Page 15 of Revenge Puck

“Sorry. I guess I shouldn’t complain about the great sex, even if it obviously meant nothing to him…”

“It never means anything to men. Women are the ones who attach all the little strings. Men only go along with the strings because they like the sex.”

Thankfully, we’re next in line, so we place the sign and our clear purses on the conveyer belt of the x-ray machine and let the nice, bald retired man run his metal detector wand up and down us.

5

Elle

“These seats are incredible!” Audrey says from beside me. “In that jersey, you stand out like a sore thumb, Elle.”

It’s nice and warm, so I don’t care if I’m wearing the opposing team’s colors.

“Yeah, well, my sign is going to do that, too.”

“No kidding,” she snorts. “I didn’t think about it until now, but I bet you’re gonna make some Bobcats’ fansveryunhappy by calling out their golden boy.”

“Not to mention what they’ll say when they see the photo of Preston and I kissing.”

“How many likes do you have on your pic now?”

“No idea. I’m scared to look.”

“Why? It’s a great photo. You look hot and tiny next to the woolly mammoth.”

“My phone has been buzzing like crazy, most likely from new comments.”

“So have a look. I’ll hold up your sign while you check.” Lifting it up over her head, she yells, “Woohoo. Let’s go boys!” to the men skating around the ice during warmups.

“Which team are you rooting for?” I can’t help but ask her.

“Team? I’m just here for the sexy players on both teams, including some of our hottie clients.”

Smiling at her, I pull out my phone from my purse. “Oh, wow,” I mutter as I scroll.

“A lot of likes?”

“Hundreds. And so many comments. Oh! And there’s the photo of us kissing that I’m tagged in somehow. Three thousand people have already liked it! Ugh, but the comments on it are even worse…”

“What do they say?” Audrey sits down in her seat and leans over to see the screen of my phone while I pause long enough for her to read a few. “Ah, trolls. Ignore them, girl. They’re just jealous.”

“Jealous? They’re vicious. This comment that has the most likes says, ‘This is the best Preston could do after going five years without a date? He should throw her back and try again, but he’d probably hurt his back.’Then it’s followed up by the laughing until you cry emoji.”

“Mean girls never go away. They just get older and more bitter,” Audrey says. “Seriously, Elle. Put the phone away and enjoy the game in your new jersey.”

The device buzzes again and again in my palm. “It’s hard to ignore the comments when a new one comes in every second.”

“Put the phone down. Delete the app. Do what you have to do, but don’t let them get to you for one second. They have sucky lives and want everyone else to be as miserable as they are.”

“Right.” I shove my phone back into my purse and tuck it under my seat. “Give me that sign. It’s too late to turn back now.”

“That a girl!” Audrey cheers as she hands the sign over.

When a few more of the Warhawks skate out onto the ice for warmups, I get to my feet and hold it over my head, searching for Preston. He’s one of the last to come out, probably because he doesn’t have to practice shooting pucks or stretching like the goalie. No, his job is to hit the players on the other team, and hit them hard, keeping them from getting near the goal.

Audrey stands up beside me and takes one side of the poster. “So, instead of worrying about the trolls, let’s talk about you and the woolly mammoth. What happens now?”

“What do you mean?” I ask as I alternate between watching the two men skating on opposite sides of the ice.

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