Page 158 of Hutch
“I appreciate that.”
More than I can express actually. Knowing these guys have my back when it comes to Daisy means a lot.
Shaw slaps me on the back, a habit of his. I refrain from wincing. My shoulder’s a little sore after the hit I took in the last play of the night, but we kept the other team from scoring.
“Let’s go get you two properly introduced to the team. They’re waiting for us at Barney’s. We go there after a win to have a steak dinner and relax. Invite Daisy if you want.”
“She told me to wake her up when I got home. She’s probably in her pajamas studying or on the phone with Lucy.”
“Then take her some dinner home after you spend some time gellin’ with the team.” Blaine yawns. “I for one am looking forward to my bed. My kids kept me up all night. Stomach virus. Both of them projectile vomiting.”
We all step back from him, horror filling our expressions. Did he just infect us?
“If I take that shit home to Noah, I’m beating your ass.”
“Noah was at the house yesterday playing. If he’s not puking by tonight, I think you’re safe since he was already exposed to it. I texted Cora and warned her last night.”
Shaw mutters but pulls out his phone and starts walking toward the arena’s exit.
“Go on and join your team,” Barry tells us. “I’ll start making some calls and looking into what we can do to help with this Ayers situation. One question, can you send me the photos and copies of the texts and voicemails? I need to understand what we’re dealing with.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll do that first thing when I get home. I have it all saved on my laptop.”
Daisy will kill me, but we need all the help we can get to go against someone who is expected to be a first draft pick in the NFL. Football is king in this country.
Barry nods and waves us off.
My first NFL game is under my belt and I feel hopeful about the asswipe situation for the first time in weeks.
Taking a deep breath, I head toward the parking lot and then go to the restaurant after texting my mom and Daisy.
It’s turned out to be a fucking awesome day.
CHAPTER 38
Daisy
The streetsat least aren’t packed as I drive through what little traffic is out tonight. Everyone is at the game. Lucy is catching me up on things back home and with what’s going on with her out in LA. Her life sounds pretty perfect honestly. But I know better. She’s being way to chit chatty.
“Hutch’s mom is pretty great.”
“Yeah, she’s been very welcoming to me. I like her.”
Lucy moves on to talking about what’s been going on in California. It’s not even substantive stuff, just random things. Which is not like her.
“Spill it,” I say after twenty minutes of her constant talking about anything and everything except what’s bothering her.
“What?”
“Something’s wrong. You don’t go on like this unless you don’t want to talk about something.”
“Like that box at your house?”
“We already talked that subject to death with the cops. I want to know about you. What’s wrong?”
She sighs. “It’s a guy.”
“When isn’t it about a guy?”
