Page 17 of One Pucking Chance

She holds her donut between her fingers and raises it. “You’re not lying about these. Oh my gosh… heavenly.”

“Told ya. They’re the best.”

She takes another bite of her donut and covers her mouth with her hand as she asks, “So do you guys have a thing about your jersey numbers?”

“What kind of thing?”

“Like a pride thing or something.”

“Of course. It’s our number. It represents us. It’s not only the fans who are obsessed with the game. We all play because we love it, and our jersey number is our badge of honor, showing the world that we’re good enough to play the best game there is at a professional level.”

“I get that.” She nods.

“Yeah, andwhenyou come to a game, you’ll wear that number two jersey proudly.”

She puckers her lips and squints. “What if I wore another jersey?”

“I’d die.”

She laughs. “No, really.”

“No, really, it would break my heart, and I would most likely cease to exist.”

She captures me with her big beautiful blues and holds my stare. “Well, I would never want that.”

“Good.” I retrieve another donut and hold it out to her.

She looks at it and bites her bottom lip. “Uh…I don’t know if I should…Okay, fine.”

I hand it to her. “Don’t worry, these are special calorie-free donuts.”

“Oh, I’m sure.” She smiles. “Fried in fat-free oil, no doubt.”

“Exactly.”

She takes another bite. “I’m not worried about the calories. I’m worried about the sugar. The apples, wine, and now donuts. It’s more sugar than I normally have, and I don’t want to feel sick tomorrow. It’s tough enough dealing with my coworker when I feel well.”

“The Simon guy?”

“The very one.”

“I’ve seen the pair of you together in photos on various news outlets. I thought you might be dating or at the very least good friends.” I start setting out the other food containers on the blanket between us. It’s a charcuterie spread with various meats, cheese, crackers, fruits, and vegetables.

“You really are a stalker.” She giggles. “And no… I can honestly say I think I hate the guy. But those pictures were all work-related, and the paparazzi were tipped off to our whereabouts. It creates buzz for the movie.”

“I get that. That’s kinda what Penny does for us. She makes sure we’re photographed doing something good and puts it up on all the socials. She thinks it’s important to maintain a positive image.”

“Penny is Ms. Dreven?” Annalise asks.

I nod.

“I like her, and I agree. A positive image is important in both of our industries. For better or worse, actors and athletes are looked up to as role models.”

“Sure, maybe. But I also can’t live my life based on the expectations of strangers.”

She scoffs, her expression turning almost sad. “Well, I’ve been doing that my whole life.”

The conversation pivots, taking on a lighter tone as we get to know one another over crackers and cheese. I tell her all about the guys on the team who are my family and make her promise to come to a game while she’s in town. She discusses her favorite things about growing up in Hollywood, on one set after the next.

---