Page 10 of Pinch

“I won’t let you down again.”

“I sincerely hope not. The International Princess Woman Scholarship program is one of the oldest in the nation. We are royalty. We arenotcommoners.”

My lips press together, and I nod as she disconnects the call.

Looking at the screen, where I had the TMI site open when she called, I frown at the image of me in my white sequined dress with the crown on my head in the arms of Gavin Knight.

His biceps bulge, and he’s holding me like I’m freaking Cinderella under a headline reading,He’s a Hot Hockey PlayerANDa White Knight!!!!!

“Exclamation points and all,” I mutter under my breath.

Clearly, they don’t know him like I do.

Taking a slow inhale, I lift my chin to the sky above and exhale a quietThank youthat I didn’t lose my scholarship. I don’t have to go back to work for Dr. Warwick, and I’m still on track to finish my degree on time without racking up debt I’ll never be able to repay on a professor’s salary.

I slide my phone into the pocket of my maroon silk pajama bottoms and tighten the belt on my pink terry cloth robe before entering the kitchen. Maverick is the first person I see.

He’s sitting on the edge of the bench seat at our reclaimed wooden table, an expression of guilt on his face. Gavin is across the table from him, his eyes fixed on his phone, and he doesn’t look up.

“What did she say?” Maverick’s voice is low. “Did she take away your crown?”

“No.”

“Thank goodness.” His brow relaxes, and he falls back. “Mom would’ve killed me.”

I think about his mom, my aunt Dylan, who was already frustrated with him for becoming a hockey player, which is a million times more dangerous than playing football—the Bradford family sport.

She made him promise to protect his head… and his teeth… and not be a player who sleeps with all the puck bunnies in every town. I don’t even ask about that last one, and I won’t even allow myself to ponder the question when it comes to Gavin.

He has never been my business.

“Next time, I’d appreciate a warning before you serve me triple-strength purple drink on an empty stomach.”

Maverick pushes off his knees, crossing the room to hug me. “I’m sorry, Hads. I didn’t mean to get you super drunk and make you fall off your princess float.”

My eyes roll, and I shake my head. “If I’d known you were mixing them, I’d have eaten a sausage biscuit. Or only had one.”

Maverick prides himself on his extra-strong drinks. He never considers they could be hazardous to your health or your livelihood.

I put my hand on his shoulder. “I can't lose my scholarship, Mav.”

His chin drops, and I feel Gavin’s blue eyes slide to me.

My skin prickles, and I wait for him to make some remark about irresponsible alcohol use,as if. Instead, his attention returns to his phone.

Probably because he knows as well as I do this living arrangement is not going to work, and anything he says will only add fuel to the fire. Not that there’s a fire. I feel no heat toward him.

Other than the heat of justice.

“Everything okay?” Gigi enters the room, followed bytwo large dogs. “Haze and Spanky were so worried, they almost dragged me off the float trying to save you.”

“Yeah.” My shoulders droop, and I pet the curly head of her white poodle. “I acted like a total amateur out there. I wouldn’t have blamed Mrs. H if she’d put me on probation.”

“I’ve got something to cheer you up!” Her tone changes to a high-pitched doggy-voice, and she pulls out what looks like a little brown muffin. “Haddy, meet your new baby, Princess Petunia.”

She holds the fluffy brown ball out to me, one hand around its middle and the other cupping its butt. Huge brown puppy-dog eyes blink up at me, and my heart melts into my stomach.

“Oh my gosh!” I take the teeny-tiny dog from her hands. “Gina! How is she so little?”