Page 30 of Lucky
“What?”I ask, trying to act like I haven’t been thinking about Winnie smiling at me from the stands.
“I asked if you’re good.”
I scrub a hand over my jaw.The bar is a little too warm and crowded.The scent of fries and beer clings to the air, and somewhere, someone’s drunkenly singing along to a nineties alt-rock song that’s too loud through the speakers.For some reason, those things are annoying me when they never have before.
“Yeah,” I say gruffly.“Just thinking.”
“About TikTok Teacher?”
I chuckle, because… yeah.That’s exactly who I was thinking about.I pick up my beer and run a finger through the condensation on the glass.“She has a name,” I point out.
“Winnie,” he says, snapping his fingers like he’s scored a trivia point.He leans in, resting his arms on the table, his expression shrewd.“You into her?”
I give a nonchalant shrug, but the movement feels stiff even to me.“Nah, man.Just having a good time.”
“Bullshit,” Mazzy says, suddenly appearing at the table like a truth-seeking missile.
She slides into our group next to Foster with the kind of confidence only Mazzy can pull off.Mila follows behind, eyes already locked on mine with amused interest.Penn’s arm curls possessively around her and for a man who was a complete antisocial outcast just a few months ago, I can’t help but marvel at the change in him since reconnecting with her.
I glance around and realize all eyes are now on me.Terrific.
Mazzy tilts her head.“You’re totally into her and why shouldn’t you be?She’s funny.Smart.And I love that she has a rabbit that judges people.”
Great.She watches Winnie’s TikTok channel and has some insight into the woman.I’m guessing that’s going to lead to pointed advice.
Atlas blinks and shifts in his seat.“A rabbit?”
Mazzy nods enthusiastically, lifting her beer.“You should follow her on TikTok.She’s freaking hilarious and very genuine.She doesn’t sugarcoat things.”
“She’s got a whole series where the rabbit silently shames her while she unpacks her failed dating life,” Mila adds with a grin.
Mazzy turns to me again, serious.“And quit trying to downplay it.I saw the TikTok you recorded with her after your first date.This has more than a good time written all over it.”
“You guys are perfection,” Mila says, leaning across the table with her chin in her hand.“Like a romantic comedy filmed entirely in front of a green screen.”
Jesus… it’s a tennis match with these two women volleying opinions and advice.
“More important,” Mazzy adds, scooting closer to Foster and pointing a french fry at me, “you need to lock it down before someone else swoops in and steals her.”
That comment tightens my stomach.Because she’s right.Winnie’s experiment isn’t exclusive and I’ve known from the beginning that other guys are part of this thing she’s doing.Still, it’s different hearing it out loud.
“Wait a minute,” Atlas says, his forehead wrinkling as the puzzle pieces click.“She’s dating other guys too?”
“It’s an experiment,” I explain, resting my forearms on the table.“She’s had bad dates and she wants to find a decent guy, so she laid out a challenge.She’s looking for nice and normal.”
Foster laughs so hard he nearly snorts his beer.“You are not normal.”
He’s not wrong.I lift one shoulder.“She wants an average guy and she thinks that a professional athlete is a little above average.I can’t believe that’s being used against me.”
“He sounds bitter,” Mazzy says to Mila with a smirk.“Which totally means he’s into her.”
Mila raises her brows at me like she’s reading my soul.“How do you feel about her dating other men?”she asks, voice soft but curious.
Atlas adds, “You scared of a little competition?”
“No,” I say honestly, shaking my head.“Not afraid, but admittedly, I’ve never had to compete for a woman before.”
“Dude,” Penn teases with a chuckle.“You might actually have to work for this.”
