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Chapter Thirteen

LILY

So many people in one small apartment…

Sophie and Mia chat with Mathéo, asking him questions about his unexpected table-setting skills. They appear quite impressed with his explanation about his mémé, his grandmother, who taught him many things ‘French.’

Wade and Ethan delegated Payton to the couch, and they’re picking apart a replay of an NHL game that featured an unusual play by the goalie that helped the team score the winning goal in overtime.

They’re all so comfortable and easy around each other, as if they’ve done this dozens of times, which I suspect they have. Something tugs in my chest, a longing of some kind that I’m unsure what to do about.

My phone vibrates in my back pocket, so I excuse myself to go to the bathroom.

Must be Del, as she’s pretty much the only person who texts me.

Except for Sophie and Mia, now that we’re in a group chat for the fundraiser, but they’re here.

And these days, most of my conversations with Del seem to happen in restrooms.

Del: Having fun?

Lily: I honestly don’t know how to answer that.

Del: Everyone checked out as expected. Nothing to worry about.

Lily: That’s what you think.

Del: Trouble in paradise?

Lily: Remember that assignment in India?

Del: Oof! So many people!

Lily: Exactly.

Del: Think of it as a fact finding mission on that yummy client of yours.

Lily: Already found out he tried to ask Sophie out. That was before Luke staked his claim on her. Her words.

Del: I’m liking hockey players more and more.

Lily: Of course you would.

Del: Judge much?

Lily: Eye roll emoji

Time to return to the fray before someone knocks on the door to see if I’m okay, which is a great question, considering. If I’d known this assignment would require pretending to be friends with other WAGs as well as Payton’s fake wife, I may have reconsidered taking it.

But that permanent position is what I’ve been shooting for, figuratively speaking. I just hope, in the end, I can say it was worth it.

When I return to the living room, everyone is lined up in the kitchen, filling their plates with food. Someone threw a salad together while I was gone, which I find impressive, even if I suspect it’s one of those kits. I’m starting to appreciate how these people do life together.

Definitely brings back a lot of memories of the group home I spent time in as a teenager. By the time I was thirteen, I was labeled as “difficult.” Most likely because I was tall for my age and took it upon myself to protect the smaller kids.

After a few complaints from parents who had no business parenting, in my opinion, the label stuck, and I wound up a permanent resident in the group home, which was fine. I was tired of getting bounced around so much by that point. At least I knew what to expect on a daily basis.

But Payton and his friends are different.

They’re a community by choice, not because of circumstances.

I’ve never experienced that nuance before, and frankly, I find it unsettling.

I’m better at identifying the best exit route or avoiding choke points.

Of making sure my principal gets from point A to point B safely.

Not socializing and building relationships.

Somehow, we all crowd around Payton’s dining room table. He’s the consummate host, ensuring each person has what they need without lifting a finger because everyone is quick to jump up and take care of whatever he suggests, so he doesn’t exert himself any more than necessary.

I find it all very amusing. And even…heartening.

I get that these guys spend hours together every day on the ice, doing a job they love.

But they’re friends, too. Payton asks about Mathéo’s mémé , who lives in Canada still and just had hip surgery.

He’s bummed he couldn’t fly out to be there with her, but everyone reassured him she understood and had plenty of other family members to help, details they already knew about him.

And then there’s Elias, who’s decided to quit dating since his last girlfriend cheated on him.

I wanted to tell him that most of the time, life isn’t fair, but then Sophie jumped in and said he couldn’t give up on love.

He just hadn’t met the right person yet, and that she and Luke were proof of that, which only made me more curious about those two.

I mean, she’s the very definition of sunshine, and Luke’s as grumpy as they come.

All of this swirls to a screeching stop when Sophie pins me with a question. “What do you think, Lily? Should Elias give up on love?”

My hand pauses mid-air, holding my next bite of garlic bread. I lower my hand. “I think…” I clear my throat. “I think anyone who can make garlic bread this good is a great catch.”

An unexpected rumble of laughter erupts around the table. I smile, genuinely glad I dodged that bullet.

Payton leans over. “I made the spread. He just finished what I started.”

I turn my head so only he can hear. “Are you feeling a little jealous?”

He says nothing, but I don’t miss the slight pulse in his jaw muscle. Is he trying to impress me?

“Aww! Look at the lovebirds.” Mia beams at us. “Aren’t they cute?”

Heat flushes up my cheeks despite my attempt to appear unaffected as I continue eating.

Payton gets to his feet and raises his glass of wine. “I would like to make a toast to my lovely bride to thank her for taking such good care of me.” He turns to face me, capturing my gaze with his.

There he goes again, using ‘lovely’ to describe me. But this is for show, right? Maybe the word just rolls easily off his lips.

I try to communicate a cease-and-desist message with a few blinks, but he continues.

“I know we rushed things, and the last thing we expected was for me to be laid up while we’re still technically in our honeymoon phase…”

Whistles and catcalls fill his pause, which was clearly his intention, and succeeds in making me squirm in my seat. The man moves as smooth off the ice as on, I have to admit. But I’m not ready to give up this fight.

He flags his hand to quiet the snickering. “She is truly the woman of my dreams. To Lily!”

Everyone raises their glasses, be it wine, water, or, in Wade’s case, a beer, and cheer, repeating Payton’s last two words. I stand up, intending to add my own lethal toast, but before I can say anything, Wade drawls, “Lily, the only way to top that one is to kiss the guy. I think he earned it.”

An awkward laugh slips out before I can stop it. I think my stomach just made friends with my toes. “That’s sweet but?—”

Payton’s grin turns downright evil. “Isn’t she adorable? And here you thought I was the shy one.”

The last thing I see is Sophie’s brows shoot up before Payton’s head, which I’m convinced grew four times bigger in the last hour, closes in, and his lips brush mine.

I have two choices. Lean away, making it obvious we’re not the happy couple they think we are, or let him kiss me and make him answer for it later.

His kiss is tentative at first. Almost cautious.

Then his hand slides behind my head as he continues, not giving me a way out.

But I can’t think of an escape because all I want right now is to explore his lips that taste like garlic and tomato and wine, and give in to all these exhilarating sensations rolling over me that leave me feeling wanted and…

safe. Like I could let down my guard around him.

But I can’t—not and do my job well. However, I can even the score a little.

After all, I’m the one who suggested we make this a competition.

I lean closer and deepen the kiss. His spicy scent nearly intoxicates me, making me almost forget why I’m doing this, but I resist the pull and run my hand over his injured side.

Not enough to seriously hurt him, but enough to make him jump ever so slightly and end the kiss.

I cover my mouth with my fingers with a gasp. “I’m so sorry, honey. Guess I got caught up in the moment and forgot about your ribs.” I mimic a contrite grin at the rest of the table. “Must be that honeymoon phase he mentioned.”

Sophie giggles while Mia fans herself with an expression of approval on her face.

Payton holds his side as he lowers himself into his chair. “No worries, dear . I’ll be fine.”

“I should get him an ice pack. Can I get anyone anything?” Before anyone can answer, I make a beeline for the kitchen on shaky legs.

Between the military and working as a bodyguard, I’ve been around a lot of men. Some are attractive, some are not. Some kind, others not so much. A few I admired, a lot I considered nuisances to be ignored.

I’ve always kept my guard up with little trouble. But Payton just blew all my pretenses out of the water and proved my walls aren’t as impenetrable as I thought.

Observation #5: Payton is mischievous, and his kisses are dangerous.

Maybe it’s time to set some boundaries before our competition turns my heart on end.

The thing about a dinner party—and that’s the only way to describe what this turned into—is there’s always the cleanup to look forward to.

And I mean that in the most sarcastic way.

Thankfully, Payton’s friends are as quick to help as they were to helping put this dinner on the table.

All things considered—excluding the kiss—it was a nice evening.

Payton and Elias sit on the couch, chatting, while I’m loading the dishwasher with Mia’s help .

“Ethan and I have this agreement that whoever cooks doesn’t have to do the dishes.” She hands me the next rinsed plate to add to the rest.

“So you take turns?”

“No, I cook, and he cleans.” She giggles.

I laugh. “Then why have an agreement?”

She shrugs. “I figure if he decides he hates cleaning up, he’ll have to cook more.”

I stare at her. “You’re a sneaky one, aren’t you?”

“And proud of it.” She snorts, then laughs again.