Page 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

arden

“Breathe.”

I glance to my side and nod rigidly. I’m not a person who spooks easily. I can stitch up an irate patient, tend to head wounds, and look at the gnarliest of injuries without batting an eye, but this? This is terrifying.

Walking into a hockey game with WAG royalty by my side, into the lion’s den full of other, real partners who I will have to lie to— this is scary. Thankfully, Penny gave me the run-down of who to avoid and who we like. She’s still considered ‘new’ herself, though the internet adores her.

Penny dressed me tonight. Simple, but a bit fancier than I’d typically dress for a sporting event.

Jeans and a white top with an oversized leather jacket tossed over it.

It’s hers. It somehow still looks good on me despite Penny being ten heads taller than me.

She didn’t blink before offering to let me wear it.

Penny is in black jeans with a yellow top that shows a tiny bit of her midriff. She’s also repping the coolest bomber jacket I’ve ever seen, topping the fit off with a Pittsburgh ballcap on that honey-coloured hair .

She guides us to our seats, which are closer than I expected.

Did you know that the players’ partners don’t actually get a box?

I always assumed that they did. But no. Penny said that’s a myth, although some will buy one for a season and let the other girls use it.

That’s typically for the WAGs with big families who have to come here to watch their dads.

Penny lifts her hand and smiles as we shuffle down the aisle. “Hi, Shay.”

“Penny!” A beautiful girl with long brown hair hugs Penny, eyes zeroing in on me over her shoulder. “Who is this?”

Penny steps aside to introduce me. “Shay, this is Arden. Forker’s girlfriend.”

Shay’s eyes grow ten sizes. “ Forker?”

I force a tight smile. Shay was on the nice list. We like her.

Breathe, Arden.

“Hi.” I wave.

Her dark eyes snap to Penny, who breathes out a laugh and shrugs, like she can’t believe it either. This girl is a ride or die, putting on the performance of a century for me and Carter, and our sham of a relationship.

“How did you lock him down?” Shay asks, ignoring Penny as she shuffles down the row to say hello to the four other women who are also in attendance. Realization washes over her. “Oh my god, you’re the woman he threw those punches for!”

I wince a bit. I’m starting to hate that title. “Unfortunately.”

“It’s not a bad thing,” she says quickly, reaching up to squeeze my arm. “Sorry, I’m just surprised. Oscar and I were convinced that he was making it all up. We didn’t think that you were real.”

Alarm rings through me, but I force myself to maintain a neutral expression. I knew it was bad, but I didn’t realize how desperately Carter needed me as his front. His own teammates were talking about it? They assumed he was lying? This agreement was more necessary than I thought.

“Arden,” Penny says, waving me over. I scurry past Shay and am introduced to Morgan, Emma, and Tyla.

Penny shoots me a look as Morgan and Emma reach out their hands.

Naughty list, those two. But still, I smile and feign pleasantries before hiding at the end of the row the second it’s over.

I fall into my seat, and Penny glances at me. “Hanging in there?”

“Four girls are manageable.”

“There are usually more. They’re typically worse when Wyatt comes with me, desperate for a piece of him, but he’s got too much work to do, so he bowed out. Consider yourself lucky.”

Wyatt. Penny and Declan’s friend, who moved to Pittsburgh. I remember that name, too.

“Great,” I grumble. For some reason, I don’t think that’s going to stop them from being on top of us all night.

The girls beside us are chatting away now, so Penny leans in to whisper information while their attention is elsewhere.

“Shay is with Oscar. Morgan is with Tom. High school sweethearts, so she thinks she’s superior to everyone else. Emma is her little mini me, on and off with Luka. Those two are best friends, but their partners hate each other. It’s weird.”

I nod along, already feeling overwhelmed. This is too much information about people that I don’t know. People I’m going to have to lie to.

“Tyla is an angel,” she continues, “married to Mik. He’s also an angel. She never misses a game.”

Then there is me. Arden Doll. Faux girlfriend extraordinaire.

Extremely in over her head. Sitting next to a bunch of girls who have a hierarchy based on who their boyfriends are, or how long they’ve been around, or if they have a ring or not.

I don’t even actually have a boyfriend in their ranks, and I’ve been here for three whole seconds. I’m the bottom of the barrel.

Penny pats my leg a few times, flashes me a smile. “I had to endure this alone. At least we have each other now.”

We make small talk with the other girls before the game starts.

I feel Morgan’s eyes burning into my face more often than not.

When Shay leans over to ask me questions, she goes on her phone like I’m the least interesting person in the building.

The moment the conversation diverts elsewhere, she’s back to participating.

In those moments, when she smiles a bit coldly at me, makes a one-off comment, or blatantly ignores my existence, Penny reaches over and pats my knee a few times.

She’ll smile or roll her eyes, and manages to make this feel less like we’re back in high school and more like Morgan’s the only one who hasn’t left it.

Then, the game starts. We’re up on our feet as the music blares through the speakers and the players slide onto the ice. Penny, who must have a better eye for spotting players after years of doing this, points to sixty-one for me. Right next to number thirty-three.

There’s that big, blinding smile. He skates by Declan’s side, nudging him with his elbow every few seconds.

Declan seems very much in the zone, but doesn’t make Carter stop his antics, either.

He just keeps his eyes glued to the ice, mouthguard hanging out of his mouth, nodding every once in a while when Carter speaks.

“Have you ever been to a game?” Penny asks me, clapping along with the crowd.

I shake my head, watching the boys as Boston Black slides in next to them .

“Oh, just you wait.” She smiles, shaking her head a bit. “Keep your eye on thirty-three, sixty-one, and twenty-nine.”

I glance at her. “Why?”

She flashes a glossy smile, shrugging a shoulder. “Magic.”

Boy, was she right.

I don’t even particularly enjoy hockey, but watching Declan, Carter, and Boston work as a unit is a different kind of high.

You know how you can appreciate a good dance routine, despite not knowing shit about dance?

You don’t know a single technical thing about what they just did, but you’re still in awe?

That’s what it’s like watching these three do what they love to do.

Carter only gets thrown in the box once, and he does it with a smile on his face, taunting the opposing team the whole time that he’s in his little detention. Penny nudges me when she catches me laughing at his behaviour. He’s something else. Totally out of his mind.

Declan scores twice, Oscar Messer once, and Reno Rossi brings in the fourth goal, making it a four-two game.

There are smiles all around since Pittsburgh beat Dallas.

The girls and I get to our feet, following the crowd back out to the hall.

Penny guides me through the arena like it’s her second home.

When we get to a small, quiet corridor, I get the feeling we’re in an area that you need permission to enter.

I don’t say my name or anything, and there isn’t some guy with a clipboard guarding a velvet rope, but it just has that energy.

Shay stands with us, asking me questions and engaging in conversation with Penny.

I try to stay present, but I keep catching the way Morgan’s eyes burn into the side of my face.

I don’t know why she makes me so uneasy, but there’s something particularly unnerving about those big, bulgy eyes.

Thankfully, her man is the first to exit the locker room, and when he swings around the corner, they’re gone just as quickly with a mere wave in our direction.

Emma’s boyfriend is next. He chats for a couple of seconds, gives her a kiss on the lips, and then takes her down the hallway by her fingertips as she tries to finish her conversation with Shay. She’s walking backward, nearly tripping over her feet as he guides her out.

“We’ll be here a while,” Penny says with a long sigh. “Unfortunately, our men like to stay late and braid each other’s hair.”

“What hair?” I scoff. “Carter’s basically bald.”

Shay barks a laugh. “Bald and buzzed are two very different things, honey.”

“To answer your question,” Penny continues, crossing her arms in front of her. “Their ass hair, if I were to guess.”

I bite back a smile. “Right.”

“Hey, ladies.”

The voice breaks up our conversation. I glance down the hall to where a handsome, olive-skinned man with a mane of curly, dark hair walks toward us.

In his gray, patterned suit, he lifts his hand.

For a moment, his eyes are glued to Shay, but then he seems to register my presence and his brow furrows.

It’s only for a second, but I clock it. I’m fresh meat. I don’t belong here.

“Hi, babe.” Shay goes on her tiptoes to kiss who I can only assume is Oscar. “This is Arden. Forker’s girlfriend.”

Oscar’s head snaps in my direction so forcefully, I swear I hear his neck actually crack. “I’m sorry, his what?”

“I believe she introduced you to my girlfriend. Lucky you.”

Oscar’s head whirls again, this time back the way he came. Two more hockey players join us in the hallway. One, in particular, catches my eye. He’s wearing a baby blue suit that would look ridiculous on anyone else. His gaze slides from Oscar to me.

“Alright, just lift your leg and piss on her, why don’t you?” Declan grumbles.

He shoots me a sympathetic look as he passes, scooping up his girlfriend in his arms. His hands slide under that bomber jacket, pressing kisses all over her face as she winces and attempts to push him away with the littlest effort in the world.

Oscar is still staring at Carter in shock. He blinks a bit, his brow furrowing, and looks back at me. I feel like he’s waiting for me to vanish into a mist. Like I’m a mirage.

Shay smacks him gently in the chest.

“Hi, Red.” Carter dips his chin, but those eyes promise trouble.

“Girlfriend?” Oscar whispers to Shay.

To sell the bit and help him out, I reach up to snake my arms around Carter’s neck. This part of our game is easy. He’s very nice on the eyes. Nice on the mouth, too. I’d cut out my tongue before admitting that aloud to him, but it’s true.

One big, strong hand slides to my lower back. This is a dire moment, unfortunately. We’ve got to do it.

“Hi, boyfriend,” I say quietly, pecking his mouth.

“ Boyfriend ?” Oscar whispers. “What the shit-tits is going on?”

I ignore him. I pull back to look at Carter instead.

“ Icebox ?” he asks, eyes dipping down to my mouth.

It’s technically his day.

I glance over my shoulder, keeping my arms around his neck. I pull myself closer, and am rewarded with that big hand sweeping up my spine.

“Penny?”

Penny is smiling this highly amused, megawatt smile. Her eyes flicker to Declan. “What do you say, boyfriend ?”

Declan huffs a laugh, shaking his head. “After we let the kids out, girlfriend ?”

“Should really be ‘wife’ by now, if I’m honest,” Carter mutters, a jab right back at them for mocking us.

I pinch the back of his neck, because that’s just none of his business.

Declan shoots him a look, and I realize something at that very moment, standing in a strange hallway with a bunch of people that I don’t know.

As Penny chuckles under her breath and unwinds herself from her boyfriend, and as those hazel eyes burn into Carter’s face for half a second too long, I know for certain that is the look of a man who has already bought the ring.

I pull back from Carter, fighting the urge to smile.

“I’m down for a drink,” I say.

“Oz?” Dec glances over his shoulder.

Shay’s already shaking her head.

“Next time,” Oscar says, slapping his hand into Declan’s. He nods at Carter and me, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders.

Shay says a pleasant goodbye, and then they’re headed out the same way as the rest of them.

When the door shuts behind them, Declan turns to me, his face grave.

“It’s going to be chaos out there.”

“What?”

“They’re waiting for a look at you, I think.” Penny offers a weak smile. “Carter’s a hot commodity around here.”

“Nah, I just got thrown in the slammer to protect your honour,” Carter corrects with a shrug. His eyes search mine. “I’ll be right by your side and stand in their way. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“No stopping tonight,” Penny says quietly .

“I know.” Declan nods.

“Come on,” I murmur, rolling my neck to look at them. “You can’t not sign autographs just because I’m here.”

“Just for safety,” Carter says, sliding his arm around my neck. He yanks me to his side, kissing the back of my head even though there is nobody around to convince. “Those paps can be vicious little things.”

“Lucky almost got knocked out by a flying camera once.”

I glance at her, and she winces at the memory, sliding her hand around Declan’s bicep as they start walking toward the exit.

Carter tugs me along behind them, arm still completely thrown around me. He pulls my body even closer to his. “Game face on, Red.”

His hand leaves my shoulders, but his touch only vanishes for a moment. Those long fingers thread through mine instead, squeezing just enough to remind me that he’s there.

Declan takes one look back at us, dips his chin, and tosses the door open.

I hear them before I see them. It’s not until we reach the middle of the parking lot that the flashes go crazy.

I duck my chin, but Carter nudges me, forcing me to lift my head.

He flashes a smile and nods in their direction.

Head up. Own it.

Declan and Penny walk arm in arm to our left, letting the cameras capture us instead of them.

Carter rounds his G-Wagon, me in tow, and opens the passenger door for me, helping me inside despite the knowledge that I’m perfectly capable.

I buckle myself in as his hand finds my jaw, turning my head in his direction.

“You crushed it, Mrs. Faux Forkerro.”

“All I did was walk to a car.”

“Hey, you didn’t trip.” He smiles wider and flashes me a wink. “A win is a win, Bub.”