Busted (Promise Harbor Wedding) - By Sydney Somers Page 0,14
smart enough to know it.
“Do you even want to coach?” She all but blurted the question, but it succeeded in making Jackson look away, giving her a second to lock down the nervous flutter of energy rolling up her spine.
“You know, you’re the first person to ask me that. Everyone just assumes that’s what I’ll do.” He shrugged, and for a moment he looked utterly and completely lost. It passed entirely too fast and he was right back to fixing those impossibly blue eyes squarely on her.
She might have squirmed in her seat if she hadn’t wrapped both hands around the steering wheel. As far as reminders went that she was no longer some teenage girl who once had a crush on the school all-star, it fell pitifully short, but it was enough.
“Getting back to the wedding,” Jackson said, “we both have people we want to avoid later today. Going together just makes sense. We can bail each other out of any uncomfortable situations.”
“We could do that without being each other’s date.” The word nearly caught in her throat.
He shook his head. “Makes it more authentic if we go together, and it will keep the wolves at bay.”
“Wolves? Is that what you’re calling the puck bunnies who want you to autograph their breasts?”
He waved to someone across the street, leaving her to wonder if she was imagining the flush of color high on his cheeks. “Saw that, huh? Maybe you should have come over and saved me from her.”
“Since when does a player like you need saving? Besides, I was working.”
“I seem to remember the working part rather clearly.” He could have scowled at her, but smiled instead, a smile that had probably melted the panties off more women than Hayley could count. “I’ll pick you up at two.” With that he walked away.
Hayley poked her head out the window. “I didn’t say yes.”
“You didn’t say no either.” He slipped on his sunglasses and crossed the street to where he’d parked his car.
Hayley shoved her keys in the ignition and sat staring out the window long after Jackson pulled away. Exactly what had she just agreed to?
“Hand me the wrench.” Jackson stared up at Matt from his crammed position half jammed in the cupboard under the sink at Stone’s.
Matt dug through the tools, not bothering to hide his skepticism. “You sure you know what you’re doing?”
Jackson took the reluctantly offered wrench and tightened the last bolt. “Turn the water on.”
“I’m not paying your dry cleaning bill if this doesn’t work.” Matt stepped up to the sink, but didn’t touch the tap as the swinging door flew open.
“Matt, you’re not going to believe the stupid thing I…” Hayley’s voice trailed off. “You’re…busy.”
And not alone, Jackson mentally filled in for her, grinning.
Easing out of position, he sat up. “Don’t let me interrupt. Just pretend I’m not here.”
A weak smile touched Hayley’s lips. “It’s not that important.”
Enjoying her discomfort a little too much, he climbed to his feet, testing the taps himself. “You were saying,” he prompted. “Doing something stupid?”
She ignored his not-so-subtle nudge. “Not just handy with a hockey stick, huh? Hope you’re better at this than with jukeboxes. Maybe you should put him on the payroll, Matt.”
The tension that seemed to leave her body when she fixed all her attention on her brother made Jackson’s grin widen. When had Hayley gotten so damn cute? He had been sure he’d imagined her discomfort when they talked earlier, but maybe not. Maybe Hayley wasn’t as cool and distant as he’d always assumed her to be.
Matt glanced at him, curiosity staring out from the same gray eyes as Hayley. He tossed the wrench in the toolbox before turning back to his sister. “Don’t you need to start getting ready for the wedding? Gramps doesn’t like to wait.”
“He had a rough night.”
Jackson straightened. “Rough night?”
Matt let out a breath, the tightening around his jaw warning Jackson that whatever was coming would not be good news. “He’s in palliative care.”
The subtle ache that had no name and was never far from the surface since his accident clamped down hard on his chest. He waited a moment, then two. “Is it cancer?”
Hayley nodded. “Doctors gave him a few weeks at best and that was two months ago.”
Fuck.
The ache in his chest rose to his throat and stayed there. He swallowed hard, forcing it down. “You never mentioned it.”
Matt shrugged. “You were pretty caught up in other stuff.”