Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 121734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Her face fell, but she nodded. “Oh. Okay. Yeah. Good call.”
I went to the bathroom to clean up. When I came back, she hadn’t moved except to pull the blanket over herself.
I tried to tell myself that was okay. It was normal for her to cover herself. Maybe she was cold. But my gut flared. I didn’t like that she’d hidden herself from me. Not me. I pulled my clothes on, and she didn’t say a word as I dressed. When I turned to her, she wasn’t looking at me.
Concerned, I approached the bed. There was a vacant look in her eyes. “You okay?”
She blinked, and it was gone. “Yeah, yeah. All good. I’ll see you on the plane tomorrow.”
I cocked my head to the side.
She was too…something. I didn’t know. Closed off? No. That didn’t feel right. I couldn’t tell.
I took her hand in mine and sat on the edge of the bed. “I can stay? Fuck what Coach says. No one will know. Maybe I should stay.” The more I said it, the more right it felt.
I regretted that I’d even said I was leaving in the first place.
“Let me stay.”
She blinked again and shook her head, her hand cupping the side of my face. It was such a gentle touch. “You were right the first time,” she said. “We shouldn’t sleep together. Further complicates things."
I frowned. My gut screamed that I shouldn’t walk out that door. “Rain? What just happened?”
She smiled. “Nothing happened.” After a moment, it bloomed over her face, filling her up.
My chest eased.
She shoved me, grinning. “Leave before I change my mind.”
I stood. “Are you sure, though?” I was still tense. Something still didn’t feel right.
She harrumphed a laugh. “Go. I’ll see you on the plane.”
Right. I started for the door but paused before opening it.
Looking back, she yawned and her whole body stretched. When she finished, her grin turned sleepy.
I made sure I had everything before reaching for the door handle. “Tomorrow.”
She waved at me. “Ugh. Just go. We don’t need to do a whole Minnesota goodbye. I’ll see you tomorrow. Text me in the morning.”
That helped push away the last of my uneasiness, and I sent her one last grin before slipping out into the hallway.
Checking my phone on the way to my room, I found a text from Zoey.
Zoey: Isn’t this your friend? The shrink mom mentioned?
Oh no.
I clicked on the TikTok link.
My heart sunk.
55
RAIN
I’d been getting weird looks all morning when I got on the plane. I just kept ignoring them.
The team was… I didn’t know. I couldn’t explain their weirdness. But there had been odd looks from some of the hotel staff too. And now the assistant coaches seemed uncomfortable as I took my usual seat.
I shifted around. “What?”
They shared a look before Marken, the goalies’ coach, leaned forward. “Have you been on your phone this morning?”
“No. It died last night. I forgot to charge it. Why? What is it?”
They glanced at each other again.
“What?” I was getting impatient. Fine. I pulled out my laptop. I’d look myself.
But then a hand shut my laptop and Tyler swung into the seat beside me. His face was grim. “Not that way.”
“Wha—?”
He handed me his phone. It was open to TikTok. I suddenly didn’t want to take it. “What is this?”
“There’s no good way to tell you, so you should see it for yourself.”
I took his phone, but my fingers were numb. I couldn’t feel them. My heart sped up. “What is this, Tyler?”
“Word’s out about you and your brothers.”
I felt the floor drop out from beneath me. My hand shook as I pressed play.
A girl popped up on the screen with a screen behind her. On it was a picture of when I’d talked to Sunny just inside their bench, by the tunnel. A fan in the stands must’ve taken the photo. The girl in the video pointed to it. “Listen up, people! I know everyone loves the Connors brothers. How could you not?” The picture switched to a slideshow of Daniel and Dane in their hockey uniforms, playing against each other, playing individually, posing together before a game. Then it switched back to the picture of me and Sunny. “But hold up because did you know that they have a sister? There’s a Connors sister! And what’s this?” The image zoomed in on where my hand rested on Sunny’s shoulder. “Okay. I have questions. One, what is this? This is not just a fan here. This is Sister Connors, and she’s just come from the tunnel. Is she working with the Grays? Also, where did she come from? There are no pictures of her anywhere from when Daniel and Dane were kids. Did she even grow up with them? Did she grow up somewhere else? Is there a secret Connors family we don’t know about? Are there more Connors brothers?”