Page 54 of Stick With Me
“Practice? Dating?” My eyebrows rise in surprise. I imagined we’d post some pictures, and that’d be it. Is he suggesting we put on the act in person? Seeing Jace’s face when he sees Ryan and me together would be an added bonus.
“Yeah, if we’re going to sell it, we should practice, right?”
I play with the ends of my hair, thinking it over. It would make sense. Just so we’re comfortable around each other when Jace is watching. “You’re right; practice makes perfect. So, how do we do this?”
He shuffles his feet, takes a gulp of water, and then answers, “Well, in preseason we play games the same as we would a regular season.”
I nod. “So, we should just… act like a couple?”
He clears his throat. “Yeah.” He nods steadily, looking far less confident in his affirmation. “At the very least, when other people are around,” he adds.
“That makes sense.”
“Good, now that we have a plan, c’mere.” He lets out a breath and opens his arms for me.
I make my way around the kitchen island, closing the distance between us, and look up at him questioningly.
He scoops me up and sets me on the counter, bringing us closer to eye level. Pulling out his phone, he slides into position, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist and hugging me from the side. His lips brush my cheek, and without thought, my own lips pull into a smile. I barely register the click of the camera before he pulls back, showing me the picture on his screen.
In the photo, we look… right. Like this is something we’ve done a hundred times before; like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“We look good together,” I murmur, mostly to myself.
“Yeah, we do.” His voice is soft but sure.
TWENTY-TWO
“Logan,”Coach shouts from the bench, “pay attention, you’re up!”
Focusing on neutral zone drills this morning is harder than normal. I run through the exercise with Fox and Helm, but my thoughts are elsewhere.
Every time my mind wanders, it drifts back to Hannah on that date last night. It took all my self-control not to protest when she initially told me her plan. I avoided both our place and her in the days that followed. Still, I couldn’t stop myself from checking in with her when she was withhim. It was only to make sure she was okay. That the guy picked a nice place. That he had good intentions—the impossibility of determining that while circling the block in my car is not lost on me.
Lie. Lie. Lie.
We skate back to the bench, making way for the next group to hit the ice.
When she told me about her reason for the date—some kind of revenge on Knolls—I couldn’t help but offer to be what she wanted: a fake boyfriend. Now, I can’t decide if that was the right move or a decision I’ll come to regret. On one hand, it gives me an excuse to show her a glimpse of my real feelings and the affection I’ve been holding back. But on the other hand, it feels a little deceptive. Am I taking advantage if she thinks it’s all an act? She agreed to practice, though, right? So, we’re on the same page.
Fox squirts water into his mouth and eyes me skeptically from his spot next to me on the bench. “What’s up with you?”
“Hannah and I are dating, but it’sfake.”
“What’re we talking about, boys?” Helm asks, leaning forward and inserting himself into the conversation.
Fox shoves him back. “Oh, that’s always a fun trope. I’d say your chances of scoring for real are pretty good… although now that I think about it, all romance books end in a happy ending…” He shakes his head as if to clear it. “Anyway, your last plan wasn’t working, so things can only get better, right?”
“Well, considering she went on a date last night, I’d say so. The wholedo’s and don’tsthing? Yeah, not working out like I thought. And honestly, sticking to them is impossible. It goes against my every instinct to pretend I’m laid-back and not completely into her.”
“Yeah, I gotta say, you’re fooling absolutely no one. So, what’re you thinking?”
“I think you were right. I’m hesitating. If I keep being too scared to make a move and screw it all up, I’m going to miss my chance.”
“So you’re starting Project Romance?” he asks, raising a brow. Where does he come up with these names? Although, I have to admit, at least it’s better than Saints’ Sinners.
“Is that what we’re calling it?” We shuffle down the bench, waiting for our line’s next shift.
“I think it has a good ring to it.” He grins, nudging my shoulder.
