Hating the Rookie: Laketown Hockey Series Read online

  The spatula stung the back of my hand as I reached for another one. “Ouch,” I smiled and pretended to massage the spot where she’d whacked me.

  “Apology accepted. Although I understand that being home is tough for you. I want to apologize for not telling you that Brodie was helping us out.”

  I shrugged. “It’s okay.”

  “It’s not.” My mom said. “Listen. sweetie. You two were thick as thieves, and Stan and I both knew that there was a little high school romance going on between you two. Then suddenly, he stopped coming over after school. It didn’t take a rocket scientist, or a flaky parent to know that something happened there.”

  I didn’t want to lie to my mom. “There was an incident at school, nothing too major...” That part was a bit of a white lie, it was major to me, “and we just ended up on opposite sides of the issue.”

  “Do you want to talk about that issue?” Mom flicked off the burner and set the stack of pancakes on the table.

  “No, it was years ago now.” I opened the fridge, knowing that Mom would have a bowl of wild blueberries, and I wasn’t disappointed. I set the bowl on the table along with the jar of freshly squeezed orange juice. “Brodie and I talked about all this yesterday. Everything is fine.”

  My mom took a deep breath and then inhaled deeply. “Oh, Baby C. That makes me so happy. Kids can be so dumb when they’re in high school. I’m glad you two sorted it out.” She brushed her hands on her apron and leaned out the screen door to call for my dad.

  I popped a blueberry in my mouth and groaned as it burst its sweet tangy nectar onto my tongue. “Are these from the island?”

  “Where else?” Mom smiled. “Maybe you could get some more today?”

  “I’d love to.”

  The screen door slammed as my dad stepped into the cabin, his hair wet.

  “Were you swimming already this morning?” I laughed, but then immediately wondered if there were more issues with the waterline.

  “I wanted to get the rowboat in the water for you, so you could practice. Let’s say I forgot to put in a critical piece.”

  “The plug?” I smiled.

  “You got it.” He pulled out a chair, nudging Buddy from his prime begging position. The rowboat was a relic, but it was better than nothing. And, it wasn’t the first time that my dad had put it in the water without securing the plug.

  “I’m surprised it’s not at the bottom of the bay,” I slathered my stack of pancakes and blueberries with syrup.

  “It almost made it.” Dad laughed.

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  “No problem.” My dad put jam on his pancakes like a weirdo. “No, Dad. I mean it. Thank you for everything. I wasn’t myself yesterday.”

  “I know, Bree.” My dad’s eyes were warm, and I knew that I didn’t need to say anything else.

  “Mom asked me to get some more blueberries. Is there anything on your list that I can help out with today?” After yesterday, I wanted to make my parents’ lives easier, not harder.

  “Hmmm.” My dad rubbed his chin. “We’re getting a delivery of compost for your mom’s garden. Could you help me with that?”

  As a kid, I hated it when the ‘compost’ arrived. Sometimes it was compost, but most of the time it was a load of stinky manure from the farmer down the street. “I’d love to.” I smiled. Horse shit or not, helping out at Casper Cove was exactly what and where I wanted to be.

  I could stomach Brodie for the summer if it meant it would make life easier for these two beautiful human beings.

  “The pancakes are a little different,” I said, as I scraped the last morsel off my plate.

  “Quinoa,” Mom smiled.

  “But they’re good.” I winked as I popped the last bite into my mouth.

  “Better than the tiger nut flour ones,” Dad said and patted his flat belly. “Bonnie, is there any more coffee?”

  “On the stove there.” She nodded to the vintage Pyrex percolator.

  “Want some?” my dad asked.

  “No thanks, I still don’t drink the stuff.” I smiled, but I will put some water on for tea.” And just like that, after two years of being away, we slipped back into the Corbett family I remembered.

  Seven-thirty came and went and the three of us remained at the breakfast table, talking and clutching our mugs even though the liquid had long gone cold.

  “What’s going on in Buckwheat Bay?” I had waited for one of them to bring up the developer’s offer, but when they hadn’t, I knew that I was going to have to tease it out of them.

  They glanced at each other. My mom cleared her throat and went to the stove to get the coffee pot, refilling both hers and my dad’s pottery mugs. “Oh, you know. They’re still working on that big fancy hotel proposal.”

  “Mmhmm,” I took a sip of my lukewarm Irish Breakfast tea.

  “Stan.” My mom looked at my dad.

  His lips formed a tight line and then he conceded. “Alright. Tell her.”

  My mom turned to me. “We’re having a little bit of trouble with the developer over there.”

  I nodded but didn’t say anything.

  “But nothing you need to worry about,” my dad said.

  “Maybe I can help?”

  “It’s okay, Baby C.” Dad shot me a smile so good he could’ve won an Academy Award. “Don’t you worry about a thing.”

  But now I was worried. Casper Cove Cabins was my parents’ dream. They worked their whole life for this chunk of land, and there was no way I was going to let someone steal it away from them.

  “Oh, before I forget, is it okay if Nora comes for a visit for a couple of days? She’s into gardening and she would probably love to help plant your seed starts.” I glanced at the jungle of tomato plants under the lamp visible in the spare bedroom.

  Nora, my best friend from university had called me in tears. We had lived in the dorms together in the first year and she had spent the past year either in complete bliss with her boyfriend, Nick, or crying on my sofa about Nick.

  “I don’t have a problem with that, do you, Bonnie?” Dad stood and drained the last of his coffee.

  “Not at all. I’d love to meet one of your friends.”

  After seeing the mean girls at the grocery store, hearing from my best friend had been exactly what I needed. Even if she was bawling her eyes out. My last year of high school had been a lonely one. After the rumors started no one wanted to be my friend. It was a blessing in disguise. My books became my best friends, and I got the best revenge ever – a scholarship.

  “Thanks, I’ll let her know.” I kissed my mom on the cheek. “Thanks for breakfast. You can expect your blueberry delivery before noon.”

  I DID MY BEST THINKING when I was rowing. My mind was whirring a mile a minute trying to figure out how to deal with the evil developer and help my parents.

  Drops of water fell rhythmically from the oars as the cabins on the shoreline got farther and farther away. And, for the first time since I’d been home, the sight of the blue Jeep didn’t send my blood boiling. The bottom of the boat scraped on the sandy cove and Buddy and I hopped into the ankle-deep water. I had bigger and better things to worry about than Brodie Bishop.

  Like all the missing blueberries.

  Chapter 10 – Brodie

  AVOID. AVOID. AVOID.

  Brianna and I were both doing it. It was the easiest way to keep things civil between us. I spent the last couple of days doing solo jobs at the cabins. The lawns looked amazing, and the mower and the weed whacker were in tip-top shape. I even brought sandwiches from home and worked through lunchtime, so I didn’t have to face her across Bonnie and Stan’s kitchen table.

  I had just replaced the rotting planks on the dock, and I brushed the sawdust off my hands, admiring the fresh boards.

  “Brodie.” I unbuckled my tool belt and turned to see Bonnie waving at me from her porch. “Your mom is on the phone.”

  “Okay.” I wondered why she was calling me on the Corbett’s landline. I pul
led my cell phone out of my pocket, but there were no missed calls from my mom.

  I jogged to the cabin and was met with the smell of a spicy red curry. “Can I make you a rice bowl?” Bonnie asked as she passed me the phone, the cord stretching from the wall.

  I shook my head, “Thanks, but I just had a sandwich.”

  “Hi, mom, what’s up?”

  My worries instantly ceased when I heard my mom’s chipper voice on the other end of the phone. It wasn’t an emergency call. “I was calling to ask you to invite the Corbetts to dinner.”

  “Um. Okay.” My mom was acting weird. Why wouldn’t she have just asked Bonnie herself? Wasn’t she on the phone with her just seconds ago? I would’ve asked her myself, but Bonnie was standing five feet away from me.

  “Brodie. Are you there? What did she say?” my mom asked.

  “You want me to ask now?” I tried not to groan. I saw what was going on. My mom wanted to make sure that I actually extended the invite. She was no dummy. If I wasn’t put between the two parties, I would’ve made a point to forget about the dinner invite.

  “Yes.” My mom sounded exasperated. “Tell them we’re having chicken soup. That’ll get Bonnie over here.”

  I sighed and put the receiver to my chest. “Do you guys...”

  “Mom, Dad wants...” Brianna’s voice interrupted my question. She paused with the screen door still in her hand. “Oh, I didn’t know you were here.”

  Brianna looked like she had just gotten in from a run, her cheeks were flushed pink and her hair was in a high ponytail. There were beads of sweat on her chest and her light blue sports bra had a sweat mark rising from the band to a v shape between her breasts. I cleared my throat and hoped that my mom couldn’t hear my heart rate through the phone. Brianna looked hot. And not just literally. I tore my eyes away from her the second they paused on her nipples and wondered how many University guys had seen them up close and personal.

  “Brodie?” Bonnie pointed to the phone pressed to my chest. “What does your mom want you to ask?”

  “Right.” I blinked hard. “Do you want to come for dinner tonight? My mom is making chicken soup.”

  “Oh,” Bonnie said. “Well, I suppose it has been a while since we’ve gotten together with your family.”

  “Brodie?” My mom’s voice seemed to be coming from my chest. I put the phone to my ear. “She said yes.”

  “What about Bree. Is she coming?”

  I took a deep breath. “I don’t know.”

  I knew my mom had heard Bree’s voice. I could almost picture her smug smile and arms crossed across her chest. “Ask her.” It was harder to hide my groan this time.

  “Bree. My mom wants to know if you’re coming to dinner too.”

  Bree looked at her mom and then to me. “Here.” I handed Bree the phone. “Why don’t you talk to her yourself?”

  I was done being the middleman. If Bree hated me as much as she did, she’d find an excuse not to come. I didn’t have to watch her rack her brain to find one.

  THE CHICKEN SOUP HADN’T been simmering on the stove all day long at my house. No, my mom had poured it out of a jar at six o’clock and arranged biscuits from the gluten-free bakery in a blue bowl on the table. The air conditioner rattled in the dining room window, barely keeping up with the humidity of the heatwave. I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. A couple of the guys were meeting for a cross-training run later that evening.

  “Nice dinner outfit,” Ramona teased. She was wearing a blue sundress with white flowers on it. My mom had changed out of her work scrubs and was also wearing a sundress – hers was red.

  “Since when do we get dressed up to have the Corbetts over?” I asked. Over the years our homes and get-togethers had been informal. I had spent plenty of meals in Bonnie’s kitchen in my pajamas, and my mom certainly never dressed up when they came to have drinks in our backyard.

  “It’s been years since we’ve had any dinner guests,” Mom smiled and handed me a stack of bowls and salad plates. “Come back for the cutlery,” she ordered.

  I set the table. “Shit,” I muttered to myself when I realized that there were six settings. So much for avoiding Brianna.

  The Corbetts arrived fifteen minutes late, as expected. Their concept of time was as easy-going as they were. Even though I had seen Bonnie and Stan just hours earlier, everyone hugged as if we had just gathered for Christmas dinner. Everyone except Brianna and me.

  “I brought wine,” Bonnie held up a bottle of red.

  “Thank you.” My mom took the bottle. “Are you sure it’s okay to drink this?”

  “Mom,” I hissed and elbowed her.

  “Of course.” Bonnie smiled brightly and pushed past the group into the kitchen. “It’s organic.”

  Everyone had beads of sweat on their forehead as we finished off the soup in our bowls.

  “That was delicious.” Bonnie smiled.

  “Nothing like hot soup on a hot day,” Ramona quipped. She must have overheard the conversation that I’d had with my mother about Bonnie’s hearty meals. Bonnie was the first to laugh, then it spread around the table like wildfire. The bottle of wine was polished off and Ramona offered to scoop up ice cream for everyone at the table – but she was the only taker.

  Brianna stayed quiet on her side of the table and I followed suit on mine. The small talk was wearing on me and I was counting the minutes until I could excuse myself to meet the guys for our run.

  “What’s it like at university?” Ramona asked.

  Brianna smiled and handed Ramona a napkin. “You can eat ice cream every day if you’d like.” Ramona grinned, wiping away her ice cream mustache. “But seriously, is it really hard?” Ramona’s eyes were wide, and she was gazing at Bree like she was a pop star.

  “It can be,” Bree said after a moment. “But, if you try hard and study lots, most people can do it.”

  “See Brodie,” Ramona looked at me. “You’re not too dumb to go.”

  My mouth gaped open as I struggled to respond. “I never—” My brain seemed to stop working, which didn’t help the situation.

  “Mona. “My mom shot a look at my sister.

  “What?” she shrugged. “He could’ve gone, but he didn’t do that project.”

  The Corbett’s eyes were all on me, including Brianna.

  “Brodie could have gone to college, but this is his life. Not yours, missy.” My mom patted Ramona’s small forearm.

  “This is the first I’ve heard of this,” Stan said.

  That’s because I wanted to avoid these conversations, I thought to myself.

  “Me too,” Bonnie said. “Why did you choose to stay here. Brodie?”

  “It wasn’t a choice,” I clarified. “I was offered a hockey scholarship on the condition that I complete all my business courses. I was one short. It wasn’t a choice.”

  “But Brodie...” Bonnie’s brow was knitted. “One course?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” I pushed back from the table. “I wouldn’t have gone anyway. Whether it’s college hockey or the Otters, I’m going to end up in the same place.”

  It wasn’t rude, but it wasn’t friendly either. I’d heard enough from my mom over the past couple of years. I didn’t need to get grief from my pseudo parents either. “I’m meeting the guys for a trail run. I’ll do the dishes when I get home.”

  I left the house before anyone could respond. Driving to meet the guys, I could feel anger coursing through my veins. Why had I let them get to me? I was making the right decision. College might have been the right choice for them, but it wasn’t the right choice for me.

  THE CORBETTS’ CAR WAS gone when I got back from my run, and I couldn’t have been more thankful. My hair and t-shirt were drenched in sweat and I couldn’t wait to hop in the shower and forget all about the stupid dinner party. The first sound I heard when I walked into the house was Ramona’s giggle.

  I kicked off my running shoes and peeled off my sweaty socks. The second sound I heard was another
giggle, but this one didn’t belong to Ramona. I knew that giggle, I had heard it a million times before. Ramona and Brianna hadn’t noticed me come in and I was able to stand at the doorway to the dining room watching the two of them.

  The purple workbook was open between them. Brianna’s voice was quiet, and she asked Mona questions as her fingers traced across the pages of the book. None of the other puck bunnies I’d brought home to dinner would have had the patience to sit with my sister. Most of them couldn’t wait to get out of the house to go partying. It was refreshing to see someone who genuinely wanted to spend time with Mona and my heart softened in the Brianna department.

  After spending far too long staring at Brianna, wishing that things could be different between us, I felt like I’d crossed into creeper territory. I cleared my throat. “What are you doing here?”

  “Brianna is helping me with my practice work. I’m going to go to college,” Ramona beamed.

  “That’s nice of her,” I said.

  Brianna pursed her lips. I could hear her voice, I’m right here. I corrected myself. “That’s very kind of you, Brianna. It’s nice for Mona to have a positive role model in her life.”

  Brianna opened her mouth like she was going to say something, but then closed it. She stood up. “I should get going. Work on chapter nine and let me know if you have any questions.” Brianna pointed to the book and then squeezed Mona’s shoulder. Mona looked up at Bree like she was the coolest person she’d ever met.

  “How are you getting home?” I asked.

  “My dad is going to come and get me. Mona asked me to stay and help her, and I couldn’t say no.”

  “I can help you, Mona.”

  “You’re my brother,” Mona grumbled.

  Bree laughed.

  “What does that even mean?”

  Mona shrugged the way that kids do and continued to scribble on the page with her pencil.

  “Don’t bother calling Stan,” I said. “I’ll give you a ride home.”

  “He said it’s not a big deal.” Brianna pulled out her phone.