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“Everyone makes mistakes.” Although Bristol’s belief in me is appreciated, it’s misplaced. He’s always seen the good in me. He sees the good in people in general. He always gives everyone the benefit of the doubt, even if they don’t deserve it.
My first year in the NHL was an absolute shitshow. Entering the NHL after playing collegiate hockey was a shock that I wasn’t fully prepared to handle. The stress and expectations got to me, and even though I was fourth overall-pick, I didn’t play like it. I only scored seven goals within sixty games. Seven.
“I think I know a way we can get you back into the public’s good graces,” Bristol tells me. “How? What plan could you possibly have that’ll get everyone to like me so much that if the news leaks, they’ll just brush it under the rug?”
“Donate half a million dollars to charity?” Gage suggests. Fulton’s eyes light up. “Adopt a shelter full of dogs?” Kit rubs his hands together maniacally. “Auction off your body for a wild night with the Reapers’ very own stallion?”
“You could get a girlfriend,” Bristol offers. “You want me to get a girlfriend?” I exclaim,
thrown into the mouth of an active volcano than flaunt my love life again for the whole world to see. Been there, done that, and it ended with me getting my heart publicly shattered.
of some NHL player with his wife and kids, and under it is a plethora of supportive comments and heart emojis. “Just think about it, H. When you’re in a relationship, you’re automatically more likeable. Plus, being committed shows people that you’re caring
“If your next talk consists of you convincing me to be a dad, I’ll punch you in the taint,” I growl,
“Yeah, but sex could fix a lot of that tension giving you wrinkles,” Gage comments. That son of a bitch. I have wrinkles because I had sex, which, admitting it in my head, makes it sound pathetic. Because it is.
“There could be a lot of benefits to entering a new relationship is all I’m saying. Unless there’s another way you’d like to play America’s golden boy? Maybe donate a liver to someone in need?”
Apparently, harder than I thought. It’s dawned on me that I have no idea how to be a good fake boyfriend.
I don’t know how I’m going to make this “relationship” seem real to the fans.
As long as I tell her it’s fake, there’s no way I could hurt her. Here’s to hoping she’ll agree to something as farfetched as this, though.
Not because I didn’t trust her not to blab her mouth, but because she didn’t treat me like I was some spectacle. She treated me like any regular person. That’s something I don’t encounter in the dating world anymore.
“You know, H, we can always come up with another plan if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of a fake relationship,” he says. “It’s fine, Bri. It’ll work.”
and I call him. It takes him a second to answer. “I hope you have a good reason for calling me so early.”
“You slept with the daughter of the Reapers’ biggest sponsor?” he berates. “Do you know what would happen if the public found out you risked your team’s sponsorship? You could lose everything. Not just getting traded, Hayes. No matter how good of a player you are, teams aren’t willing to trade their billions for a few extra goals.” My balls practically shrivel up at the bite in his tone. “I know. Fuck,”
“A fake relationship. I rebrand myself as the doting boyfriend. I put all my effort and time into building a relationship for the fans, and I stay away from trouble. It shows people that I’m committed and I’m not just some airheaded playboy who chooses sex over my career.”
“That could work. Relationships are like catnip to the public. I don’t have any doubt that you’ll manage to pull in some good press if you focus on cultivating this fake relationship.”
“Change won’t happen overnight. It’ll take the public some getting used to you being in a relationship. You can’t just abandon the mission because you’re bored or you’re not seeing results right away.” “I understand. I’m determined to see this through, Ethan. Not just for me but for the team.” I owe it to the guys. I owe it to myself.
“Don’t worry. This will be easy. Getting girls to fall in love with me is a subject I’m well versed in.” And I already have the perfect girl in mind.
Lila, my best friend, has somehow convinced me to go with her to a hockey game tonight. I know jackshit about hockey.
Lila and I have been best friends ever since my freshman year of college.
After my roommate left me to fend for myself among upperclassmen, Lila found me like the unsuspecting mouse I was in a flock full of hungry hawks. She took me under her wing
I’m lucky to have found Lila. She’s helped me cope with my brother’s death and the estrangement from my parents. I don’t know where I’d be without her.
the more I think about Hayes’ curt departure and the fact that he hasn’t texted me back yet, the more it continues to nourish my unease.
“What about him, love?” “I texted him, but I haven’t heard back from him yet.”
“Oh, sweetie.” Lila uses her thumb to tilt my chin up. “Guys are dogs. They lead girls on because they don’t know what they want.”
“Maybe he got into a car accident on his way to work, broke all the bones in his body, had to be airlifted to the hospital, and hasn’t been able to use his phone?” I laugh for what feels like the first time in forever,
“Stop finding ways to blame yourself. This is on him. If he can’t see how incredible you are, then he doesn’t deserve a second of your time, okay?” she growls,
Angry Lila is scary. She’s never unleashed her full wrath on me, but I did witness her tearing into a pledge during a frat party after he drunkenly poured his drink all over some girl.
“Close enough,” she sighs, standing back to admire her work. “Perfect! You look beautiful as always.”
She’s gone for a smoky eye—which seems a little intense for a hockey game but looks gorgeous, nonetheless—a touch of blush on my cheeks, a brush of mascara on my lashes, and a shiny gloss that enhances my Cupid’s bow.
snacks spilling out from the cradle of her arms. “So that’s why it took you ten minutes to come back,” I snicker. She rolls her eyes, ripping open a packet
“Food is the best part of any sports game. Aside from the hot players.” I stare down at the empty rink, crinkling my nose. “Eh, hockey players aren’t really my type.” “Really?” she exclaims through a mouthful of food. “Have you seen their butts?”
Something about being surrounded by comradery feels comforting.
It isn’t until the spotlights illuminate the extravagant image that I realize it's a giant grim reaper. Which makes a lot of sense now, considering the team is…the Riverside Reapers.
And one by one, tiny hockey players—well, tiny from where I’m sitting—exit the tunnel, skating around the perimeter of the rink and raising their arms up,
sinking the puck into the net. Everyone bursts into a hurricane of frenzied euphoria. Even Lila is at the edge of her seat. She’s all endearment and enthusiasm, the two
When the camera pans to the first scorer of the evening, my heart sinks into the soles of my shoes, and every contradictory emotion crashes into me like waves against a rocky outcrop.
is Hayes, giving the spectators a smirk that spells disaster....
This highlight has been truncated due to consecutive passage length restrictions.
crowd is absolutely insane. The puck is back in play,
next day and know I worked my ass off than come away unscathed.
The cries evolve into disappointed groans. I know my teammates can handle themselves. Hell, some of the guys are larger than I am, but when they’re on the receiving end of some brutal hits,
I’m more nervous than usual, which unfortunately makes me less aware, and I cover a good portion of ice before someone egresses from my blind spot and rams into me with the force of a pickup truck.
and my eyes gridlock with a pair of mocha-colored ones that I would recognize anywhere. “Aeris?”
an overwhelming pain cocoons my entire body. My vision comes in tides, and my muscles groan from the force of the collision.
Aeris didn’t strike me as a sports fan, much less a hockey fan. Fuck. And I’ve been so consumed with hockey and the whole fake relationship stuff that I totally forgot to text her back.
Of course she was going to find out. It’s kind of hard not to, especially since Riverside prides itself on its hockey team.
We won. My teammates hightail it over to Casen, pumping their sticks in the air and roaring their superiority over the opposing team.
