Chapter 15
Winnie
I’m barely out of my car when the morning gauntlet begins.
The carpool lane is backed up as per usual, minivans creeping forward like they’re a man afraid of commitment.
I’ve got my coffee in one hand and my giant tote bag over my shoulder, trying to prepare myself mentally for the craziness of glue sticks that no longer glue and children who cannot for the life of them remember where their shoes go.
But before I can even get to the front steps, a mom rolls down her SUV window and leans out. Perfect hair. Perfect nails. The kind of mom who brings Pinterest-level snacks to PTA meetings.
“Ms. Shaw!” she calls brightly. “Just saw your little TikTok with the hockey player. So cute. But maybe don’t let your love life become part of the lesson plan, hmm?”
She winks like she’s said something adorable and then peels off before I can think of a comeback.
My mouth sags open in disbelief as my face burns like I’ve been dunked in lava.
I glance around, but no one was close enough to hear that.
I walk inside quickly, letting the door close behind me.
I head straight for the teachers’ lounge, which is usually empty so close to the start of school.
Everyone’s in their own classrooms getting ready for the day, and I need a minute to process.
I drop my bag on a chair, pull off my coat and take a deep breath.
People have opinions. I know that. But that was… pointed.
I sink onto a couch, pull out my phone and open TikTok.
Lucky’s post turned stitch-worthy public romantic declaration has over two million views. The comments are mostly positive.
Mostly.
But others are hard to swallow.
@FangirlFrenzy: I need a man who looks at me the way Lucky looks at her.
@AverageJoeIsThreatened: Guy’s doing the most just to win a TikTok challenge.
@MissConduct2020: Is it appropriate for a teacher to be broadcasting her dating life like this?
@StanForStacy: Lucky’s too good for her anyway.
I close the app. Not because I’m upset, okay, maybe a little, but mostly because I know how this works. You show something real, people think they get to vote on it.
I press the bridge of my nose and close my eyes. The prudent thing for all involved—Lucky, my family, my students and their parents—would be to stop this. It would definitely keep my heart and sanity safe.
But I don’t want to. Something about Lucky so publicly claiming he wants exclusivity has given me life. Sure, it’s turned my world upside down, but I have this swelling of excitement over the possibility of what could be. And it’s been a long damn time since I’ve felt that.
Last night plays in my head like a movie I can’t stop rewinding. Lucky ambushing me on TikTok with that ridiculous grin and his even more ridiculous “exclusive four-date challenge” should’ve made me roll my eyes.
Should’ve made me say no.
But it didn’t. Because when he rattled off that list—Sunday dinners and folding laundry and bringing me tea while I grade papers—something inside me cracked open.
I still don’t know why I agreed to exclusive dating rights like I was signing a contract with the professional hockey league, but at the time, it felt right.
Easy.
I think part of me wanted someone to fight for me. And he did. On camera, no less.
And that kiss.
God, that kiss.
It wasn’t sweet or polite or even slow. It was heat and promise and the kind of connection that short-circuits rational thought. It made me want to do dirty things, and after that public declaration of his feelings, there’s a good chance he could have coaxed me into bed.
But he didn’t. He suggested a movie and we curled up on my couch.
I tried to pay attention to it, but I barely remember what it was about.
Buttermilk crawled onto his lap like some tiny benevolent gatekeeper, then proceeded to chew through the belt loop on his jeans while Lucky scratched behind his ears like a clueless rabbit dad.
We kissed again during the credits—longer, deeper, spicy in a way that made me wonder what would’ve happened if I hadn’t had to work today.
When he finally left, he kissed me good-night like it mattered, and I stood there in the doorway for a full minute after, trying to figure out if I was still awake.
Because it didn’t feel normal. It felt like the start of a fairy-tale romance and I don’t believe in those.
Or at least, I didn’t before yesterday.
My phone buzzes. It’s a text from Lucky and my pulse skitters. Morning, Ms. Shaw. I’m thinking about last night. Specifically, the garlic bread. Also maybe your mouth. You okay? Internet can be dumb. Just say the word and I’ll go full defenseman in the comments.
So he saw the comments and he knows they probably aren’t landing well.
And holy hell… that was… panty-melting?
Thinking about me while at the same time offering to be my protector. I’m grinning ear to ear as I text back. You’re not allowed to talk about my mouth before 8 a.m. Also, I’m fine. Mildly scandalized by a PTA mom, but I’ll survive.
Three dots bounce in anticipation of a reply. Scandalized is a good look on you. Also, I promise you this—none of those people get to define you. I’d say more but… I need to save some charm for our next date.
I press a hand to my chest, trying to slow the flutter.
“Okay, what did I miss?” Kelsey sweeps into the room, balancing her travel mug of coffee. “I saw the video. I gasped. I swooned. Then I immediately texted Emily who was too busy grading to fully appreciate what was happening.”
“I appreciated it,” Emily says, entering behind her, arms full of worksheets. “I just did it silently. Like a mature adult.”
Kelsey slaps her cup on the table beside me. “Did he kiss you?”
The burning of my cheeks gives her the answer.
“Oh my God,” she squeals, plopping down so hard on the couch beside me that I bounce. “Did you sleep with him?”
“No!” My face gets hotter. “I don’t sleep with someone on the first date.”
“That was technically your third.”
“Well, I don’t sleep with someone after the first kiss.” I lift my chin in defiance, although I don’t know if that’s true. Had Lucky pushed for more, there’s a damn good chance I might have given it to him.
Emily sits on my other side. “So… does he kiss like he invented it?”
I groan. “Can we not do this?”
Emily raises an eyebrow. “You hounded me mercilessly after my first date with Kyle. I deserve to do the same.”
I groan again, but honestly… I don’t mind sharing. These are my girls, after all.
Glancing at my watch, I note we still have ten minutes until we have to get to our classrooms. I motion for them to huddle closer. “Okay… it was… amazing. Like… best kiss of my life, but I can’t figure out if he’s just that good, if I’m that desperate or if I’m blowing him out of proportion.”
“I bet he’s that good,” Emily says with a sigh.
Fiddling with a button on my blouse, I admit. “I wasn’t expecting the world to weigh in.”
Emily frowns. “But you’re an influencer. That’s all people do is weigh in on your content.”
“Yeah, but I don’t have other women telling me that the guys I’ve been dating are too good for me. They’re pointing out a very real fact… Lucky is out of my league.”
“Not true at all,” Kelsey says adamantly. She nudges me. “Let them talk. The guy’s into you. The chemistry is obvious. Also, he has nice forearms. These things matter.”
Emily shrugs. “You knew this experiment would draw attention. But maybe now’s the time to ask—do you still want to go through with this so-called experiment? Or is this something that should be private?”
I open my mouth to answer… but I don’t.
Because I’m not sure.
Last night felt real, but how do you reconcile that with a plan you made, promises you gave, an audience you built?
“I don’t know,” I say finally.
And that’s the truth.
Emily nods like she gets it. Kelsey grins.
“Well,” Emily says and rises from the couch, “if he keeps up this steady stream of charm, I vote you delete the app and marry him.”
“Noted,” I murmur, even as my eyes drift to my phone again.
“Got to get to class.” Kelsey stands up behind Emily. “You coming?”
My phone buzzes with another text. I’m still thinking about your mouth.
Throat dry, I wave them off. “In a second. Need to handle something.”
They both saunter out, ready to warp young minds.
I read the last text again. God help me, I’m not ready to give this up.
But I’m not sure I’m ready for what comes with it either.
Another chime. Are you there?
I bobble my phone, almost drop it. My heart feels like it’s going to pound out of my chest. Still here. Discombobulated.
I hit send, wait for his reply and almost drop the phone again when he calls me.
For a split second, the terror of sounding like a dork hits me hard and I consider not answering.
But the excitement of what he might say is far too tempting.
“Hello,” I say, trying to sound far more composed than I am.
“I feel guilty,” he says, his deep voice rumbling through me. “For discombobulating you.”
I laugh, twirl my hair around my fingertip and realize with horror what I’m doing. I quickly tuck my hand under my leg. “It’s fine. It’s a better jolt than caffeine.”
“Great,” he says cheerfully. “Then it won’t bother you too much if I ask you to come to my game tonight and then come out with me and the team after.”
I freeze. It’s a request he’s made before, but I wanted no part of it.
But jeez… things have changed since then. “We already have a date set for Wednesday,” I point out. Because yes… he said he wants to take me out to a fancy dinner that night.
“You promised me four more exclusive dates, so if you want to count tonight as one, you’re entitled to it.”
Quick math… going out tonight and the Wednesday dinner date would put me through fifty percent of our remaining time together before the experiment concludes. Somehow, that doesn’t seem like enough.
Still, I hedge. “That doesn’t sound like a very normal, average guy-type date.”
Lucky chuckles. “I think you and I both know very well that I’m never going to be average or normal. But you also said you could accept that about me.”
“That’s true,” I murmur, and somehow, my finger is twirling my hair again. Fuck it. I leave it there and decide to negotiate. “I’ll come, but only if I can bring my friend Kelsey again.”
“Done,” he says before I get the last word out. “But it won’t be considered one of our dates since you’re bringing a friend.”
I grin maniacally, glad he can’t see my face. That was exactly my thinking too. “That’s fair,” I concede, although I’m happy he walked into my trap.
“Awesome.” His voice lowers slightly. “It might not be a date, but I’m still going to kiss you.”
My finger twirls harder. “Looking forward to it.”