Page 23 of The Fake Out

UNKNOWN NUMBER: If you’re serious about being my fake boyfriend, can we meet tonight to iron out the details? I want to set some ground rules.

I grinned at her message and immediately added her to my contacts.

ME: Ground rules? Baby, you’re killing me.

VERONICA: Not funny, Blaise. I’m serious.

ME: Bossy, I like it. Okay…I’m free tonight, but you can’t keep me up too late. I have morning skate tomorrow.

VERONICA: Fine. I’ll call you when I’m done with work, and we can talk. Maybe get dinner or something.

ME: This sounds like a date.

VERONICA: A fake one!

ME: Okay, I’m all in for being your fake boyfriend so you can be petty to your ex, who, by the way, seems like a douche, and I’m hotter.

VERONICA: That much we can agree on.

VERONICA: Also, BTW, you’re like 1000X better in bed.

ME: Oh yeah?

VERONICA: Yeah! What other man would get off using a toy on me and then let me tie them to my bed?

ME: Hah. That was a good night. Want a repeat?

VERONICA: I’ll call you later.

Okay, maybe I had ulterior motives for agreeing to this fake dating thing. Maybe I was thinking about if that meant I got to get her underneath me again.

I put my phone in the cupholder and drove off to the gym where I was supposed to meet TJ for a workout. As a hockey player, when I wasn’t at practice, going to team meetings, having a morning skate, traveling with the team, and oh yeah, playing a game, I was hitting the gym as much as possible.

TJ was on the bench press, being spotted by one of my defensive partners, Logan Cullen.

“Come on, T, one more,” Logan urged.

“Fuck you, rookie!” TJ huffed out as he finished the set.

I shook my head at TJ’s antics and began my stretches.

Being a professional athlete, you had to be in peak physical condition. I had no aversion to working my body hard, but I had to prove myself this season. To prove to the Bulldogs they didn’t just sign me because of who my dad was. That I deserved my spot on the team, and I was a good defenseman who knew how to check a guy into the boards and cover the slot.

TJ wiped down the bench. “Hey, man, you made it. Wasn’t sure you were going to show. You get that shit covered up yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Why do you look so happy, though?” TJ asked.

“I think I have a date tonight.”

“What do you mean, you think?” Logan asked.

TJ kicked my foot. “Date? Explain!”

“Well…” Shit, we needed a good cover story. How would people believe this? “I’ve been hooking up with this girl, but it’s been casual since she lives here and I was in Toronto. But now that I’m back…we’re gonna try.”

“Really?” TJ asked, and he had a twinkle in his eye.