Page 49 of My Pucked Up Enemy

And I feel it. That shift. Like something just snapped back into place. I nod, more to myself than to her. "Thanks," I say, voice quiet but firm. "That helped. I needed it."

“You're quite welcome. Now, we have the Life Spark Kids event tonight,” she says. “Public appearances. There will be media, sponsors, families. We need to be on the same page. And Karen from HR will be there. She's watching me, Alex.”

I arch a brow. “Karen from HR’s got more power than the league commissioner and a personality that can fit on my pinky nail. She once reported me for using sarcasm too aggressively.”

Nina groans. “Of course she did.”

“Try to behave, Chadwick.”

I open the door and glance back at her. “No promises.”

Her pen pauses mid-note.

I let the door close behind me.

***

The Life Spark facility is buzzing. It’s not just a charity event; it feels like a damn gala had a baby with a sports bar and raised it in a community center. Banners hang overhead, kids in Acers jerseys run around with plastic hockey sticks, and every single reporter in Detroit apparently got the memo.

I spot Coach Stephens near the front, wearing a suit that somehow makes him look even more intimidating. His arm is around Lizzie, who’s dressed in a sleek navy dress that screams corporate elegance and gives off the vibe of someone who absolutely handles business.

Connor is with Haley in the corner talking to a crowd of teen boys like he’s hosting a masterclass in cool. James is already taking selfies with a group of kids and flexing like a cartoon character.

Then I see her.

Nina.

Hair pinned up with a few pieces falling around her face, she is wearing a black dress that hugs her waist just right, and heels that should be illegal in a building full of kids running around like caffeinated squirrels.

She’s talking to one of the sponsors, looking confident and sexy as hell.

I can’t look away.

She catches me watching and holds my gaze for a second too long before turning back to the conversation. I let out a breath and grab a bottle of water off the drink table.

Ethan shows up beside me. "Dude," he says, grinning, "you’re not even blinking. Should I throw water on you or let you combust in silence?"

I glance at him. "Mind your business."

"You’ve got that ‘Nina’s talking and I’m spiraling’ face."

"I don’t have a face."

"You have a face, man. And it’s all, ‘Hot Doc just reinvented oxygen.’"

I snort. "Fuck off, you wouldn’t know a real look if it checked you into the boards and bought you dinner after."

Ethan laughs, hands up. "Alright, alright. Just saying, if looks could undress, we’d all be breaking HR protocol."

Lizzie taps the mic at the front of the room and smiles. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you’d please make your way to your seats, dinner is about to be served."

While dinner is being served, the mayor steps up to the microphone and delivers a short speech about community support, the future of Detroit’s youth, and the importance of collaboration between private and public organizations. After a round of applause, he turns toward Coach and Lizzie.

“Now, I’d like to invite Coach Derek Stephens and Lizzie Barnes to say a few words.”

Coach steps up to the podium with Lizzie beside him. The room hushes. Derek clears his throat, gives one of those speeches that sounds like it wasn’t written down but somehow hits every beat. He talks about how Life Spark Kids isn’t just a facility, but a lifeline, about giving kids the support and opportunity they deserve.

Lizzie follows with a few words that are sharp and sincere. You can tell this project matters to her...to both of them.

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