Page 83 of Goalie Interference

I’d already said too much, but I really wanted this guy to knowhowgood his sister was. Not sure why he was so clueless, but Sophie deserved some recognition, especially from her family. “Diane is retiring.”

“Wow. String Theory is an institution around here. What’s going to happen to it? Is she…oh. Oh fuck.” The dots were lining up for the guy, finally. “Damn it, Sophie must be really good.”

I crossed my arms. “Here’s what I don’t get. I get along with my parents. They’re older, never been into sports, so I understand why they don’t know much about my hockey career.” Maybe if I’d been more successful, they might have, but this wasn’t about me. “But your family—music is your thing. Maybe you didn’t want to work with family, in case things got messy, but you don’t even know what she’s doing. Is it because she’s a woman?”

Cash sat forward, charm gone, eyes narrowed at me. “You think I really believe women can’t do anything?”

“I dunno. But you don’t value Sophie much, and other people do.”

He ran his hands over his face. “Fuck. You’re right. We’ve just…” He sighed. “My dad is all about success. He hit it big, and he pushed us into music from the beginning. Sophie wasn’t a performer. She can sing and play, but she doesn’t have that spark, you know?”

I didn’t, but Cash kept going.

“I was pissed that Dad dropped her from everything after that. I didn’t like a lot of the shit he pulled, so when I was old enough I went my own road. Put together a band, started doing the rounds, and then we hit it big too.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard of you.”

“The band split up and I got into producing, and I’ve been busy with my own shit. I just assumed Sophie wasn’t doing much.”

“Why?” I really, really didn’t get how he could know his sister and think she was just…what? Fixing an occasional guitar and watching YouTube videos?

“Because I’m an idiot? And…wait, I remember. When she decided to do the luthier program. Conrad, the guy who works with our equipment, said she wasn’t good enough to handle the expensive guitars.”

I drew in a sharp breath.What an ass.“Diane thought she was.”

Cash closed his eyes. “I’m so stupid. But why would Conrad say that if it wasn’t true?”

“He’s a misogynist? Was afraid he might lose you as clients?” Maybe she hadn’t been good at what she did back then, but if she hadn’t gotten any training yet, it was too early to write her off.

“Fuck. Probably. He’s a bitter old bugger, but good with instruments.”

“Like I said, I don’t know anything about guitars. But Diane is impressed with Sophie. And the guitar she’s making looks good to me.”

“You’ve seen it?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it in her shop?”

“It’s at Diane’s.”

He sat up. “I want to see what she’s doing.”

“You should talk to her, then.”

He sighed. “Think she’s still pissed now?”

Pretty sad if he thought I knew more than he did. “Go talk to her if you want. I’ll clean up.”

He met my eyes. “I’m glad you said something.”

He might be, but Sophie wasn’t. I hoped Cash followed through so something good came out of this. I didn’t like the idea that whatever was building between Sophie and me was ended by my mistake.

Cash didn’t say much as we cleaned up the kitchen, putting leftovers in the fridge and wiping down the counters. I said good night, and Beast and I returned to the carriage house. I’d hoped tonight was going to be a lot different. That maybe it was a date, and Sophie and I might end up in bed again. Just as well that Cash was there, because I might have embarrassed myself in a different way if it’d been just the two of us.

Chapter 31

The really hot stuff

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