Page 30 of One Shot

“Nick called me Chip when we were younger. No one knows where it came from. I was probably only one year old when he started it, so I don’t really remember much. My mom thought maybe he heard someone else say it, but my dad never called me that. Then she said maybe he just couldn’t say Lauren, but he could definitely say Laurso that didn’t make any sense. Or maybe that he was trying to say something else, and no one could understand him because he was only two. Like I said, I don’t remember much.”

“That’s cute. I wish you knew why though,” Lucas says.

I let out a giggle as I wipe away more tears. “You and me both. Honestly, Nick didn’t even know where it came from. He stopped for a while. Then it was Halloween time, and he told mom he wanted to be ‘Dip’ for Halloween and for me to be ‘Chip.’ My mom was so confused. My dad asked Nick what he meant. Nick explained; Chip and Dip, the little chipmunks that are friends with Mickey Mouse. My parents laughed so hard. I’m sure I laughed too even though I was only four. Dad said, ‘you mean Chip and Dale.’ After that, the nickname stuck.”

“So, you were Chip and Dale for Halloween then?”

“No.” I put my head in my hands, shaking with laughter at the memory. “Nick insisted on wanting to be Chip and Dip. So, Mom handmade us costumes. Nick was a bowl of guacamole, and I was a tortilla chip. We got a lot of weird looks from other kids that year, but it’s still my favorite Halloween costume I’ve ever had.”

“I would love to see a picture of that. How original.” Lucas chuckles.

“Yeah, it was original that’s for sure. But that was Nick for you—original to a tee.”

I sigh and run my fingers over his name and number on the locker. Lucas puts a hand on my shoulder and turns me towards him.

“Hey, we can be done if you want to be. Whatever you need, ball’s in your court.”

Another big sigh escapes me. I swear it’s just part of my vocabulary now.

“Thank you. I’m okay. Let’s get a few shots on the ice and skip the locker room. The lighting is similar to the gym anyways.”

“Sure, okay,” Lucas replies. “I’ll get my gear on.”

“Thank you for showing me Nick’s locker. I was wondering where his locker was the first time I came in here.”

It still feels surreal being in this locker room knowing my brother will never walk through it. But somehow, each time I come in here it gets a little easier. I learn something new about Nick or think about a memory I’ve been suppressing. It feels like I am starting to get closer to him, and closer to myself too.

As I head out of the locker room, I can’t help but wonder if Lucas is a big part of that.

“Hey, Captain,” I yell.

“Yes, Chip?” he replies.

“Ball’s in my court? Nice sports reference. But you should probably stick to the sport you're good at,” I tease.

I’m craving to share that lighter mood with him again but hopefully less sexual. I’m focused on myself. No matter how charming and sweet . . . and sexy . . . Lucas Donato is, I will keep reminding myself of that, even if he’s bold enough to use my nickname after hearing the story of how Nick came up with it.

His chuckles follow me as the locker room door closes behind me.

Chapter eighteen

Lucas

Ichange into my gear and practice jersey. I’ll save my real jersey for the actual shoot in a few days. Before I leave the locker room, I go to Nick’s locker.

“Hey, man,” I whisper, “she’s doing great. You would be proud. I promise I’ll be careful with her.”

I head out to the ice, still smiling. Laur is standing on the ice in her gym shoes. Her smile transforms her entire face into light, she could outshine the stars. Now I understand why Bren calls it the “famous Bellinger smile.” When she smiles, it looks like she just walked out of a commercial for a dentist office. It’s contagious and makes me smile wider.

“What?” she says to me. I look at her confused why she’s asking me that.

“You’re chuckling and smiling like an idiot,” Laur says back. “Well, that was mean—a happy model-worthy idiot.”

“I’ve leveled up from amateur model, huh?” I laugh. “This is more fun than I thought it would be. I like spending time with you.”

She doesn’t say anything back, but somehow her smile grows brighter and wider as she turns away from me. Sometimes she’s so guarded, but other times she’s so free and open. I wonder if it’s because of Nick or if it’s something else.

I break the silence. “Okay, captain, where do you want me?”

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