Page 10 of Sleepless Nights and Hockey Fights

Molly: In the Cybertruck?

Me: The one and only! You’ll love Wolverine.

Think it would be tacky to ask her to wear another one of her pencil skirts?

The bus comes to a stop outside our hotel and all the guys start getting up, saving me from texting back. Asking about her clothing might be a little skeevy, even for me. I get off the bus and head up to my room, ignoring the younger guys talking about which bar they intend to hit up tonight. No game tomorrow, so in the past, I’d be one of them, staying out all night and experiencing the nightlife in whatever town we were in.

Big Boy Bobby goes to his hotel room and orders room service. I also ignore Mac, my roommate on this trip, as he calls his girlfriend back home. He starts talking in low tones and suddenly gets off his bed to head for the bathroom. I shove earbuds in my ears and play some music, not wanting to know what he’s doing in there. I’m already annoyed Coach set me up with a roommate. It’s a not-so-subtle slap on the wrist.

I pull up my favorite dating app to pass the time until my food arrives, scrolling through the women I’ve connected with in the past. I have a new notification, so I go to my inbox to see I’ve been matched with someone. Unfortunately, her username [email protected] that my username is much better, being a stupid phrase from my favorite show.

Kaitlyn told me to get a steady girlfriend to help clean up my image, but I’m pretty sure she didn’t mean someone like that. Personally, I have nothing against strippers. I think they’re amazing people and I’d be proud to date one. Hell, I’ve dated several in the past, but Kaitlyn drummed on about cleaning up my image right before she peed herself in public. I snicker, thinking about her expression when her water broke. Wish I could have taken a picture.

I message Sparkle back, letting her down easy.

@PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer: Hey, sorry for the confusion. I’m actually looking for a serious girlfriend these days.

A knock sounds on the door. I let the room service attendant in to set up our dinner on the table, tipping him extra when he doesn’t ask for an autograph and leaves quickly. I dig into my burger, not waiting for Mac. I’m not interrupting whatever’s going on in that bathroom. I’m working on the fries when my phone dings that Sparkle has written me back.

@SparkleIsMyStripperName: Oh, um, sure. I’m not even sure how this thing connected with you. Sorry.

@PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer: No worries. New to Catnip?

@SparkleIsMyStripperName: That obvious? Don’t answer that. Hey, do you know how to change a username?

That has me grinning and abandoning the rest of my fries.

@PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer: Are stripper names supposed to be top secret?

@SparkleIsMyStripperName: I have no idea. I’ll have to ask a stripper.

@PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer: You’re not one?

@SparkleIsMyStripperName: Gosh no! My boss signed me up for this app. She thinks I need to get laid.

@PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer: Do you?

@SparkleIsMyStripperName: Honestly? Probably.

I head back to my bed, flopping back on the mattress and settling into this conversation with a stripper/not a stripper.

@PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer: Head to the three lines at the top right. Usernames are under Activity instead of Settings for some reason. Not gonna lie though, I kind of like the name. It’s straightforward. No surprises.

@Singlemomcatlady: So’s this one.

I laugh out loud, right as Mac exits the bathroom, face lighting up when he sees the food.

“Wash those hands first!” I holler.

Chapter Six

Molly

Holding my hair up with one hand and knocking on Matty’s door with the other, I announce, “Dinner’s ready.” When there’s no answer, I grab the knob, but it doesn’t turn. “Matty?”

“What?” comes his raised voice from the other side.

I’m torn between insisting he unlock the door so I can warn him about his tone and just letting it go. Twelve is an age where privacy is becoming a big thing, right? Hell, I don’t know.

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