I shrugged, but she couldn’t see that. “Just, someone from back home, you know. Figured people would talk, mention that she was here.”
“I don’t listen to gossip, Joshua.”
That was a flat-out lie. Usually half of our phone call was her telling me about people she knew and what was going on with these strangers. “Why don’t you like Katie?” Cause yeah, she didn’t. Katie was right.
“I don’t think she was good for you. She took advantage of you, when she was tutoring you in high school. You needed to keep your focus on hockey back then, to make sure you made it.”
Was that what she really thought had happened? “I wouldn’t have made it through math without her.” Katie was a math genius.
“She was an adequate tutor, but it should have stopped there.”
I was the one who’d pushed for us to be more than tutor and dumb jock, but I didn’t say that. If I didn’t get Katie to agree to see me, Mom would be happier if I just let it go.
“Have you been dating?”
I bit my lip. Not going to mention Katie’s roommate, the hot redhead. Mar…Mag…Madeline. Mom would want to know every little detail about any woman I mentioned. Me not knowing her last name would shock her and start that speech I just wasn’t interested in. “No one special.”
“That’s good. You have lots of time. You’ll know when you meet the right girl. When that happens, she’ll be the one you want me to meet.”
I bit my lip harder. “Sure, Mom. Well, I need to get to practice. Just wanted to check in.”
“You’re so sweet, Josh. Take care. I’ll have to check your schedule, see when I can come for a visit.”
“Can’t wait.” Did I sound sincere enough? I must have, because she said goodbye and let me go.
I set the phone down and dropped my head in my hands. Katie was right. Mom didn’t like her. Which meant that Mom’s test for the right girl was all wrong. I knew the right girl, and Mom definitely didn’t want to meet her.
Now I just had to figure out how to get my girl to let me see her again.
Coach had listed the surviving roster at the practice arena. Only a couple of the guys who’d gone out with me last night were still around. Practice was more focused, since there were fewer of us on the ice, and the coaches worked us a little harder.
Training camp was always tough, but this year we’d all come back in good shape and ready for the season. Our year, this year. Fitch was fitting in well, and everyone seemed ready to give it their all.
After practice most of the team hung around for the free food—nutritionally balanced and full of good shit for us. Some of the married guys left to spend time with their families which was unfortunate for me. They might be the best ones to answer my questions. But I would make do with the guys who’d stayed and had partners or girlfriends.
Normally I hung out with the single guys who were my age, but I needed wisdom here and that meant someone who was older and had found their woman. Found and kept her.
Cooper raised an eyebrow as I sat at the table with him and Mitch and Barnes. “Sure this is where you want to sit, Ducky?”
I nodded, picking up the bottle of ketchup. The pasta smelled great, and some ketchup would help the plain chicken breast go down.
Cooper shuddered. “You’re a heathen.”
I grinned at Cooper. “Yeah, I like ketchup.”
Mitch frowned. “Ketchup is full of sugar.”
“Exactly!”
“Is that why you honored us with your presence today? To give us all nightmares about your eating habits?”
I shook my head, my mouth full of pasta. I held up a finger and swallowed. “No, I need some advice.”
“What kind of advice?” Barnes asked.
“Romantic advice.” I shoved some more pasta in my mouth while they exchanged looks.
“You met someone?” Mitch asked.
