Remy

“Are you nervous?” Sophie paused in front of her father’s door, a gift bag in one hand, her other hand raised to push the bell. The door was attached to a huge house, three floors high, stretched out on both sides, with glimpses of the river behind.

I’d thought Cash’s house with its carriage house was impressive. This was on a whole other scale.

I had another gift bag in my hand – the shape made it obvious it was some kind of alcohol. “Should I be? I’ve already met your dad.” And he was an asshole, so it wasn’t like that would be a shock.

She shrugged. “Some people worry because of who he is.”

I pressed a kiss to her lips. “I barely remembered who he was. And I don’t care about impressing him. Just you.” I didn’t care about anyone else at this party. I just wanted to make sure the day wasn’t horrible for Sophie. This was where she’d grown up and damn, it didn’t look like a place where a kid could have fun.

Too many people saw her as only Ryder Williams daughter, or Cash Williams sister, so she was cautious introducing new people to her family. I wasn’t a big music fan, especially country music, so I really didn’t care. I didn’t want their autographs, I didn’t want or need their connections, and after spending months living on Cash’s property, the big ass house we were standing in front of me didn’t scare me.

The worry left her expression, and she pushed the doorbell, which of course chimed several bars of a song. I’d bet the bourbon I was bringing it was a Ryder Williams song, but I didn’t know it. In a minute or so, the door opened to the man himself. He was a handsome man, well maintained for his age, but there was no warmth in his expression.

“Happy birthday, Dad.”

“Thanks Sophie.” How he made the two words sound like he was brushing her off was some kind of art form, but not one I admired.

“You remember Remy?”

He tilted his head like he wasn’t sure, but he did. Just wanted to seem more important.

“I don’t know…”

Sophie sighed. “He’s the hockey player who ended up staying at the carriage house, and you met him at the Aces Christmas event.”

I hadn’t exactly gushed over him then, so he wasn’t in a rush to welcome me.

“Happy birthday, sir.”  I could be polite, but I wasn’t gushing now either. “Sophie suggested this might be appropriate.” I passed the gift bag to him.

“Thank you for coming.” He couldn’t resist looking in the top of the bag. “And thank you for this. Something I will definitely enjoy. Come on in.”

He led the way inside, past a couple of big rooms that looked like features in a magazine but were unoccupied and to the back of the house where a huge room looked over the pool in the back yard and the river behind that. I’d heard of great rooms before, but this was the ‘greatest’ I’d seen yet. There were about twenty people in the room, and it still looked mostly empty.

He set the gift bag of bourbon I’d brought on a table with other gifts. Sophie set her bag there as well.

He smirked. “The usual?”

I held back a growl. Beast was wearing off on me. The ‘usual’ was an old and rare vinyl recording for Ryder’s collection. For him to brush it off as if it was nothing pissed me off. Sophie ignored the comment, used to it.

Yeah, the guy was an asshole. If I had my way, we’d spend as little time as possible with him in future.

I didn’t know most of the people in the room, unsurprisingly. Cash I recognized, Sophie’s brother and my former landlord. There were several people circled around him, looking pleased with whatever he said. Otts, my former hockey rival and goalie coach was at one end of the room, with a couple who had to be his parents. The man looked like Otts after someone ran aging software, and the woman with him was age appropriate, unlike Ryder’s wife who was younger than Cash and Sophie.

Sophie, familiar with the place, led me to where we could get a drink. Through a doorway I saw see caterers busy with something that smelled appetizing.

“So we’re here now. What do we have to do?” I asked Sophie.

“Drink.” She looked around the room. “I should probably say hi to Ollie and his parents.”

“And Cash?”

She shrugged. “I saw him when he stopped by the shop this week.”

“Really?”

A smile crossed her face. “He wants to buy my guitar.”

“You’re still refusing to sell?”

“It’s petty, but yeah, I think I’ll just keep it to annoy him.”

We found seats on a couch not far from the drinks set up. I leaned over to speak into her ear. “Looks like Otts and his family are headed this way.”

Sophie put on a polite smile just in time for the three of them to join us.

“Sophie! We haven’t seen you for ages.” That was Otts father. His mother was quiet, smiling politely from one step behind.

“How are you doing, HT?” That threw me for a minute till I remembered he was a former baseball player who’d been nicknamed Hammer Time.

“Great, great. Took Ollie out fishing again.”

Otts didn’t look like he’d had the best time, based on his expression.

Sophie introduced me. “Do you know Daniel Rempel?”

A strange look crossed the man’s face. “Oh, I’ve heard of you. Bested my son a couple of times.”

Ott’s face was set in a polite mask, but his cheeks flushed. He’d told me about his dad, but I’d hoped he’d been exaggerating. He might have been underplaying it. The man was apparently obsessed with how he and his son had compared in their playing days.

“That was a long time ago. And he’s won a Cup and a Vezina, so I think he comes out ahead, at least when it comes to hockey.”

“Aren’t you proud of winning against him?”

I shrugged. “At the end of the day, it’s just a game. Pretty sure you could ask who the goalie was for Team Canada for World Juniors that year and most people wouldn’t have a clue. Which is fine. I’m more interested in other things now. And besides – the two of us are working together to help the next generation.”

That was a little over the top, but I was under contract to help their goaltending draft pick from last year get used to playing at the AHL and NHL levels, and when Lappy returned to playing with the Aces, Otts would be his coach. Focusing on the future might HT from harping on the past. I was proud of the things I’d done, but they weren’t what brought me happiness.

That came from helping Lappy and the shelter dogs. From coming home to Beast and Goober, and mostly, from being with Sophie.

HT wasn’t to be diverted though. “But what about your legacy?”

“I’m more interested in the legacy I leave with the people I love than in some records in a book.”

HT frowned, but Otts looked relieved, and Sophie squeezed my hand. Yeah, hockey was no longer my first priority, and I was good with that.

Sophie

                  Dinner started as usual. The food was spread out in the kitchen by the caterers. It was cool enough now that people were sitting at the tables around the pool as well as inside once they’d filled their plates.

                  Remy and I had stayed inside, with Ollie, while his parents had found more congenial company at an outside table. There was an empty seat by Ollie, and I was surprised when Cash was able to escape from Dad’s business friends who had monopolized him so far and dropped into the spot with us.

                  “Ollie, Remy, Soph. Please do not ask me anything about music.”

                  Ollie snorted. “Poor Cash.”

                  Cash slid down in his chair. “I hate these damned things. Instead of enjoying Dad’s alcohol and this BBQ I have to talk business.”

                  “You work all the time anyway.” I wasn’t living in Cash’s house since Remy and I had found a place to rent while we looked for a house to buy, but after a couple of years of managing his property, I knew how much time Cash spent producing and doing production adjacent stuff.

                  He took a drink of Dad’s expensive beer. “I’m trying to cut back.” He ran a hand over his face. “I think I’m burning out.”

                  I sat up, surprised that he admitted it. “Are you going to take an actual vacation?”

                  He shot a glance around the room, as if industry spies were waiting to pick up on our conversation. “I’ve booked a month for a group called Ecfugium.”

                  The three of us looked at each other. “Never heard of them.”

                  “They don’t exist. It’s the Latin word for escape. Now I just need a place to actually make my escape.”

                  Remy turned to me and raised an eyebrow. I nodded.

                  “You’re welcome to use my cottage. I could take you up, show you around, then leave you to it.”

                  “Where is it?”

                  “Northwestern Ontario. But there’s no electricity, very little cell service, and you can only get to it by boat.”

                  Cash sat up. “So it’s isolated.”

                  Remy nodded. “It’s not winterized, but you could stay there at least through September if you wanted.”

                  Cash stared out over the pool. “So, off grid.”

                  “For the most part.”

                  “And no one would know where I was.”

                  “We’d fly into Winnipeg and drive a few hours east.”

                  I could not imagine Cash somewhere without people, and internet and the business of his life that he seemed to need. But he shocked me by saying he’d call Remy tomorrow.

                  Just then Dad showed up at the table. “So, what are you talking about?”

                  Cash didn’t even pause. “I’m still trying to get Sophie to sell me her guitar.”

                  “Her guitar? What guitar?”

                  The one Dad wouldn’t even try.

                  “The one she made. I’ll wear her down.” Cash grinned at me, and I was tempted to stick my tongue out at him.

                  “Do you think it’s good to indulge her in this…gamble?”

                  There was a silence around the table. My cheeks burned with embarrassment. It wasn’t like Dad’s lack of support was new, but it wasn’t usually this public.

                  Remy rose to his feet. “We’re going now.” He held his hand out for me, and I gripped it like a lifeline as he pulled me to my feet. He turned without another word and led me towards to front door.

                  Footsteps followed us.

                  “What the fuck was that?” Ollie asked in a low voice.

                  “Dad’s crossed a line there.” Cash sounded really pissed.

                  I turned and saw my brother and my ex following us to the door. “You guys don’t have too—”

                  Cash looked pissed. “Fuck, Soph. I’m not staying if he’s doing that. That was way over the line.”

                  Remy opened the door.

                  “He wouldn’t even try the guitar when he stopped by Diane’s.” I told him.

                  “He and my dad deserve each other.” Ollie muttered.

                  Remy had driven in his truck and the four of us headed to where he’d parked it. Remy opened the door, and I started to get in.

                  Cash stepped closer. “You better get some help at the store, Soph, because I’m not using Conrad any more. I want you to work on my instruments.”

                  My smile was a little wobbly. “Okay, I’ll start looking for someone.”

                  Ollie looked back at the house. “I’m not looking forward to the holidays.” The gathering there was typical for Thanksgiving and Christmas for our families.

                  Remy had got in the drivers side, and leaned over to speak. “I think we need a new tradition. We had a good time at Christmas without this bunch.” He nodded at the mansion. “I don’t want to come back here, and I don’t think Sophie does either.”

                  I drew in a breath. Could I do that? Last Christmas had been one thing, but if Cash joined me and not Dad…

                  Cash nodded.

                  “Can I come too?” Ollie asked.

                  I turned wide eyes to Remy. Inviting my brother was one thing, but my ex-husband? He grinned and me and said “Sure. But you guys will have to do some dishes.”

                  Cash laughed. “Still a better offer.”

                  “Cash!” My dad was at the front door, ignoring me and sounding angry with his son.

                  My brother turned. “We’re done here. Happy birthday!” And with a sarcastic wave, he crossed to his car, Ollie following him.

                  Remy started the engine and I closed my door. “What just happened?”

                  He placed a hand on my knee, gently rubbing. “We’ve made an asshole free zone for ourselves. How does it feel?”

                  He put the truck in gear and backed out. I glanced back while Remy drove down the driveway, away from the house that had never felt like home.

                  “Fan-fucking-tastic.”