Page 115 of My Lucky Charm

“School is easy,” Scarlett says. “And not as much fun as hockey.”

Gray looks resigned. “You are pretty good, Scout.”

She pulls one of her skates off and flips it on the ground. “Told ya.”

He looks at me, slightly exasperated, and I smile. I love seeing this side of him.

I wish everyone could.

They finish changing their shoes, and as we leave, Gray signs a few more hockey sticks, a notepad, and a fast food napkin, then poses for a couple of photos with fans.

Once we’re outside, I scroll through the images.

“You’re smiling,” he says, stepping out onto the sidewalk.

“I know! You were almost charming back there,” I say.

He gives me a wry look. “Almost?”

I grin over at him. “Like forty-eight percent charming.”

“You’re going to put all of that on the internet, aren’t you?” he asks, dryly.

“The thought did cross my mind.”

He grunts a reply, and I smile at him.

“What’s up with all the hearts?” Scarlett asks as we walk back to the car.

“Those are for Valentine’s Day,” I say, looking at the painted hearts affixed to the old fashioned lamp posts all the way down Cupid Lane. “It’s a Loveland tradition. You can buy a heart for someone and leave them a message. There’s also a Valentine’s Day festival. Last year, Dallas got some of the guys to learn a dance so he could serenade Poppy. It was adorable.”

“He danced?” Gray asks. “Is there a video of that?”

“Oh yeah,” I say, remembering. “Not just him. Jericho and Krush and some of the other guys too. I got it all.”

“Burke. Dancing.” He scoffs.

“Love makes you do crazy things.” I glance at him.

He looks over at me. I hold his gaze three seconds too long, then force myself to look away. “Hey, do you guys want to have dinner? Poppy invited us over to Dallas’s house. She’s making chicken and dumplings.”

“We just ate lunch,” Gray says. “Are you already hungry?”

“Well, not just, it’s been a couple of hours. But we can hang out and you can relax for a while before dinner,” I say. “You do relax, right?”

He tosses me a look that seems to say “very funny” as Scarlett says, “Yes! Let’s do it!” and I assume that Gray doesn’t actually relax. He’s one of the most driven people I’ve ever met. He probably needs a long vacation and a deep tissue massage.

Deep. Tissue. Massage.

Hoo, boy.

“Let’s do it,” he says, giving in to Scarlett.

We get back to the car, and I navigate to Dallas’s house out on the edge of town.

“Why does he live here and not in the city?” Gray asks as we pull into the circle drive.

I look over at him. “He’s never told you?”

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