I did. Sort of.I left out the more R-rated portions, and once I was done, my sister gave me asympathetic smile.
“What?” I asked.
“Daisy’s shy,Hucky. Like, almost painfully. She probably felt a little embarrassed.”
“She doesn’thave anything to feel embarrassed about,” I breathed out.
“Yeah, but sheprobably does all the same.” She squeezed my arm. “Coffee?”
I nodded. “Yeah,sis, thanks. You want me to make waffles?”
“Does a frogfuck on a lily pad?”
I chuckled andfollowed her into the kitchen.
“Keith calledagain,” she said as I whisked up the batter.
“Why’d he callyou ‘again’?”
“Because you’renot calling him back,” she said.
Keith Cherkowskyhad been my right wing, but he now held my place on the team. He’d been tryingto call me over the past few weeks, but I wasn’t really in the mood to ‘chat.’
“What did youtell him?”
“I told himyou’d call him when you were ready.”
“Thanks.”
“He’s your bestfriend, Hucky. You don’t think he’s hurting too?” she asked.
“Yeah, I get it.But he’s playing. I’m not,” I growled.
“I get that. Youjust need one or two more surgeries, right? Then you’ll be good to go.”
“That’s what thedoctors hope, Lou, but that could take years, and by then, I’ll be out of thegame.”
“Don’t say that.You’ve got time. You’ve also been skating almost every day with the Oregon teamto keep up your chops, so to speak.”
“A few lapsaround a rink doesn’t keep up one’s chops so to speak, LouLou.”
“With how hardyou work, little brother, I highly doubt you’re only doing a few laps around arink,” she countered.
I grunted inresponse, and she squeezed my arm.
“Okay, no moretalk of hockey,” she said with a smile. “Focus on Daisy. You’ve got this.”
As we madebreakfast, I thought about what Louisa had said. My sister had always had aninsight I didn’t, and it was one of the reasons we were so close.
I needed tofigure out a way to let Daisy know she could trust me. With everything. I justhad no idea how to do that.
* * *
Daisy
Mom and I walkedout to the kitchen and Archer made his way over to us with a frown. “Why areyou crying, Daisy?” He glanced at Mom and asked, “Why’s Daisy crying?”
“Did that assholedo something to her?” Cash demanded.
