“Her dress was pale blue. And she looked incredible, by the way. Ethereal. Gorgeous.” I tent my fingers, pressing the tips together. “I wasn’t going to make her wear the dress out of there. She’s had more than enough attention on her these past few months. So I made a choice. Maybe it was the wrong one. But if I hadn’t given her my shirt, if she’d walked out of there wearing a blood-stained dress instead, what would the narrative have been then? Would it have been better or worse? We’ll never know, because that’s not what happened.”
“So you gave her your shirt?”
“Yes.”
“You gave your girlfriend the literal shirt off your back,” she repeats.
“Of course I did. I l—” I stop short.
Hemi and Hammer look like they’re holding their collective breaths.
Marietta leans in. “You what?”
“She’s my girlfriend. She’s the most important person in my world. I would do whatever it takes to protect her.”
She reaches across the table and hits pause. “Does she know?”
A cold spike of fear shoots down my spine. “Does she know what?”
She looks briefly at Hemi before her gaze returns to me. “How you feel about her.”
“I’d appreciate it if she hears those words from me first.”
“Fair. I do think your actions speak volumes.” She unpauses the recording. “Is there anything you’d like to say, Phillip Madden, the man who gave his girlfriend the shirt off his back to protect her?”
“In honor of my girlfriend, and the fact that the hockey-watching nation now knows she gets a period, we’re asking our fans to give back to the community by donating a box of tampons, pads, or any other helpful period-related items, which will go to local women’s shelters and to group homes in the city. Anyone who brings a donation to the next home game will automatically have their ticket added to a lottery for seats at our first playoff game in Toronto.”
“I love it. Thank you for being so candid and honest. Tally’s a lucky young woman.”
“I’m the lucky one.”
She ends the recording and sighs. “Well, you’re nothing like I expected and everything I hoped you would be.”
“Thanks. I think.” I rise as she does.
“Thank you so much for coming on such short notice.” Hemi shakes her hand.
“Honestly, it’s my pleasure. I sincerely appreciate theopportunity. Love covering hockey, but I’d never want to date one of the players.”
“Yeah, me either,” I joke.
CHAPTER 47
TALLY
Flip’s interview with Marietta from the Tribune went live last night. Coupled with his Tampon Toss video, they reached viral status within a few hours. Apparently, my period makes an excellent headline. At least we’ve found a way to turn my monthly cycle into something positive.
The amount of attention I’ve received over the past forty-eight hours, has made it hard to focus. It’s stress on top of stress because I have final assignments to hand in, exams to prepare for, and a showcase I can’t afford to flub.
But tonight, I’m with my Babes at the Terror game. I want to be a supportive girlfriend. The anxiety is hard to handle, though. I keep waiting for someone to yell something vile. It happened relentlessly after the pictures of Flip and me leaving the restaurant went viral. But after Flip’s interview, the tone changed, and I’ve been on the receiving end of empathy. And everyone wants Flip Madden to be their boyfriend. The whiplash is intense.
Once again, it feels like all eyes are on me. Hammer had special jerseys made featuring a smiling cartoon tampon for the Terror’s newest community outreach initiative: The Tampon Toss.
For every box of women’s feminine products donated, Connor’s family is matching it with a monetary donation to local women’s shelters. One lucky person will win box seats during the first home playoff game.
So, hockey and community support are the main focus again, aside from one hockey blogger who is on a mission to dig up every skeleton in Flip’s walk-in closet.
“How are you feeling?” Hammer hugs my arm.
