her relatives.

“Why are you here?” he demanded.

What kind of way was that to greet his daughter?

“I came with Remy. You remember how you offered up the apartment at Cash’s when the Aces needed a place for the guy with a dog? Daniel Rempel, this is Ryder Williams, my dad. And Joanna, his wife.”

Hanny’s eyes widened, so he knew who the man was. Lappy was buzzed and confused. The way Sophie’s dad paused, he expected to be recognized. And with how he spoke to Sophie, I didn’t want to give him that.

“Thank you for arranging that, sir. I appreciate it. I’ve enjoyed seeing Sophie working in the shop below. She fixed Hanny’s guitar and he’s very impressed.”

A look at Hanny, and he followed along. “She did wonderful work. I’ve asked her to do some inlay for me.”

Ryder blinked for a moment before moving into his performance. “Yes, we’re a musical family. Different talents.”

“I hope I get to meet her brother sometime. I’ve heard of his band, but I guess now he works with a lot of important artists and that must be fascinating.” I never talked this much. But Sophie was no longer wilting beside me.

“Well, with Cash the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

Hanny almost spoke but bit his lip.

Lappy broke in. “Apple tree? You are de tree? Le Papa est l’arbre?” He shook his head. “English is hard.” Then he wandered off.

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