Page 138 of Lucky Laces
Forty-Five
Diana
I nervously adjustthe microphone that’s attached to my lapel while trying to appear calm and serene and, well…
Not nervous.
“Breathe,” Eva murmurs, gently batting my hands away.“I promise I’ll be gentle.”
Okay, so maybe I’m not hiding my nerves well.
I glance up at her, and she smiles.“I know our paths didn’t much cross at the Breakers,” she says quietly.“But I know something about falling for a hot hockey player boyfriend”—her mouth quirks—“at the absolute worst possible time.”She finishes fixing my mic and leans back.“But I promise to be gentle.”
“As gentle as the Eagles’ social media team?”I ask dryly.
Her lips twitch.“Okay, how about more gentle than a mammogram and less gentle than say…”
“Walking over flaming coals?”I quip.
She snorts.“I was thinking stepping on a Lego.”
I laugh…
And that’s the moment I start giving my first—and last—interview on my love life.
It’s live and it’s raw and it’s far from my favorite experience, but…it’s me.
And that’s all I can be.
“We have one final question from one of our viewers,” Eva says, glancing down at a laptop as she scrolls through the comments.“Are you?—”
I still when she doesn’t finish, and something about her demeanor has the hair on my nape prickling.“Am I what?”I ask lightly, trying to get her focus back, to wrap this up.“Am I in awe of Hudson’s abilities on the ice almost as much as I’m in awe of his big, generous?—”
A throat clears and I glance over at the man I’ve been lucky enough to fall in love with, my lips twitching.
“I was going to say heart,” I tell him.
And the world.
He swoops in and kisses me lightly, earning sighs from Eva’s crew…and lots more pings from the comments coming in on the chat.
It’s not until he’s off-screen again, and no teasing has come from Eva that I realize something is seriously wrong.
I flick my eyes to the camera then back to her.
And finally, she looks up at me, her eyes shrouded, her expression serious.“I don’t think this is where you’d choose to hear this news, but considering you’re here, I think this is likely the best space for you to make a comment on it.”
My stomach twists, but I lift my chin, straighten my shoulders.“Lay it on me.”
Eva’s mouth hitches up and then she turns the laptop in my direction.
I frown, not getting it.
Then she hits play.
And Pat’s face comes on the screen.
“I figured the best thing I could do at this juncture is offer up my experience as a player on Coach Connors’ roster.”
