Page 49 of Empty Net

I crack out a laugh. “Tell me about it.”

We ride in a comfortable silence for several minutes, my mind racing with so many thoughts. This night didn’t turn out how I expected, but given the easygoing nature of the guy next to me, I might actually be okay with that.

The planner in me is dying inside about how up in the air this whole situation is, but for once, I kind of like the thrill of being surprised. And even more, I like the thrill of surprising my parents at every turn. The look on their faces earlier when they found out I was engaged…it felt like sweet, sweet revenge for every silly stunt they’ve pulled over the years. I still feel terrible that Fox is stuck in the middle of all this, but if he’s okay with their crazy, then I guess it’s okay.

At least I hope it is.

“I think we should go on a date,” Fox announces, so suddenly I choke.

Like full-on have a coughing fit right there in the confines of his fancy car. I might die. Or maybe I’m being dramatic. I don’t know. All I know is Fox just asked me on a date.

“A date?”

“Yes, a date. We’re definitely doing this all backward, but I think we should go on a date. Get to know each other.”

“A date sounds like…well, dating, which is what I was trying to avoid with my parents.”

“True, but this is a date with me. That’s different, right?”

It is different, and that might be the problem.

“And besides,” he continues, “we’re supposed to be convincing your parents we’re together—we don’t want to be tripping over each other at lunch with your mother.”

Dammit. He’s right again, though some of me wishes he wasn’t. The more time I’m spending with him, the more I’menjoyingspending time with him, and I don’t know if that’s a good idea, especially if we’re trying to keep this ordeal we’ve gotten ourselves into in check.

“Rules!”

“Excuse me?”

“Rules,” I repeat. “We should set some ground rules. I mean, I think dating is okay, but maybe we should set some rules before we go.”

He nods. “That’s not a bad idea. Got any locked and loaded?”

“We probably shouldn’t see other people.”

He huffs out a laugh. “That’s not a problem for me. I haven’t been on a date in… Shit. Years, probably.”

“Years?” I wince at how incredulous I sound, even to my own ears. “Sorry. Not trying to judge, but…”

“But you are?” He laughs lightly. “Yeah, it’s been years.” He lifts his shoulders again as he navigates the streets of Seattle,heading toward my apartment. It makes me sad our night is ending. Even with all the madness of today, I’ve had fun with him, and I’m not sure I want to let that go. “Hockey takes up a lot of my time, and the last time I tried to date, it didn’t turn out so well.”

I’m practically bouncing in the passenger seat of his very fancy car, wanting desperately to ask what happened, but I don’t. Instead, I roll my lips together and keep my curiosity to myself.

As if he knows, he laughs. “You can ask, Lilah.”

“What happened?” It’s out of my mouth before he’s even finished his sentence.

Another laugh. “I don’t know, honestly. We were fairly serious, then one day, she just started listing off all the things she hated about me, like eating the same meals before games, my need to take a pregame nap, how she didn’t want to follow me across the country for hockey, and the next, she was packing her stuff, and that was that. We were done.”

“You lived together?”

“Sort of. It wasn’t official or anything, but she had a lot of stuff at my place, that’s for sure. The bonus was getting my closet space back.”

He might joke around, but there’s no mistaking the hurt in his voice. It’s obvious the breakup came out of nowhere for him, and I can’t imagine it felt good for someone to just list out all the things they don’t like about you, especially since they have so much to do with a huge part of his life.

“I’m sorry, Fox.”

He glances over at me, his brows raised in surprise. “What for?”

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