Page 90 of Lucky
That is, if the damn rabbit doesn’t eat it first.
I drop my duffel, plop down in a chair beside North and pull out my phone.“Here… hold this,” I say to him.
He blinks in surprise but takes my phone.I angle his way.“Turn the screen toward me,” I instruct.
He does so and I put the camera on me and press record.North rolls his eyes as he realizes he’s become my cameraman.
“Packing for a four-day road trip, hockey edition,” I narrate as I pull my bag onto my lap and start pulling out items.“Winnie swears by this lip balm.”North snorts and shakes his head.“I brought a Sudoku book, even though I suck at it.”I rummage further.“Oh, here’s a water bottle Win made for me with my name in bubble letters and a shamrock.”I hold it out to the camera, rotate it.“So cute.And look… a neatly folded hoodie that definitely isn’t mine.I swear I didn’t throw that in there because it smells like Winnie.”
Atlas leans into the camera frame.“Tell me you’re in love without telling me you’re in love.”
I shove him playfully and smirk at the camera, gesturing to the pile.“I don’t know… what do you think it says about me?”
I wink and then stop the recording.North shoves the phone at me.“Thanks, man.”
“You’re so weird.”He chuckles and Kace claps like it’s the most emotional moment in sports history.
“Thank you, thank you very much,” I say, waving to the guys.“I accept tips.”
I start placing the items back in my bag, resisting the urge to sniff Winnie’s hoodie.North shifts and leans my way.
“Hey,” he says, voice low but clear.“Can I tell you something?”
“Sure.What’s up?”
“It’s not a huge deal, but… Farren mentioned something to me last night and I think you need to know about it.”
I turn, the smile fading because his tone is grim.“Yeah?”
He hesitates for half a beat, then just says it.“Winnie ran into a couple women in the bathroom.Said some pretty awful stuff to her.About the TikToks.About you.Did she tell you about it?”
My body stills.“No.What was said?”
North’s eyes harden.“Farren heard most of it.They told her she was delusional and there’s no way you like her.”
“She knows that’s not true,” I say, defending myself and Winnie’s common sense.
North nods.“One lady called her a TikTok whore.”
Rage sweeps through me so swiftly, I swear I see red.
I blink.Once.Twice.
An ugly knot twists in my chest.
“Farren confronted the women, but Winnie didn’t say much.She told Farren she was fine and that it was par for the course.Farren got the impression that Winnie was holding it close to the vest, but I wanted to mention it to you so you know it’s going on.”
Par for the fucking course.
Christ, is she really seeing so much of this negative backlash?
“I’ve seen the comments,” I admit quietly.“Some of them are nasty.I’ve even replied to a few.But I didn’t know anyone was saying it to her face.”
North nods.“She’s recognizable, so I imagine that was bound to happen.”
I think back to when she returned to the couch.She seemed okay but she was quiet.I was talking to Rafferty and she just listened, holding my hand.Did I miss something important?
I rise from my chair and clap North on the shoulder.“Thanks for letting me know.”
