Chapter 11

Technically,claiming to be chief legal counsel for the Appies was out of line.

Not that I think Gregory Treemont with Sports News Daily will have anything to say about it. As soon as I finished with him, he had to pass Nathan in the hallway, and the look Nathan delivered was lethal enough to send anyone into hiding.

I don't normally lose my composure. It's why I'm so good at my job. I can handle confrontation. Maintain control. Use my words.

But man was I close to dropkicking that sniveling little reporter all the way back to wherever it is he came from. I don't care how gritty and real he thinks a human-interest story about Nathan and Blake and their Hall-of-Famer father would be. You can't talk about a minor's criminal adjudication in the news.

What's more, a public press conference about a specific match-up between two teams is not the place to ask Nathan such personal questions. He wants to do a story about Nathan and his brother? Ask. Don't just dig up dirt and carelessly hurl it around without any thought for the potential consequences.

I pace up the long hallway outside the press room, my hands propped on my hips. I'm still keyed up from the encounter, adrenaline making me alert and jumpy. I'll calm down eventually, but it might take a minute.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I'm aware that I'm probably more keyed up than usual because this particular confrontation felt personal.

I would have taken the same actions on behalf of any of the Appies players. But I wouldn't be feeling so much were it anyone but Nathan.

It doesn't help that I only saw Nathan for a moment before he had to go get ready for the game. I'm sure we'll have the chance to talk later, though I'm not even certain what we need to talk about.

I could tell him I already drafted a letter that will go out to anyone in attendance at the press conference, reminding them of their legal obligation to respect Blake's privacy and keep his name out of the news. I could assure him I've got his back on this. That whatever happens, he doesn't have to fight these battles alone.

But what I really want to talk about is that kiss. I want to ask if it impacted him the same way it did me. If it turned his heart inside out. If every other kiss he's ever had with another person completely pales in comparison.

"Hey," Parker says as she approaches me, a water bottle in hand. "You look like you could use this."

"Thanks." I gratefully accept the water and take a long drink.

"So, I always suspected you had a beast mode," Parker says, smiling while I drain half the bottle, "but seeing it in action was pretty amazing."

"I honestly don't know what came over me," I say. "I just needed to know that guy wasn't going to print anything about Blake. Nathan has enough to deal with right now."

"Pretty sure I know exactly what came over you," Parker says, giving me a knowing look.

I lift the cool water bottle and press it against my flushed cheek. "How are things online?"

"Already looking up," she says. "Your kiss is totally going viral, and I was right about the fans eating it up." She holds out her phone. "Look."

I watch a fan reaction video to the clip Parker already posted of Nathan kissing me outside. It's full of heart eye emojis and exploding confetti and the woman gushing over the fact that Nathan's girlfriend got all defensive with the fans, claiming her man in the most public way possible. "I'm just saying, ladies. This is girl code 101. He is her man, and you better keep your hands off."

"Someone literally posted this in the past hour?" I ask, looking at the view count. It's already close to ten thousand, with half that many likes.

"Crazy, right?" Parker says. "I honestly didn't expect you guys to kiss, but now that you have? You've probably only made things easier."

I'm not even sure why I did suggest that Nathan kiss me. Parker talked about leaving a trail of crumbs for people to follow, and that kiss was more like tossing everyone an entire loaf of bread. But something came over me when I saw those other women put their hands on him. I wanted to save him. But a small, rebellious part of my heart also wanted to claim him. Even though he can't really be mine.

"Come on," Parker says, looping her arm through mine and saving me from my own torturous thoughts. "Let's go find our seats before the guys hit the ice. The warm-up is one of my favorite parts of the game, and I don't want to miss it."

I gladly follow her, feeling a sudden surge of gratitude for her friendship. No one can truly replace my twin sister. But it's nice to be making friends who come close.

Half an hour before puck drop, the energy inside the arena is electric. Even though the Appies are the away team, the crowd is a sea of gray and turquoise. It's only been six months since I attended an Appies game in Los Angeles with Gracie, but I don't remember seeing this kind of support there. Chicago is a little closer to home, but I don't think that's it. I think the team's popularity is growing exponentially, pulling in a lot of new fans who have never attended a hockey game before.

There are also a lot of women in the crowd and a lot of Sanders jerseys. Though it could just be that I'm noticing those more frequently because I'm looking for them.

I'm also keenly aware of people looking at me. Every time someone gives me a second look, I wonder to myself, Do they know? Were they outside? Have they already seen the video? Do they know I'm Nathan's girlfriend?

Or, you know. His fake girlfriend.

I'm probably being paranoid, but it's hard to shake the feeling that everyone's eyes are on me.

I drop into my chair next to Parker. "Do I have something in my teeth?"

She looks at me and scoops up a handful of popcorn. "Not that I can see. Why?"

"Because I feel like everyone is staring." I shift around in my seat, the neck of my shirt suddenly feeling itchy.

Parker grins. "They aren't. You're fine. But I do have an idea that might make people start to stare. If you're up for it."

I lift my eyebrows. "You really are a social media genius, aren't you?"

"Trust me? It might not work, but I was thinking we could walk down to the glass while the guys are warming up and see if we can get Nathan's attention."

"So, what, I just stand there?"

"Stand there and smile, put your hand up to the glass, stare at him like you're totally obsessed with him." She shoots me a look. "That part shouldn't be hard for you."

"Hey!" I nudge her shoulder. "Go easy on the teasing? I'm doing you a favor here."

"I know. I know! And I'm so grateful." She offers me some popcorn. "But I'm pretty sure in a few weeks, you're going to be the one thanking me."

I lift my eyebrows and give her a sideways look.

"What?" she says in defense. "I have a good feeling about you two."

I don't respond because Parker looks too excited, and I don't want to fuel the hope that landed me in this situation in the first place. The reality is, there's still so much I don't actually know about Nathan. I know I'm attracted to him. I know he makes my heart flutter and my skin flush, and that kissing him made me feel alive in ways I've never felt before.

But I don't know why he's so hung up on not dating.

I don't know what his family is like or if he wants to have kids or if he hopes to retire in Bermuda and spend all his time on the beach.

In that respect, maybe this whole faking thing will be good for me. I'll be able to get to know him without any pressure.

Around us, the crowd erupts into cheers as the Wolves take the ice for their warm-up. The Appies follow right behind them, and the cheering intensifies.

Parker and I look at each other and laugh.

"It's magic," Parker says.

"It's smart," I say back. "And you're the brains behind it."

She waves a dismissive hand. "Whatever. It's a team effort. These guys have earned all the love. I just help package it." She stands up. "Come on. Let's get closer."

It's a little bit of a fight to get down to the glass, but Parker has been Logan's girlfriend long enough that Appies fans recognize her and make room for us. Soon, we're standing right beside the ice. It's colder down here, and the players are going much faster. At least, it seems faster from this perspective. I spot Nathan across the ice, and my heart tightens in my chest. He looks amazing. Natural. Even graceful, which feels like a weird thing to say about someone so large, but it's true.

The Appies make several loops around their half of the ice, and I hold my breath every time Nathan passes by. I'm not sure he's even seen me, but then they break out of formation, and all the guys start to do their own thing. Logan and Eli move up to the net with Felix while Nathan skates over to me.

We make eye contact, and I smile, lifting my hand to the glass.

He stops directly opposite and lifts his glove to the same spot.

And then he smiles.

Not the little half-grin I've seen whenever I tease him, or the annoying smirk he gives his teammates when he thinks they're being ridiculous. This smile is wide and real and it makes his eyes crinkle at the corners and it's possibly the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

He leans forward, touching his helmet to the glass, and I echo his movement, pressing my forehead to the same spot. An enormous cheer sounds through the arena. I'm not sure what they're cheering for, I just know I can't look away from Nathan. I couldn't even if I wanted to.

Finally, he pushes back, smiling one last time before he spins and skates back to his team.

I turn to face Parker, who is bouncing on her toes, her smile wide. I lift both hands to my cheeks. The crowd directly behind me starts to cheer, and I realize they're all looking at me. Cheering for me. For us?

I reach for Parker's hand, and she tugs me up, through the crowd and back to our seats. People clap for us the entire way. By the time we sit down, I'm trembling.

"What just happened?" I say to Parker.

"You were on the jumbotron," she says. "That's what happened. And you made the grumpiest grump of all smile like a kid on Christmas morning."

"I've never seen him smile like that," I say.

"Um, no one has ever seen him smile like that. If we wanted to sell the fact that you've tamed the brooding beast, that just did it." She chuckles as she scrolls through her phone, then shows me a twenty-second video of Nathan and I staring at each other through the glass.

It's different seeing myself in the frame, but when Nathan smiles, the swoop of my belly is exactly the same.

"I'd tell you that was an Oscar-worthy performance, but I don't think you were acting," Parker says.

We make eye contact, and her expression softens.

"I know you said you had a good feeling, but be real with me," I say. "Am I making a mistake?"

It takes her a minute to answer, and I get the sense that she's weighing her words carefully. She's a straight shooter—I like this about her—but I also know she cares about my feelings.

Finally, she shrugs. "Maybe, yeah. But that's a risk with all relationships, isn't it? Even the real ones. Just think about what you might gain if it isn't a mistake."

My eyes find Nathan on the ice, and I watch him as he talks to Van. He points at something, Van nods, then Nathan skates off in the opposite direction with a serious look on his face.

I could watch him do this all day.

It is a risk. Possibly a monumentally stupid one.

And I just can't bring myself to care.