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INDIE

cynefin: (n.) a place that feels like home

Five days later…

“ I admit it,” I sighed as I picked up the takeout box from my favorite place, and stuffed a huge mouthful of Chetininad Chicken in my mouth as Eden glared at me. The same takeout that Theo had sent to the bookstore for lunch after I mentioned it in passing this morning.

The same Theo that had been serving up sex and mind-blowing orgasms since we came home from the last game of the series days ago.

Thank God Nia had the day off, because the guilt and lying to her were eating me. Any second, I was sure I was going to confess every time she looked so damned satisfied about Theo and I being together.

“Admit what?” Eden asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

I rolled my eyes as I stared into the box and scooped another bite out of it. “Hate sex is really good.”

Eden sat up and squealed. “I knew it!!! The two of you look at each other like you were eye fucking all this time anyway, that it was going to be amazingly hot. And it’s not totally hate sex. It’s a you-were-a-stupid-man-so-I-thought-I-hated-you-sex kinda sex. Totally different.”

“How so?”

She daintily chewed, “If he was a total dick and not just misguided, then maybe, or a villain. But he was a guy who didn’t take advantage of you after a situation that wasn’t ideal.”

Zoe, the other third of the Eden/Noah/Zoe trio breezed in and heisted a cute stuffed puppy wearing a Triumph hoodie in the air. “I come bearing puppy fundraising gifts!”

“Oh!” Eden squealed as set her food down and ran over to take it from her other bestie.

Noah had added me to the group chat a few days ago, and even though I hadn’t been as close with her before, I already felt like Zoe was a friend.

Plus, Eden liked her, and having Eden share my secret fake relationship which meant the world.

I trusted Eden, and she trusted Zoe. Though Eden and Cole were the only ones besides me and Theo who knew the truth.

The whole relationship was doing wonders for Theo and BB&L, and he’d received another sponsorship contract just yesterday.

As for BB&L, our social media following exploded after our proposal stunt, and we were already planning another book signing event that had almost sold out. Six months in advance.

Our story wasn’t exactly new, since there had been speculation since the beginning, but now, we controlled the narrative. To everyone’s advantage.

“He’s so cute!!”

“Milo the puppy is the official mascot for the official event. And I thought you’d like the very first one,” Zoe said as she extracted it from Eden and tossed it my way, “since Travis Gerard named him.”

My heart melted. And sank.

Because I was starting to feel guilty about Travis and what he really thought about what me and his dad were doing.

“Trav will love him.”

Zoe grinned and grabbed one of the boxes and a fork.

“Oh my God, I love this place. I keep trying to get Walker to come with me and Brett, but he’s being stubborn.

” She moaned over a mouthful as Eden plopped down next to her on the couch.

There were only a few people in the shop, and the Blind Date wall had been replenished three times this week.

And the other hockey players had started adding their own books, even though Theo’s and Noah’s were still the most popular.

“And the press conference for it is tomorrow, don’t forget, or Laney will freak out.”

I wrinkled my nose. “I can’t see her freaking out.”

She laughed. “Okay, a Laney freak out is a glare. And then she takes my chocolate away. So…”

I laughed. “I’ll be there.”

“I figured Theo would bring you, since he and Hayden are the designated puppy guys.”

“Oh, Laney is letting-”

“More like making,” Zoe snorted. “Firehose. I don’t get how these guys deal with being traded mid-season. And forget about dating them.”

Eden stood up and glanced around the room. “Don’t tempt fate, Zoe!”

Zoe waved her off. “Yeah, cause our All-Stars would get traded. Please. There’s a reason most of them try to get sponsorship deals.

Keeps the salary cap down. Not everyone needs millions.

I mean, they do, but still. Unless we needed room, no one but that asshole would get traded.

And that was fate. Fucker,” she muttered.

We ate and gossiped, and discussed the event details for the press conference for the next hour.

She asked about how Theo and I met, and the good thing about it being mostly true is that the details never changed.

“And your brother is okay with it? Not that I have any room to talk, but sometimes I wish there was more drama.”

“They hate fuck,” Eden offered.

“Wait, what?” Zoe rubbed her hands together.

“EDEN!”

“You do,” she laughed. “And I knew they’d hook up ever since the haunted house.”

“I never should’ve told you about that,” I uttered and tossed a rolled up napkin at her as she giggled. “That damn Tito’s.”

Zoe threw her head back and laughed, “That haunted house was such a slut fest for these guys. I think the only one that didn’t hook up was Walker, for fuck’s sake.”

“Does hooking up include spankings?” Eden asked with an evil laugh.

Zoe’s eyes widened. “Shut up! I knew I liked you. I mean not that I want to spank you or anything, but listen I revenge fucked my best friend’s older brother and then he fired my ex.

So, yeah.” She extender her hand. “Welcome to the club, Indra. May you love wearing your man’s sweater and having fabulous sex at least once at the rink. ”

I laughed and shook her hand. “I mean, I do love the way he looks at me when I wear his number.”

We talk some more, until Zoe finally stood and announced, “Anyways, see you then, gotta run! Playoff round three, here we come! Playing Seattle again is going to be fun!”

“I can’t wait to see Ollie and Hockey Goddess!!!!!”

“Noah hasn’t stopped texting, and Cole is already planning a dinner with Kas and Jules. Oooh! We should just have a dinner at our place since we have room! I’m totally making him,” Eden promised.

She hugged Eden and me, then breezed out the door and Eden said, “I knew you were falling.”

“No, Eden. Fake.”

The wadded up napkin I threw at her was tossed back in my face. “When you decide to stop lying to yourself let me know.”