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Luke was right about me going with them. I was there to report, and that meant assessing the atmosphere and the other team. Plus, I was a lucky charm, even if Luke was nicknamed Lucky, I was the charm behind it now.

Whitley College was nestled inside New Hampshire. There was a bit more of a chill in the air as it sat on an open plain of land without many mountains surrounding it. The gusts were heavy as they battered down on us on the walk from the bus to the ice rink arena the team were playing at.

“There’s going to be a lot of noise at this event,” The coach warned me as I walked with him and the other support staff. I wasn’t going to be caught called a distraction again, the first time hurt, the second time would injure me badly, so I kept it from happening. “They’re coming off a loss from their game last week. So, they’re going to need a win, but we need a win more because we lost our last game against them.”

I nodded along. “Well, I’m always rooting for the Orcas.” I opened my messenger bag at my hip to show Bloo off. “I’m always representing.”

“Good,” he said. “So, out of curiosity, who else is on this fantasy league team of yours?” he asked. “Anyone we’re going up against? You know, it’s bad luck to do that.”

“It has to have other people. Do you even know how it works?”

“Well, it’s been a while since I participated,” he said. “It’s like a hundred dollars to the winner. Right?”

I scoffed and shook my head. “A thousand dollars for the winner. It’s a competitive league, well, the one I’m in is. I almost didn’t even get to pick Luke.”

“Well, who else did you pick?”

“So, this league doesn’t all play each other,” I prefaced it with. “It’s a whole bunch of colleges from across North America.” I pulled out my phone to the list of players I kept in the notes section of my phone. It was better than logging into the site and seeing how well—or poorly I was doing. “I’ve got Ace McKinnon, he’s the captain of the Scorpions, they’re a team in Seattle, which a surprise choice considering most teams are East Coast. Anyway, um—” I scrolled the list, crossing my notes for the players. “Brennan Tate, goalie for Rainier Lumberjacks, he’s got some great skills, I wanted to pick Tyler but someone else drafted him first. Um—then I managed to get Adrian DeLuca, another great player, from Brynn University, another team we’re not playing. And oh, I really didn’t want this guy because all the research I did said he was an absolute jerk face, Liam Parnap, right winger, not that right wing.” I paused to giggle at my own joke. “He’s at Bellport for the Bobcats, but he’s actually a good player. And then there’s Aiden Mercer, Manchester University Maulers, center forward. I think we’re playing them at some point. And then, I tried to fill the rest of the team with as many Orcas as I could—or, well, that I wanted on my team. The only other one I wanted but didn’t get was Zach something from the Penguins down in Arizona, another shock place because it’s all desert there, right?”

Coach patted me on the shoulder. “I’m glad I put in that word for you at the paper. You surprise me with some of the stuff you say. It’s good. You ever thought about working for our social team?”

“Isn’t that just one guy who records videos?” I asked.

“Well, it’s not even that. It’s just one guy and he works for the college sports departments, all of them on the official communications stuff, so like news outlets, and all that. But if you want extra credit, I bet I could help you with it.”

My eyes lit up at the idea. It could help with majoring in communications, but I didn’t know if it’s where I wanted to focus my life. It would probably lead me to a career at a news desk and not even reporting on sports news, but in the research department, squirreled away underground. I still wanted to write creatively. “I can think about it, right?”

“You’re only a sophomore,” he said. “You have all the time in the world.”

I wished that was true. There seemed to be pressure to figure out what I was doing with my life from all angles. From the college constantly imparting their advice on careers to my mom at home asking if I was learning anything useful. I knew she wanted me home, and probably at one of the local papers where I knew I’d grow to hate the world. I was meant to explore, and Caldwell College was giving me that.

“By the way,” Coach continued. “I wouldn’t tell anyone else about your fantasy league. They might think of it as insider trading. It’s not, unless you have sway over the opposition, but it’s best to keep it to yourself, and I hope you win.”

Winning seemed like a pipe dream. There were monetary prizes for second and third place as well, but first place was where I wanted to be—as did everyone else.

We were early, naturally, and it felt weird to be this early to a game. I got to be around all the pre-game action. The other team were already here since it was their home arena, and they had the advantage of covering their entire interior with team colors, a garish yellow, neon orange, and the dirtiest white I’d ever seen. Someone needed to have a word with their kit manager and get them to add a couple of those color fade pods into their wash cycle because they were not looking good.

This was the first time I was getting a front row seat of the Orcas have their pep talk with coach. The other support staff, like our kit manager were also around, and they did a much better job. I almost wanted to say something, but I knew I wouldn’t, not until I was alone with Luke and we could giggle about it together.

There was a lot riding on this game, not only for my scoresheet, but also my reward. I’d thought about it once I locked eyes with Luke from across the locker room. He said it was something for my bed, something to lay with, but my mind went to body pillow, then quickly to one of those very expensive silicone things with the attachments , and I doubt he’d had the time to get his entire body molded and cast in silicone for me—it would’ve been nice, but highly unlikely.

Luke also gave a speech. “We’ve got a lot to prove tonight. We’re not at home. We’re in enemy territory, but you know what, we’ve been beaten before, we know what it feels like to fail here. And we don’t want to go back there. Winning is in our blood. Winning is everything. Let’s show them an apex predator.”

“And show mercy,” Coach interjected. “I want a clean game, you heard that. I don’t want y of you in that penalty box. I know everyone of you can grind and brawl, but it’s the start of the season. If you’re going to get injured, wait until we’re closer to winter break.”

They erupted into roars and their feet pound the plastic walkway fit for skates of the locker room floor. It was electric, I would’ve considered it a once in a lifetime experience if I didn’t already know I would be reporting on them for the rest of the season. I wondered how many more times it would feel this good, and this optimistic.

The arena of tiered seats surrounding the rink were filled mostly with cheers for the Whitley team, while there was a strong showing from Caldwell College, it wasn’t nearly enough to combat them. Although, seeing the sea of blue in support was nice, and I was, as suspected and foretold by Luke, the most supportive with the jersey, hat, scarf, and my Bloo tucked underarm.

Sat behind the penalty box, I had a nice clear view out over the rink, and Luke had a good look at me. I was worried about that.

Except I had no reason to be worried.

The first period ended with Ryan aka Tank scoring the first goal. The second period was a little slipperier, they scored the first goal almost immediately, but we scored three more goals in even faster succession. Luke, then Zachary, and sandwiched with another Luke goal. He looked at me after that last goal, and blew me a kiss. Everyone looked around to see who it was for. Me. All me. The final period was a done deal, we were four goals to their one. They scored a second, and Ryan, nearly got sent to the penalty box with the way he was grinding the full force of his body to get the final goal.

5-2. We’d won.

The notes I made were a mess, lots of excited scribbles. Notes of the atmosphere and their less than thrilling performances during the breaks. It was strange to hear classical music over the speakers when I was used to the fast and upbeat dance music, often accompanied by a performance on the ice. It was a cheer team of sorts mixed with figure skating. It covered the entertainment portion, but couldn’t distract from the other team’s shouting at each other from a second massive failure on their part.

It didn’t hit me until we went to the locker room to congratulate the team that I was getting the points for Luke’s goals, and Zachary’s too. I’d managed to grab him as another Orca pick. My chances were looking up, assuming all the other players on all those other teams were doing their part as well.

Luke scooped me up in his arms, he was so sweaty and wet, but he smelled good, like damp vanilla. Not a good description, but the best one my mind could combine, like sweat and cupcakes. It shouldn’t work, but it did on him.

“Get a room,” the other players teased.

“You already have one,” Coach said. “But yeah, get a room.” He laughed with the team.

For once, I didn’t mind all their eyes on me, in fact, I somewhat enjoyed it. It was under the protective hold that my boyfriend had over me. I giggling shiver ran through my back to my legs as they buckled around Luke’s waist. I had a boyfriend, and he was the most handsome, protective man I could’ve ever wanted in this world. I had a boyfriend. It was so weird to think, I barely thought it was real, but he was tangible, solid in my hands and wrapped around my thighs. Oops. I shouldn’t have been thinking about all of that in a room full of people—because yes, we did need a room.

“You’re my lucky charm,” he said in a whisper and kissed my neck. “And, I can feel that. Are you excited, or is that your notepad in your pants?”

I giggled. “You can find out later.”

“Ok, so I’ve made reservations at one of the restaurants down the road, it’s apparently great. So, if you all want to get showered and changed into something comfy, there’s a table waiting for you all. And yes, there’s a budget, and no alcohol,” Coach said.

Some of the team were happy about that, and other groaned. “Even for those above twenty-one?” Ryan asked. “You know I scored twice. I deserve a beer, at the very least.”

Coach shook his head. “Nope, they won’t serve it because of the party size and ages. But if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. Just let me know and I’ll take the staff out.”

I kept eye contact with Luke. I was already overwhelmed with the night, and I just wanted to go back to the hotel room. “You should go,” I told him.

“You’ve gotta come as well.”

I shook my head. “No,” I gently protested back. “It’s your team. You’ve got to Daddy them,” it was whispered, but I saw the reaction to the word. He was enjoying it more than I thought he would.

“Ok. You’re right,” he said. “Guys, I think it’s a great idea. Let’s get changed into sweats and go max out Mr. Iron Mike’s card. Steaks all around, what do you think, Liam. Think a steak will do.”

Liam slow clapped. “If we don’t, someone else will,” he said. “We’ve got to celebrate. And you know after the workout we did out there is gonna need all the protein for the gains.” He patted at the padding he’d yet to take off with two heavy thuds.

The consensus was to take the coach’s offer of the restaurant booking and steaks all-around. I was kinda glad I’d already preemptively told Luke I wasn’t interested in going. The idea of stomaching steak like they had it, still mooing, made me a little nauseous.

“I’ll bring you something back,” he told me. “Maybe dessert.”

I nodded. “I’ll get room service, it’s ok.”

Coach patted me on the shoulder. “Are you staying or going?”

“Going,” I said. “I’m gonna make a start on my report anyway, plus, they all smell sweaty.” I pretended to gag.

Coach laughed. “Come on then, we’ll grab a cab. The team bus is needed to load up all those bags.”

Before leaving, I gave Luke another big kiss and a hug, and he reminded me that since the team had won, that meant I had to keep up my end of the bargain now. And my end of the bargain was to invite him into my little space, where he could see how I played. I tried to get another hint to my gift, but he already told me too much, which still had me stumped because I could only think of a body pillow—and if it was full size, maybe enough for me to add a little toy.

It was a naughty thought. I was clearly far too horned up. I needed a cold shower. Stat.