Page 21 of Fake Shot

And then my eyes are back on my phone, making sure it’s still focused on Audrey as we’re all waiting for her to notice, waiting to see her happier than she's ever been before. Shedeserves this. She deserves the family she's always wanted after six years of being a single mom.

Graham seems to get tired of Audrey not noticing his shirt, so he walks up right behind her and asks her to tie his shoe for him. As she turns and looks down at him, her gasp fills the room because her eyes have finally landed on her son's shirt. She spins around looking for Drew and he drops to one knee directly behind her, the ring box already out in his hand.

My eyes fill with tears as my sister's hand flies to her chest, her own eyes filling with tears as she stares down at her future husband. I know she’s shocked, because even though Drew has been saying for months that he's going to marry her, I suspect she thought that it would be a more private proposal. I suspect she would havewantedit to be.

But from his knee, Drew explains his rationale for proposing in a room full of people, telling her that we have all been there for them as they found their way back to each other. And then he’s pouring his heart out, telling her all about the life he envisions for them. “Because none of it, from the happiest moments to the most difficult, would mean anything if you weren’t by my side. And when I finally watch you walk down the aisle to me, and when we grow our family, and when I’m too old to play hockey and you’re exhausted from all our kids ... we’re still going to be surrounded by the people who are in this room right now.”

My sister says yes to Drew, and then he stands and is pulling her into a hug and whispering something in her ear. And when I glance down at Graham, he has the biggest smile on his face as he watches his parents commit themselves to each other. He’s so happy, but he also looks proud that he’shad a role in not only bringing them back together, but also in this proposal. That’s when I see how intentional Drew’s choice really was. He couldn’t propose to Audrey without Graham being involved, without all of us here, because he’s right—we’re all so completely wrapped up in each other’s lives, it wouldn’t have been right if we weren’t all present for this moment.

Chapter Eight

COLT

Most of my teammates have gone home already. It’s basically just family left at this point, and I glance around, looking for Jules so I can tell her I’m going to walk home. It feels like it would be rude to leave without letting her know since we drove over together, but I don’t want to cut her time with her family short.

She’s standing in the dining room talking to her sister and friends. The late afternoon sun is getting lower on the horizon and shining right through the windows of Drew’s fifth-floor Back Bay condo. Golden light reflects off her skin like she’s being illuminated by a spotlight, her collarbones and the swell of her breasts appear almost bronze. Her ash blond hair is lit up like a halo framing her pretty face, and her blue eyes are more intense. It’s nearly impossible to look away from her.

An entirely unexpected wave of longing pools in my groin and spreads from there, making my stomach flip overand my dick start to harden. It catches me so off guard that I’m rooted to my spot in the living room.

It takes everything I have to remind myself that not only am Inotattracted to Jules—who is objectively gorgeous but is like a little sister to me—but I don’t even like blondes. And besides, I wouldn’t do that to my best friend. That’s an unforgivable line I’mnevercrossing.

I close my eyes while I stand rooted in place, trying to wash away her image and forget the way it felt just now when my eyes landed on her. I need to stop noticing her like this.

But when I open my eyes again, her gaze locks on mine and she’s looking at me with her eyebrows raised. Her lips part and her chest swells—I can’t tell if she’s going to say something or is just taking a breath. Then Morgan turns to her, grabbing her forearm as she speaks, and Jules looks over at her, breaking the moment.

Holy shit, what was that?

I pull at the buttons on my polo, because suddenly the neckline of this shirt feels entirely too tight, but they’re already unbuttoned. So, why does it feel like I can’t quite breathe, then?

I need to get out of here, so I head straight to Jules to say goodbye.

“Hey,” I say as I approach. “I’m going to walk home. I’ll see you later.”

“Wait,” she says, “I need to get going too. I’ll give you a ride.”

“You don’t want to stay and hang out with your family?” I ask, as if putting the suggestion out there will change her mind. Ineedit to change her mind, because now that she’sonly a foot away, that feeling of not being able to breathe is back in full force.

“I have a business dinner I need to get ready for,” she says.

“On a Saturday?”

“Oh my god,” Audrey gasps from the other side of the table. “In all the excitement, I totally forgot about the dinner. Alright.” She exhales with a quick sigh. “I’m sure Drew will be okay with me slipping away for a few hours tonight...”

Jules laughs, but it’s a tight, uncomfortable sound that’s nothing like her usual laugh. “You arenotgoing to this dinner, Audrey. You never were. It’s fine, I always knew I was going alone.”

I’m trying to track what they’re talking about and having marginal success.

“Youknewthis was happening? Is that why you didn’t want to schedule dinner for tonight? Because you knew I wouldn’t be able to come with you?”

Okay, this is making a little more sense. But Jules is tough, so the fact that she doesn’t want to go to this dinner alone has me on edge. There must be a reason.

“It’s fine,” Jules says. “I’m sure he won’t bite.”

“Whowon’t bite?” I don’t intend the question to come out like a protective growl, but I guess that’s what happens when you’re trying to get the words out through a clenched jaw. What the hell is wrong with me?

“We were supposed to meet with a potential donor for our nonprofit tonight,” Audrey tells me. “And now Jules is going to have to go alone because obviously ...” she trails off, her cheeks getting pink.

“Obviously, she needs to stay so she and Drew cancelebrateonce Graham goes to bed.” Jules snickers, and normallyI’d be laughing too, but I’m still focused on how uneasy she seems. The way goosebumps spread across her chest and arms when she said it was fine, and that she was sure this asshole wouldn’t bite.

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