Chapter 4

York

Getting out of the airport was a nightmare. It took forever to get our luggage, navigate through the crowded terminal, and find our rental car. However, now Noelle and I are finally heading toward her parent’s house. I needed privacy before I could tell her what her father revealed to me.

Her father knew we weren’t dating. He made it clear he expected better judgment from me than to date his only daughter. But with the media constantly sniffing around, he didn’t want another scandal on his hands. Last year, a few teammates got drunk and hooked up with random girls, which landed them all over the tabloids. Sometimes it’s tough being a celebrity. Sometimes it downright sucks. Like right now.

As I drive further into the mountains toward Coach Pearl’s house, my mind races. What can I say to Noelle? I need to offer her some sort of explanation. Honestly, I should start with why I kissed her.

“I’m sorry,” I say, breaking the silence.

She turns in her seat a bit to face me. Since we left the airport, she’s been gazing out the window at the passing scenery. “Sorry for what?”

“For kissing you. I don’t know what came over me.” I should not be kissing Coach Pearl’s daughter. Ever.

“It’s fine. You were scared. It’s fine, really. We should talk about what my father said.”

I nod, focusing my attention back on the road and not her pretty blue eyes. “Right. I’m sorry to put you through all of this. I know you probably don’t want to be in the middle of all this publicity.”

She shrugs. “If it helps the team, I don’t mind.”

“Really?” I stop at a red light and turn toward her. “You would do this for the team?”

She blushes. “I’d do anything for the team, and for my father. It’s how I was raised. Team first, always.”

I look at her, really look at her. “I’m sorry you’ve had to put the hockey team first all your life. It must have been hard.”

She shrugs again. “Nah, it’s been fine.” But I can sense her tone. Her casual demeanor doesn’t mask the underlying fatigue, the weight of always putting others before herself. I reach out and gently squeeze her hand, offering a silent promise to make things better, even if I don’t yet know how.

After another bout of silence, I pull into the driveway of her parents’ house. The estate is breathtaking, a picturesque cabin nestled in the snowy mountains. Tall pines surround the property, their branches heavy with fresh snow. The cabin itself is large and rustic, with warm wooden beams and a stone chimney puffing out smoke. Icicles hang from the eaves, glittering in the late afternoon sun, and the snow-covered roof adds to the postcard-perfect scene.

The driveway is lined with fairy lights, their soft glow making the snow sparkle. A wrap-around porch with rocking chairs and a swing beckons us to sit and take in the serene beauty of the mountains. In the distance, the peaks of the mountains rise majestically, their white-capped tops blending into the sky.

I park the car and turn off the engine, the sudden silence almost deafening after the drive. Noelle looks at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of apprehension and resolve. This is her home, her sanctuary, and I can only hope that whatever comes next won’t shatter the peace this place seems to promise.

Her parents step out onto the porch. I remove both of our luggage from the back of the rental, wheeling them both toward the front door.

Noelle hugs her parents, saying her hellos, and I step up to join them.

“How was the flight?” Coach asks, and his eyes glance over our shoulders. He’s probably checking to make sure we haven’t been followed by any paparazzi, or crazed fans.

“It was very eventful,” I say with a slight chuckle, trying to break the tension.

“Let’s talk inside, shall we?” Coach says, ushering us all into the warm comfort of his home.

“Dad, what’s going on?” Noelle says once the front doors shut behind us. “You want us to pretend to date?”

Noelle’s mother, Connie, smiles, welcoming us into her home. We follow her into the kitchen where there’s an assortment of deli meats and olives. The charcuterie is impressive, and I grab a cracker and pop it into my mouth. “Please, let’s all calm down while we discuss this,” Connie says, noticing how Noelle appears a bit frazzled.

“Oh, I’m calm,” Noelle says, sounding not very calm at all.

The family dog, Sally, a blue-eyed Australian Shepherd enters the kitchen, moving toward Noelle, obviously happy to see her. Noelle stops, leans over, and says hello to Sally.

I’m no stranger to this home, and I smile as Coach stares at me.

“Listen, I saw the story break and immediately called Pam over with PR, and she wanted to make sure this story didn’t come off as bad publicity. You know how everything goes. Someone can take something innocent and turn it into mayhem.” He leans against the counter. “Can I ask why the two of you were kissing?”

Noelle stands, her face tinged pink with embarrassment. “I was trying to help ease York’s anxiety about takeoff.”

I rub at the back of my neck. “It was completely my fault, and it definitely won’t happen again.”

Coach studies me for a long, awkward moment. “Right. So, we need to get all of our ducks in a row. I hate to have to ask you both to do this, but do you think you can pretend to date? While we’re here at the house no need to pretend, but maybe we’ll do some public outings.”

“Is that really a good idea, Coach?” I ask. “I mean, what happens after Christmas?”

Both Connie and Coach look at me as though I’ve sprouted another head.

“After?” Coach says like he hasn’t thought that far yet. “Well, we’ll tell everyone you broke up.”

Connie’s nodding along like her husband holds all the answers. She smiles, holding her hands to her heart. “Everyone loves a holiday romance.”

“Right,” Coach agrees. “This could be a very good thing.”

“Let me get this straight,” I say, grabbing another cracker. Before popping it into my mouth, “We’re just going to do a few family outings, and pretend?”

“I think it’ll be great publicity for the team. Connie’s right, everyone loves a good holiday romance.”

I glance at Noelle, my eyebrow rising up. “Will you be my fake girlfriend for the holidays?”