When I open the door, she beams at me.“I come bearing reinforcements.”
“Um… Atlas isn’t here.He’s at the arena.”
Winnie rolls her eyes and tilts the bakery box side to side to draw my eye there.“I know that, silly.So’s Lucky, and I’m here.What better time to enjoy chocolate croissants and lemon muffins?Please don’t make me eat them all myself.”
The buttery smell sneaks past me before I can even answer.“You didn’t have to do that,” I say, because my reflex is always to refuse any sort of humanity.
“Sure I did,” she chirps, breezing inside like she’s lived here for years.“You’ve officially been initiated into the Titans family.We do baked goods and unsolicited advice.Where’s Grayce?”
“Asleep,” I say, as I watch Winnie head into the kitchen, tiptoeing as if her footsteps might carry through the walls.I shut the door and follow behind.
She sets the box on the counter and pulls out two mugs from the cabinet.“Tea?Coffee?”
“Coffee,” I admit.“Black.”
As she readies the pot, she rambles on, assuming I’m listening.“I just got off work about an hour ago and I have to be at the arena by seven, but that left me plenty of time to squeeze in a visit with you.”She looks over her shoulder.“You don’t mind, do you?”
I’m the type who would totally mind the unannounced intrusion into the few precious hours I have to myself, but something about Winnie charms me.“No, I don’t mind at all.”
“Excellent.”She beams.“Put the pastries on the table and start in on them.”
I chew on one of the chocolate croissants—it’s so good, I don’t know how I’m going to pass up having a second.I reason that I didn’t eat lunch today, so I can afford the calories.I’m starting on my second by the time Winnie comes to the table with coffee.
“Thank you,” I say and take a sip while it’s hot.When I set the mug down, I give her a sheepish grin.“I don’t drink hot liquids around Grayce, so I can’t remember the last time I had hot coffee straight from the brew.”
Winnie laughs, reaching for a muffin.“Then I’m extra glad I came by before the game.”
“Do you go to all of Lucky’s games?”
She nods, her eyes lighting up.“All the home games since we’ve been dating.He wants me to come to some of the away games, but I can’t swing it with work.Want to know how Lucky and I met?”
I blink, thrown by the sudden change.The twinkle in her eye intrigues me.“Um… yeah.”
Her grin widens.“A TikTok challenge.I was looking to date someone solid and ordinary, so I issued a challenge and he accepted.”
“But I’d argue he’s not ordinary,” I point out.“Just by the fact he’s a professional athlete.”
“You’re not kidding.He’s the least ordinary person I know and for that reason, I didn’t want to continue to date him after I found out he was a hockey player.But he persisted, so I kept at it.”
“Sounds like a fairy tale.”
Winnie snorts.“Not really.We sort of publicized the experiment and the comments were brutal at times.My self-esteem took a big hit.”
“Oh my God,” I say, reaching a hand out to touch her arm.“That’s awful.”
“It was, but Lucky made me want to push through that so I could get to the happily ever after with him.So don’t tell me fate doesn’t work in weird ways.”
I shake my head, but I can’t help the laugh that escapes.“That’s… actually kind of sweet.Terrifying, but sweet.”
“See?Sometimes the crazy risks we take pay off.”She taps the table with one perfectly shaped nail painted with only clear polish.“Anyway, the girls can’t wait to meet you.Mila, Tempe, Farren, Mazzy, Willa—they’ve all been texting me.You’re going to love them.”
“Wait!”My brows draw together.“Why would they want to meet me?And who are these women?”
She gives me a look that’s both exasperated and amused.“They’re some of the players’ significant others and they want to meet you because you’re part of this now.”
“I am not Atlas’s significant other,” I say, almost indignantly.
Winnie laughs.“Relax.You’re part of the Titans family because you are the co-parent to Atlas’s daughter.Which is so weird to say.I mean… two weeks ago, he was childless.Isdaughterthe right word?”
