Hutch
It's been a couple days since I've seen Daisy. She'd been in class, but she sits near the front and I'm in the back. I'm usually up and gone before she turns to go out. Do I want to ignore her? No. But I have to get my game under control. I can't figure out how or why I've lost seconds of my speed. It's pissing me the fuck off.
Dejected, I load my gear into my Jeep and shut the door. Coach keeps eyeballing me during every practice and I know he's disappointed. Scouts are coming to tomorrow's game and I still haven't got this shit figured out.
I wave to several of the guys as they come out of the rink, but since I'm not in the mood to shoot the shit, I quickly get into my Jeep and drive off. What I want to do is go get a burger, fries, and milkshake to drown my sorrows in, but instead I head to the restaurants right outside campus where they serve healthy food. Grilled chicken and steamed veggies for me tonight. Yum.Our diet during the season pretty much sucks. I mean, when I go eat at my mom's, her food is divine and it fits into my diet. How she gets her food to taste so good, I don't know. I can't cook for shit.
Sighing, I turn down the street toward one of my favorite restaurants, Bison's Bar and Grill. They serve good food and will make sure no one bothers me while I try to eat. They're good people.
And who do I see walking down the sidewalk?
Fucking Daisy.
The girl I've basically been running from. She looks a little dejected. I don't like it. I should keep driving, but instead, I find myself pulling over and rolling down the passenger side window.
"Daisy!" I shout to make sure she hears me.
She looks up and frowns. Not the usual reaction I get when I say a woman's name. Hell, half the time I can't remember names. Not because I'm a shitty person, but I simply meet so many people, people who think they know me, I can't remember them all. I don't try to remember those names because all they want is to say they know Hutch, captain of the hockey team and NHL hopeful. They don't take the time to get to know the real me, so why should I waste my time on them?
"You good?"
"Yeah, I guess." She walks over to the door. "Just out trying to find a job. The only places hiring are places I'm not comfortable working."
"Like what?"
"Bars where the women are dressed to make sure they get hands put on them during their shift. No thank you."
I've been in a few places like that. Never went back to the ones I ran across either. Women are to be treated with respect and not like property or goods for sale.
"I'm sorry."
She shrugs. "I have to get going. I still have a few more places to check."
"You eat yet?"
She shakes her head, but keeps backing away.
I don't waste time trying to argue with myself. I roll my window up, get out and lock my doors. We are in downtown Minneapolis. I don't trust leaving all my hockey gear in the back of an unlocked vehicle.
"What are you doing?"
"I was about to go eat so I figured I'd bring you with me. I've had a shit day so you can distract me by telling me about all these places you went looking for work."
"What if I don't want to?"
"You do," I assure her before taking her hand and pulling her along with me.
"I'm not good company right now."
"Neither am I. That's why I want to hear something besides the same thing on repeat in my head."
YOU ARE READING
Hutch
Romance(Minnesota Raptors #2) Liam Hutchinson or Hutch as everyone calls him only has one thing on his mind--getting on a pro NHL team. It's his last year of college and this is his year to score. He's kept his eye on the prize despite the parties, the wom...
