Page 15

CHAPTER 15

Cami

I am freaking out. Charlie just asked me to be his girlfriend, well his fake girlfriend, and then agreed to be my date to my sister’s wedding.

What in the Hades is happening?

“We need to set some ground rules,” I blurt out, trying desperately to be the voice of reason when I typically am not. Normally I’m the go with the flow, have fun, and fork the consequences kind of gal.

“Ground rules?”

“Yeah, like only brief kissing and hand holding, no making out, and only when we’re in public.”

“Well, of course. Why would I kiss you if we weren’t in public?”

“I don’t know. I’m just trying to be responsible here,” I shout it at him and immediately feel bad. “Ugh, I’m sorry. I’m just freaking out a little and I’m trying to make sure our friendship is still intact at the end of all of this.”

“Hey.” He reaches out and squeezes my hand. “I’m freaking out, too, even though it might not seem like it. You’re important to me and I don’t want our friendship to change so whatever you need us to do to make sure it doesn’t, I will do.”

“Okay.” I nod. “That’s good. I also think we need to set an end date to this whole thing. When is our fake break up?”

“That’s a good call.” He worries his lip a little as he thinks and my eyes snag on the movement. “The trade deadline is in March, so let’s say after that.”

“Okay, that sounds good.”

“And if you need me to come to any other family stuff so they don’t think my showing up is weird, I can. As long as I don’t have a game or practice.”

“They won’t think it’s weird. They’ve been telling me I need to make a move on you for years now.” I straighten and snap my lips shut as soon as the words leave them. My family has always suspected I have a crush on Charlie, but admitting that now is just going to make this even more awkward.

If I was honest with myself, I know I’ve had a small tiny baby crush on him for a while now. Who wouldn’t? My best friend’s brother who is a charming, huge, gorgeous hockey player? Doesn’t take much to feel the butterflies. Plus, it isn’t like I’ve known him since we were in elementary school. We met in high school when I moved into the house next to his and didn’t even really become friends until whatever happened in high school took place, and he pulled away from his friend group and started hanging out with Alana and I.

Basically what I’m trying to say is, I don’t view him like a brother. A best friend? Yes, but not a brother. I’ve resolved to push all of those teenage crush thoughts away, though, and chalked them up to childish fantasies. Nothing was ever going to happen between us.

Except now it is, I guess. Even if it’s fake, I’m still going to have to hold his hand and touch him in public and kiss him. I take a deep breath, not feeling very confident that I’m going to make it out of this in one piece.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he says, and I laugh. I can’t possibly tell him what I’m thinking. If I do that, this will be way more awkward than it already is.

“It’s just a lot.”

“If it’s too much we don’t have to do it. I’ll figure something else out, I can try the dating apps. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“You don’t make me uncomfortable. This situation is a little uncomfortable, but I don’t think there’s a world in which it would be comfortable for someone to fake date their best friend.”

“So, you’re in?” He looks so unsure, but at the same time full of hope. I know this means a lot to him and it’s extremely important for him to stay on with the Rangers. I want that for him too.

“I’m in.” He lunges forward and scoops me into a hug. “But no touching or kissing unless it’s in public and we need to discuss how we’re going to tell Alana about this. I don’t want it to affect my friendship with her.”

“Deal.”

“Did Sophie say anything else she wanted you to do?” I ask.

“Nope. Just make the fans like me, so I guess we need to try to be out and about doing community stuff or whatever.”

“ ‘Community stuff or whatever?’ Listen to you. We have some work to do,” I say and laugh at his lack of seriousness.

“What did you have in mind?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

“Why am I scared?”

I narrow my eyes at him and lower my voice as I say, “You should be.”

He rolls his eyes and looks around before standing.

“I’m sorry, I have to head out. We have an away game this weekend and Coach wants us for another early practice tomorrow before we leave.” I can tell he doesn’t want to go after dropping this bomb, but I know he has to.

“Where are you headed?”

“Predators in Nashville. Should be a pretty good game, they’re solid this year.”

“I’ll watch.”

“You don’t have to,” he says, running his hand through his dark brown hair.

“Sure, I do. My fake boyfriend is playing.” He meets my eyes abruptly and a blush creeps up his cheeks. I wink at him and he rolls his eyes before heading towards the door.

“Thank you for agreeing to do this. You’re a lifesaver.”

“We don’t have that contract just yet, big guy. Thank me when we do.”

He squeezes me tightly around the waist and then makes his way down the hall and away from me. I take a deep breath as I shut the door and lean back against it. What in the world just happened?

I can’t believe that I am going to fake date Charlie Cade, my best friend, and the media is going to report on it. I don’t even want to begin to imagine all the ways this is going to throw a wrench into my life.

I can’t help but be thankful, though. This is going to solve my problem with my family and will hopefully get them off of my case for a while. It’ll be a nice reprieve from their constant nagging.

As I climb into bed that night, all I can think about is how I can’t wait to tell the ladies at knitting club about this.