“Well, what if he says something publicly aboutyou? Pokes you back? Or defends himself? Or…decides to show up and see what this is all about himself?” Andi looks positively giddy. “God, that would be juicy. You guys having some kind of little feud about the real meaning of hockey. If he shows up here, social media would explode. Everyone would want to see the two of you together.”
“A lot of peoplealreadywant to see the two of you together,” Sutton says. “You’re like the biggest mystery celebrity couple ever!”
“We’re not celebrities,” Astrid says with a frown. “Outside of sports, people don’t know who we are, and even outside of gymnastics and hockey, we’re barely recognized.”
“Everyone knows who you are!” Sutton protests. “You were on the cover of like every magazine! You’ve done commercials. Your online following is huge!”
Astrid waves that away. “No one cares about me and Declan bickering.”
“So youarebickering,” Andi says, her eyes dancing.
“Do I need to have you all sign NDAs?” Astrid asks. She looks serious.
Andi and Sutton both straighten. “No,” Sutton says quickly.
“Of course not,” Andi says, sincerely.
“Thank you,” Astrid says. “Then…just between us…yes, Declan and I are bickering. When we talk at all.”
I really want to know more.Really. I wonder what I can get out of Alex? Maybe if I do that thing…
“Oh my God,” Sutton sighs. But her tone is not exuberant, like the rest of us.
I look at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Do you have any idea how much more food we’re going to have to order for the crawfish boil?”
I start laughing. I look at Astrid. “Good thing our owner is so supportive.”
“Oh, let me show you the new ideas I have for merch!” Astrid says, pulling her phone out.
And I sighhappily.
Yes, our owner is spending money on her teams like her husband does on his. But the money is going for crawfish, ingredients for our signature cocktail at the arena—our twist on the Swamp Water cocktail, of course—and things like stuffed otters and Rougarou. We’re spending on our fans. On the people of Rebel.
And yes, a part of me would love to know what Declan O’Grady thinks of this.
But I really want to know what Alex thinks of it.
CHAPTER 25
ALEX
“CanI go with you to deliver all of the stuff in Rebel?” I ask Beckett.
I am staring down at one of the items we picked up in New Orleans.
We have a new stove in the back of his truck. Twenty pounds of potatoes. Miscellaneous items from a pharmacy. Two dozen beignets. A bunch of two-by-fours and some metal bracket thingies that I would never have been able to identify on my own. And a kitten.
I am holding the little orange fluff ball in both hands as it sleeps on our way back to Rebel.
He would honestly fit in only one of my hands, but I have both cupped around him because I’m afraid of dropping him.
Beckett looks over. “Sure. You really want to?”
“I’m fascinated by what you do.”
He laughs. “I pick shit up and drop it off. I’m really just filling a gap.”
