Page 96 of The Fake Out

“Numb-nuts, they were only pretending to be in a relationship,” Michael explained, drawing out every word. That earned him getting a pillow thrown at his head from Ayden.

“Why?” Ayden asked.

“To get back at her ex and go to his wedding with her,” I explained.

“What did you get out of it?” Michael asked.

“Sex? Also, you assholes got off my dick about me being upset about Astrid.”

Michael steepled his hands over his face. “Asshole, you never do a fake relationship.”

“Why?” I asked and rubbed the back of my neck.

Michael shook his head. “Dude, two of my books have used this trope. You know what always happens?”

I shrugged. Ayden looked completely lost in the conversation.

“HEA!” Michael yelled.

Ayden narrowed his eyes. “Motherfucker, why are you talking in riddles?”

“Happily Ever After. All those couples fall in love, but they break up and realize they’re ding-dongs and get back together. And get married and have a ton of babies,” Michael explained.

“So what is it, asshole?” Ayden asked me.

I hung my head. “I fell in love with her.”

“So?” they both asked in unison.

“So?” I repeated. “She only does casual.”

Ayden grumbled under his breath and pulled out his phone. He shoved it in my face, and I saw myself looking at my Instagram profile. He pointed at the photo I posted of us at the wedding. “You see this shit?”

“Yeah?”

“That looks like two people in love to me. Go talk to her,” Ayden urged. He kicked me off the couch.

“What, now?” I asked.

Michael pushed me back onto the couch. “Not now. First, we need a plan.”

“What if she doesn’t feel the same way?” I asked.

My baby brother gave me a sympathetic look. “That’s the risk you have to take. Do you love her?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I really do, Michael.”

“More than Astrid?” Ayden asked.

Michael waved him away. “Fuck off; he didn’t love her. He was just infatuated with her. What is it about Veronica that you like?”

I smiled. “I love that she’s so talented but humble about it. I love that she doesn’t care about hockey, but she tries to be supportive of me. Like wishing me a good game or being in the stands during a home game. Or listening to me bitch about what’s off with my game. Even though she has no idea what I’m talking about. I want her to be the first person I see when I wake up and the last person I see when I go to sleep. I want to tell her everything, and I want her to realize that not everyone in her life’s going to abandon her. That she’s not the issue.”

“Fucckkk,” Ayden slurred out. “You love that woman.”

Michael grinned. “Yeah, no shit. Anyone can see that.”

“What am I going to do?” I groaned. “I miss her so much.”