Page 69 of In My Hockey Era
Bennett:Bet you were watching me though.
I clench my jaw, staring at the screen.Do not engage, Lucy.
I clear my throat, pushing forward.“Now, before we move on, let’s take a quick break to shout out our sponsor—”
Another buzz.
I sigh and flip my phone over, screen down.
“—and when we come back, we’ll get into some listener questions.I put up a poll last night, and surprise, surprise, half of you want me to talk about the book club thing.”I roll my eyes but grin.“So, fine.We’ll touch on it.Briefly.”
Because that’s all the time I plan on giving it.
Even though the book club bit has made my podcastexplode, even though I’ve gotten more engagement in the last two months than I have in the past two years, I’m not ready to let it take over.Iliketalking about hockey.Realhockey.
Not just… Bennett.
Bzzzt.
Bzzzt.
Bzzzt.
I groan.“Jeez, hang on.”
I flip the phone over.
Bennett:I know you’re ignoring me.
Bennett:Not very nice, Quinn.
Bennett:Guess I’ll just have to find other ways to get your attention…
I swallow.
Hard.
Heat blooms in my chest, my mind immediately spiraling intoall the waysBennett Wilder could get my attention.Andhasgotten my attention.
I take a deep breath and click the mic off.The sponsor ad is still playing.
Then I grab my phone, thumbs flying.
Me:I’m WORKING.
Bennett:I know.You’re so serious when you talk hockey.It’s cute.
Me:You’re a menace.
Bennett:And yet you love it.
I don’t reply.
Because I don’t have an argument.
And because my face is burning, and I need tofocus.
I shake my head, turn the mic back on, and force myself to get through the rest of the episode.But the second I hit stop, my fingers are already typing.
