Page 32 of The Pucking Wrong Rookie

Twenty minutes later I was staring at her image on the screen, zooming in so I could try and get the full experience. Everything on the ice had happened so fast, I hadn’t gotten time to savor her.

Was she doing all right after her fall?

Finally admitting to myself that staring at her on a screen wasn’t going to get me any closer to my goal, I tried ticketing next. They weren’t any help because Tyler Miller had purchased those seats, and he hadn’t assigned names to them.

I was actually going to have to use facial recognition software after all. That was going to be a stretch of my capabilities.

I picked up my phone and texted the group.

Me: I need some software.

Ari: I find it unreal that you’re asking for favors right now.

I sent a picture of Geraldine’s dog, Fluffy.

Me: Need I remind all of you, that the Circle is in debt to me. Perhaps forever.

Lincoln: So an old broad took some pictures of you, when are you going to get over this?

Ari: Don’t call my bestie an “old broad.” Have some respect.

Ari: But also…Fifi’s balls literally hit my face. I almost got them in my mouth.

Lincoln: …

Camden: This is the first time I’m hearing this part of the story…and the dog’s name is Fluffy.

Ari: The rest of the story was bad enough. It’s hard for me to talk about that part.

Walker: Once again, I’ll state for the record that I’m going to forever mourn the fact I wasn’t there that night.

Me: Lamaze class does come with a price.

Ari: Why did we move on from my trauma so fast?

I huffed out a laugh.

Me: Can we focus? I need facial recognition software.

Walker: Why do all of our conversations in this group make me worry that the FBI is going to burst through my door at any moment and take my phone and computer?

Ari: Don’t say FBI! That triggers something in the algorithm. That’s when they start stalking you.

Walker: You literally just said FBI.

Ari: You did it again!

Me: Focus! We have to be at the arena in like three hours.

Lincoln: Surprised you remembered that, Rookie.

Me: …

Lincoln: I’ll send a program over.

I whooped, because if anyone was going to have that kind of program, it was going to be him. Besides being a star hockey player, he’d inherited an insane amount of wealth thanks to his father’s hedge fund and some wise investments with his trust. He also seemed to “always have a guy.” Also, why I aspired to be like him. He was very useful…and terrifying.

Ari: Anyone else think Golden Boy epitomizes “Spooky Sexy.”

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