Page 66 of Match Me if You Can

I do, so I just shrug, continue reading.

“But I still don’t get why they’re coming to the wedding.”

I sigh, shove the paper in my pocket and level with him. “Maison Étoile made nine and a half billion in revenue last year⁠—”

Noble whistles again.

“—but they’re still old school even though they’re modern with most of their marketing and influencer campaigns.”

Part of my appeal to big brands is my large social media following—something that has absolutely nothing to do with me and everything to do with Ally creeping on me, taking photos, and then uploading them without my permission.

We have a system.

It works to make us both a fuckton of money.

So, I don’t complain.

Much.

“What does that mean?” Noble asks.

“It means my checkered past with women wasn’t a positive for them. They’ve been burned by a few celebrities in the past, had to scrap entire ad campaigns—that’s part of the reason I have this chance in the first place. They had a space open up in their schedule and Ally was there to pitch me and my platform. And yeah”—I shrug—“I’m famous in the hockey world, but when it comes to Celebrity Land, I’m a small fish in a big pond. So there’s room for us to benefit each other—me to grow something that’s not hockey, them to work with someone who’s not going to go off the deep end and make them scrap all their work.”

“Except, I’m guessing it’s not that easy.”

“Of course not,” I say dryly.

Everything I’ve told him up to this point is the truth, even if it was a truth I didn’t want to share. It’s only the next part I fudge enough to make it all make sense…and so I don’t out Vi and myself.

“Even though Ally and I both assured them my idiotic, playboy days are well behind me—case in point, Violet in my life with a ring on her finger—they still wanted reassurances. Especially so soon after the paternity case.”

“Right.” He winces. “That fun legal party.”

“Yup. But Ally had already seen the money and already mentally spent her share of it, so she wasn’t ready to give up. She improvised, and when Ally improvises, shit gets messy. She suggested they come to the wedding so they could see the town we grew up in, meet the whole family, and they jumped at the opportunity. I tried to talk her out of it because you know how we are⁠—”

He nods.

“Anyway, it was too late. They were already making travel plans.” I blow out a frustrated breath. “So now I’m here with Violet, and my job is to keep a lid on all the insanity while still showing the Laurents that we’re a good Midwestern family with two hard-working parents, and to not blow up my relationship at the same time.”

Noble winces. “More power to you, man.”

“Power? Or insanity?” I mutter.

“Po-tay-toe. Po-tah-toe.” He glances over at me. “I am a little surprised that Oakes is okay with you using his wedding for a contract negotiation.”

I give him more truth. “I offered to pay for it if I get the contract.”

Noble busts up. “So that’s why they swapped out the main course for filet mignon.”

“Risky,” I mutter, “considering the shit he pulled in the back yard. Not to mention, the potential of the rest of us assholes blowing it.”

“Eh, big bro, you know I’ve got your back.” He bumps his shoulder against mine. “Though, I’ll take my bribe in the form of a Bugatti rather than some fancy steaks.”

“Fuck off.” I shove him back.

“Tsk. Tsk,” he says. “Don’t you want help corralling those”—he nods at my brothers and mom and dad, all in various states of arguments—“fuckers?”

I hate that he’s right.