Page 31 of Hot for the Hockey Player
Brenda extended her bony hand, and I shook it.“Nice to meet you, Brenda.”
The woman’s smile was brittle and her pale, gray eyes held little warmth.
“And Karen Ribko.She owns Seaside Gifts, a wonderful little giftshop down near the ferry terminal,” Jolene went on.
I shook Karen’s hand as well.There was a bit more light in her brown eyes, and her smile seemed far more genuine than Brenda’s, but both women still held a wariness toward me that I couldn’t quite shake.
“How do you know the Campbells?”Brenda asked, her tone cold, suspicious.
“Old family friends,” I said, choosing my words carefully now that I knew what these three women were all about.
“Where’d you meet them?”Jolene asked.
“I was a h—”
“I’ve got things to do, and I’m sure this young man does too,” Hugh said, cutting me off.“You ladies can make an appointment with Maverick’s assistant for a time better suited for everyone to continue your interview.Now, if you’ll excuse us.”He swept his arms out wide, to shepherd the protesting biddies toward the door.A smirk over his shoulder eased the tension building inside of me.
“This is rather rude, Hugh,” Jolene complained, before glancing at me with hope in her eyes.Like I might stand up to Hugh for her.“The Campbells—well, all the winery women, really—are so secretive.Nobody knows much about them and they’ve been on the island for a few years now.So any little bit of information about them is well … very much appreciated.”Her friends nodded in agreement.
Hugh opened the door.“Jolene … out.”
Like a pissed off hen, she shook her whole body, feathers sufficiently ruffled.“I’m going to tell Vernon about this.”
“You give your husband my regards,” Hugh said, without missing a beat.“He and I are long overdue for a game of cribbage anyway.”He practically threw them out the door, then closed it—and locked it—against the heavy wind.His eyes went wide.“Donottell them anything.”
“I’m learning that.Thanks.”
Nodding, he joined me back at the table.“You know, Jolene knew about my daughter’s engagement before I did?She saw a bag from a jeweler in Seattle on the front seat of mynowson-in-law’s car.He was coming to the island to ask for my blessing and wanted to show me the ring, get my opinion.He stopped off at the distillery here to buy me a bottle of my favorite whiskey, and Jolene knew who he was.The whole damn island knew before poor Luke had a chance to even ask me.”He shook his head, though it seemed like there was more irritation than sadness in his eyes.“You need to be really careful with that one.All three of them, really.Brenda Pickford is a miserable woman.Loves to make people as unhappy as she is.And Karen is dumb as hell.Woman barely has two workin‘ brain cells to rub together.”He shook his head and headed back toward the bench where our mugs sat.
I snorted in mirth and followed him.“I’ll be sure to steer clear of all three of them then.Thanks for the heads up.”
He grunted.“They know where you’re stayin‘.You won’t be able to avoid them.Not really.”I followed his lead and started to clean up our workstation, taking our leftover clay to a bag with a bunch of random clay balls in it, and the tools to his big industrial sink.“Just don’t tell them anything you don’t want to become public knowledge.”
“Roger that.I guess that’s one of the downsides to living in a small town, huh?Everyone knows everyone’s business.”
“It can happen.”He cleared his throat.“I usually know what’s goin‘ on around here … difference is, I don’t go tellin‘ folks.And I don’t go speculatin‘ about whatmightbe true.Jolene makes shit up when she doesn’t know for sure.”His gaze slid sideways toward me, a cunning, curious glint in his eyes.“Howdoyou know the Campbells?”
Smirking, I pumped some soap into my palms and cleaned off the mud.“I lived with them for three years in Spokane when I was a hockey player living out of state.The kids were just little.Gabrielle was in school full time, and while I know her aunt helped her out a lot financially, she wantedsomeincome of her own.So she rented out her spare room to me.I played for the Chiefs from age fifteen to eighteen.”
He nodded.“Gotcha.So you’re just here catchin‘ up with found family.”
“Something like that, yeah.The kids are older, and while it’s been a while since I saw them, we all still have that connection.They were all a big part of my life for a while.Hard to just …forgetpeople like that.”
Hugh hummed in response.“It certainly is.”
We finished tidying up.
“I’d love to do another lesson with you,” I said, glancing at my watch.“Either one-on-one again, or in a group setting.Whatever is available.”
He grunted again.“Don’t really run classes in the winter.Did this for you special.”
“Oh!”I didn’t realize our private lesson wasn’t something he did normally.Heat filled my cheeks, and I shoved my hands into my pockets.“I …”
“Didn’t say I wouldn’t do it again.I enjoyed today, kid.You’re easy company.Come by for a couple of hours next week.You can paint your mug, and we can maybe make your mama a matching bowl.Sound good?”His mouth tipped up into a half-smirk, and a flush of red crept up from beneath his red flannel to his forehead.Almost like he was embarrassed to be asking me back.
“I would love that, Hugh.Thank you so much.Do I Venmo you for today?Credit card?Cash?”
“Cash is good.Can keep it off the books.The less taxes and credit card company fees I have to pay, the better.”
