Page 15 of One Shot

Holy shit. Did I just find my brother’s little black book? The oatmeal I had for breakfast threatens to come back up. There is no way. Nick was a good guy! Or at least I thought he was. I’m glad no one else is home right now because I might start screaming profanities at the top of my lungs if I open it again.

Picking up the notebook from the floor, muttering “Please don’t be my dead brother’s sex adventures,” I open it again. The notebook isn’t filled all the way. There are some hockey plays, a lot of notes on other teams and other players, what appears to be some notes on his Wyverns teammates, some running routes, and most importantly, nothing about girls or sex.Thank you, Jesus!

“Nick, I knew you weren’t a perv, but I was worried for a second,” I murmur to the sky, well, ceiling.

I thumb through the notebook, stopping on a page with a few sketches. Exhilaration tingles through me, and my eyes widen with delight as I take in the most elaborate of Nick’s drawings. An idea for the team’s fundraiser literally fell into my lap. I haven't gone throughthe entire notebook yet, but it dawns on me I haven’t found Lucas’ name anywhere in the pages so far. I make a mental note to read through it more thoroughly later.

The smell of lattes and pastries fills the air as I walk through Roast & Revelry, the best coffee shop on campus. I spy Bren and Suz huddled together at one of the excessively large community tables that seems to have the entire contents of Bren’s backpack frantically scattered across it, clearly hogging the table. They are whispering in hushed tones.

When I sit down, I hear Bren say, “I think it makes the most sense, but she isn’t going to like it.”

“Am I she? What am I not going to like?” I put my things down next to Suz.

“Well, the Sexy Seven. We are going to need to divide and conquer between the three of us. It makes the most sense to just have players dedicated to each of us. Since you’re new, of course, you will only be taking two. We wouldn’t put the extra work of a third player on you. We were thinking of just doing it by who’s in our year since we would likely have the most similar schedules.”

I go through the list on the printout Bren hands me. There are the two seniors who aren’t NHL focused: Jamison Clarke and Micah Lawson. Liam Welsh (Bren will of course take him to focus on), and Connor Rizzo are also seniors but are of NHL interest. The goalie, Keith Hall, is technically a senior but he’s staying an extra year after switching majors four times. That leaves Tyler Barret, who I of course would love to focus on and—now I see why Bren was concerned. Our glorious captain, Lucas Donato.

“Oh. So, Tyler and Captain Donato.” I sigh. “If that’s really what you think works best.”

“Look, he’s one of my best friends. He’s a great guy. It shouldn’t be a big deal, and we need to be professional! But I’m feeling kind today,” Suz says, scribbling down names on seven pieces of paper. “We can draw names. Bren and I will both support the seventh man together. You can pick first, Laur.” She scribbles on small torn pieces of paper and throws them in an empty coffee mug.

I looked at Suz, shocked. Barbie is being kind? She’s barely spoken a few words to me and has only referred to me as Lauren until now.

“Okay,” I say. “Thank you.” I carefully select a piece of paper from the coffee cup.

The paper says Captain on it.

“You have got to be kidding me! The universe hates me.”

With an excessive sigh, I put my head in my hands in disbelief. Suz laughs almost maniacally before I glare at her.

“Wait. Did you write Captain on all of them?”

“Of course not. Some of them say Luc, Lucas, Lucas Donato. They are all technically different names.” Suz laughs.

Bren almost spews her coffee as she cackles, joining Suz. I am clearly the only one not getting a kick out of this. I lunge for the coffee cup containing the paper, thinking Suz will fight to beat me to it to cover up her tracks, but she doesn’t budge. Still glaring at her, I slowly uncrumple all the papers inside the cup.

“I was kidding, Lauren. Goodness. You will have to trust and like me eventually,” Suz says.

The papers have all seven of the Sexy Seven names. It really is just the universe pushing us to spend time together. Great. I really need to read Nick’s little book to find out his opinion of the guy.

“Back to the original plan then. I’ll have Liam and Clarke. Suz, Rizzo and Lawson. Sweet little Laur, Tyler and Donato.”

Getting to know Lucas more . . . Great! Just what I signed up for!

“Aside from the calendar, and gala dinner we do every year, we need to brainstorm new ideas for fundraising next week. We cannot do another auction of the players. That turned out so badly last year when it got hot and heavy between someone and someone else’s stepmom.” Bren’s face distorts in repugnance like she just smelled a rotten egg.

I very audibly choke on my coffee at the shock of what I just heard.

“Yep, you heard her right.” Suz’ tone is laced with disgust and discomfort. Her expression is incredibly priceless that I’d almost let out a giggle if I wasn’t overly repulsed myself.

“I won’t name names. But unrelated, I’m surprised Michael Taylor even graduated, good riddance . . . Anyways, I’ve got to run. Laur, interview your two players before the end of the week. Juniors will be spotlighted first.”

I was extremely distracted finding out about last season’s escapades and needing to get buddy-buddy with Lucas all season that I didn’t get to bring up the sketches I found in Nick’s notebook. I’m going to have to get creative with how I fight my attraction towards him. Maybe I can knock two birds with one stone with both juniors to focus on.

Chapter nine

Laur

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