Page 113 of My Lucky Charm

Eloise

My hand and my heart ache, but for entirely different reasons.

I’m sitting off to the side of the Loveland Ice House, watching Gray and Scarlett skate around the ice. I don’t know much about hockey except the little bits Scarlett taught me at the game the other night, but I think Gray is running drills with her, and it’s drawing the attention of some of the locals.

Scarlett still has homework, and I know they need to get home soon, but I won’t pretend I don’t love this. It’s making it more and more difficult to do what I promised—keep this whole relationship professional.

I’m embarrassed that Jay’s taunts got the best of me, but the truth is, he spoke some of my greatest fears out loud.

A few of the boys skate over to Gray, and I sit up straight, worried he’s going to bark at them to leave him alone. He glances at me, pauses, then motions for the boys to hand over their sticks, which he signs. He doesn’t smile, but I’m calling it a win. I slyly photograph the whole encounter, because Beverly did say social media was part of my job.

Whether Gray likes it or not.

But then, to my shock, Gray starts playing with them.

He’s not only playing with them, he’s helping them, giving them pointers, showing them different ways to hold the stick, ways to balance, skate backward, improve their game. And, whether he wants to see it or not, even I can tell that Scarlett is the best of the bunch apart from Gray.

She’s fast. Like, really fast. And she has an amazingly accurate shot.

I watch, marveling at the way Gray moves on the ice, with the same precision as always, but none of the aggression.

I take some video—more excellent content—then scroll through my photos, stopping on a selfie Scarlett made us take at the aquarium.

I think about the teenager mistaking me as part of Gray’s “family.”

I think about the way Gray took care of my hand before destroying his lunch.

I think of how he said I make him want to try and be something more than just a hockey player.

I try to answer a few of Gray’s emails, including the one from Beth, accepting the endorsement request for, what I now realize, a very popular brand of fabric softener. Thankfully, Malcolm Crane signed off on the endorsement, and while he made sure to let me know his contract with Gray entitles him to a cut of the commission, he commended me for finding the opportunity for Gray and especially for convincing him to do it.

I don’t bother explaining that the whole thing was a huge mistake and respond instead with a simple “Glad to help.”

My phone buzzes with a new text in my Hart sisters’ chat.

Poppy

If you guys are still in town tonight, swing by Dallas’s.

I’m making chicken and dumplings.

Eloise

We’re at the rink, but I’ll ask Gray when he’s done.

Raya

This doesn’t sound like business.

Poppy

It didn’t look like business either.

Raya

You saw them?

Poppy

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