Page 99 of The Shot You Missed
“I know, I know, but I’m inspired. It’s all I can think about.” Outside of my little self-insert fanfic, I have never written a hockey romance. It felt too dangerous. Like if I wrote it, I’d be more likely to be found out. It also felt like a jinx. The way you never tell someone what you wish for when you spot a shooting star or blow out birthday candles. Because if you say it out loud, it won’t come true.
But now that my wish is finally coming true, all I can think about is using my experiences with the guys on the team and the games I’ve been to as inspiration for a new book that just happens to star a hockey-playing male lead.
“Fair enough. I’m sure your publisher would go for it. Sports romances are always hot.”
“Yeah. But for now, I need to focus on finishing this one. And I need to decide if I’m going to reveal my identity.” The thought doesn’t scare me the way it used to. Because I’ve always had Lola at my side, but now I have Sebastian too. And his friends and teammates. I may not know all of them super well, but I can tell they’re the kind of people who would have my back.
It makes the idea of revealing my identity feel like less of a risk.
“You’re considering it, aren’t you?”
“I am. I still have reservations, but I think it may be time.”
“Girl, I am so proud of you.” Lola reaches across the table to give my hand a squeeze. Her smile lights up her whole face, and it makes me feel like I can do anything.
I can take charge of my life and career and reveal my secret identity on my terms and my timeline.
“You going to tell your little crab boy first?”
An image of a smiling Sebastian fills my mind, and I grin. What will he say when he finds out I’m Violet Quinn? I’m the author the local bookstore has been trying to set up an event with for years.
“Yeah. Soon. I’ll tell him soon. Elise is going to be thrilled.”
“She’s going to pop a bottle of champagne. She’s only been trying to get you to agree to this for years.” Lola pulls her phone out. “Now, let’s get to work. Because I don’t know about you, but I want to see my hockey player later today when she’s done with practice.”
“Lola Pierce is smitten with someone,” I say, my cheeks sore from smiling so broadly. “Who would have thought?”
“Yeah, yeah. Get to writing,Violet.”
“It’s weird when you call me that.”
“Better get used to it. Lots of people will be calling you that once you reveal your identity.”
“It’ll still be weird then.” I often wonder how long it took Bruce Wayne to get used to being called Batman.
“You’ll live. Now,shh, so I can scroll social media.”
I chuckle quietly as Lola begins to tap away at her phone, and I re-read the last chapter I wrote to get back into the flow of my story. The hero and heroine have given in to their feelings, now, blurring the lines between real and fake in a way that will comeback to bite them in the butt at the seventy-five-percent mark. But for now? For now, they’re blissfully happy together, caught up in the high of new love and really great sex.
They’re so happy, I’m almost sorry for what I’m about to put them through. Almost.
“Oh,” Lola murmurs. When I look up, she’s scrolling through posts with a strange look on her face.
“What’s up?”
When she meets my gaze, my stomach does a little flip. “There are some photos online from after the game last night.”
The little flip turns into a barrel roll. “Okay…photos of what?”
“Of us,” she says, clearing her throat. “Me with Megan. Us with the whole group. You and Bash all cuddled up and looking very lovey-dovey.”
I try to keep my breathing calm and steady. This isn’t a big deal. I knew that, at some point, someone would snap a photo of us and it would probably end up online. This isn’t the end of the world. “Did they recognize and name me?”
Lola shakes her head, her eyes scanning the comments under the photo. “No, but they want to know who you are. I guess this isn’t the first photo someone has posted of the two of you together. And Sebastian is rarely photographed with women. Let alone the same woman multiple times.”
Right. Of course, they’re curious. That’s natural.
“Don’t worry, babe. I doubt anyone will figure out who you are. And even if they do, it’s not like we’re in LA. You won’t have people following you around with cameras. They may be curious, but they’ll be respectful. This is the Midwest.”
