Page 8 of Soulmates and Slapshots
“Well,” I say. “I’m sure I’ll see you around town. And you should come to one of our games.”
She smiles, and for a second the small-town street seems to fade away. “I will. Nice meeting you, Weston.”
“And you, Fiona.”
She turns and takes off down the road while I stand in the same spot.What am I doing?Why can’t I stop staring? I flip around and head back in the opposite direction. Needless to say, meeting Fiona was a pleasant surprise, and hopefully I’ll run into her again while she’s visiting Maple Falls.
There are plenty of dining options in town—cafés, a pizza place, and more. But Shirley May’s Diner has been at the top of my list since I arrived. Is there anything better than diner food? All-day breakfast, burgers and fries, homemade milkshakes. I’ll take it all. I think I’ve earned it—especially after the unexpected internet dance I performed earlier.
As soon as I walk inside, the scents of burgers and grease fill the air. I instantly feel right at home, and I’m pretty sure this will be a regular spot for me moving forward.
“Welcome to Shirley May’s,” a woman calls, waving me inside. “Sit anywhere you’d like.”
I slide into one of the open booths and scan the menu. It doesn’t take long to decide on a classic cheeseburger and fries.
“You’re new here,” the server says as she approaches with a coffee pot.
“Yes,” I reply. “I’m Weston Smith, I play?—”
“You’re one of the new hockey players. I figured that,” she interrupts. “It’s not hard to guess.”
I laugh. “Hopefully that’s a good thing.”
“It sure is. We’re very glad to have you in our town,” she adds. “I’m Shirley May.”
“Well, thank you,” I say. “I’m happy to be here.”
“What can I get you?” she asks. I give her my order, and then she hurries away.
I settle into the bench and scroll through my tentative schedule for the next few months. Besides practices and the start of the season, we have a team inaugural bash, meet and greet events, and Maple Fest, which is the town’s seasonal festival. Through it all the Ice Breakers are going to be front and center. I’m really looking forward to that because I’ve always enjoyed interacting with the fans and meeting people. And since Maple Falls will be my home for the foreseeable future, it’ll be nice to make some connections.
The diner isn’t too busy, aside from a few people at the counter chatting with a server named Peggy, according to her name tag.
“He’s just some corporate guy who already has billions in the bank. Now he’s claiming all this land belongs to him because he’s the long-lost heir to the MacDonald property,” one of the customers exclaims. “Those types always think they are entitled to anything and everything they want.”
“There’s no way he will get away with it,” Peggy says doubtfully.
“I don’t know, but what happens if he does?” the woman says in a loud whisper. If she’s trying to be quiet, she’s failing miserably. “How can we stop some entitled uptight city guy from turning our precious town into a tourist trap? We already get enough traffic this time of year. But at least those people truly care about Maple Falls.”
I’m not usually someone who pays attention to gossip,but I’ve heard bits and pieces about this situation. It affects a lot of the land, several buildings and businesses, including the arena where our team plays. Because of this, the Ice Breakers organization has been recruited to join and help in any way possible.
I continue to scroll on my phone while I eavesdrop on the conversation.
“I wonder when he’s going to show his face here,” Shirley May chimes in. “I hope he’s not expecting us to roll out the red carpet for him because he says he’s a MacDonald.”
“What’s his first name again?” the shorter woman asks. “I’ll have my nephew gather every bit of information he can find about him on the internet. You know all these young people are computer geniuses.”
“Here you go, honey,” Shirley May says. She places the plate in front of me, and my mouth immediately begins to water. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”
“I don’t think so, thanks.”
“Of course. Anything for one of our new town celebrities.”
I grin. “I don’t know about that, but I appreciate it.”
“Save room for a piece of pie—on the house,” she whispers. “Just don’t tell anyone else.”
“I would love a piece of pie, but I’ll purchase it like all your customers.”
