Page 5 of Here and Now
“How long is the clinic?” I ask with resignation. Already knowing I’ll do it anyway.
“Just the whole month of July,” Doug says as though he didn’t just ruin my entire summer.
“Just?”
He nods. “It’s four weeks and only three days a week.”
“Oh, only. And let me guess, it’s some random day in the middle of the week I’m off?”
Doug grins. “Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
Of course. Why make it so that I could go up to the lake house for a long weekend at least? Let’s just ruin it all.
“I’ll call the rink and fix that,” I say.
“You’ll do it?” Ethan asks, nearly vibrating like a tuning fork.
“I’ll help out since your dad is unable to do anything without getting hurt.”
Ethan whoops. “I have to go tell my friends!” Then he runs out of the room, and Eloise enters.
“What is he so happy about?”
Doug looks at his wife with a shit-eating grin. “Your brother is going to do the hockey clinic and keep Ethan out of your hair.”
Eloise’s eyes fill with moisture, and as much as I hate that this is going to be my one month off, seeing her overcome with joy makes it all worth it. “You’re truly the best, Miles Anderson. The best. I’m so lucky to have you as a brother.”
I wave her off. “Yeah, yeah, you can pay me back by hiding your husband’s painkillers.”
She grins. “Deal.”
“Hazel! I need tea! And maybe a scone. Or a cupcake. Hell, give me all of them,” I yell as I enter the doors to Prose & Perk. While I don’t normally bellow, it’s week one of my should-be-at-the-lake-but-I’m-here-instead vacation.
And I have to head to the rink in an hour.
To deal with kids.
Lotsof kids.
“I know you’re not yelling at me.” She pops out from behind the counter, hands on her hips and a scowl mean enough to make my balls shrink up.
“I’m not.”
“Because I’m your only source of caffeine in this town, and I know you wouldn’t want to piss me off.”
I raise both hands. “I wouldn’t dare. I’m eternally sorry.”
She smirks. “Damn right you are.”
Hazel is a constant in my life. She grew up in Ember Falls, like I did, and even though she’s three years younger than me, she was a good friend of mine when we were kids.
“Can I please have some tea with honey, a cupcake, and maybe a name change?” I ask.
“Isn’t today the first day of the hockey clinic?”
“How did you know?”
She shrugs. “I heard around town.”
