Page 30

“When are you going to tell your brother the truth?” Crew asks as I make two cups of coffee in our kitchen. Grey is upstairs in my bedroom. I don’t think we’ve spent a single night apart since we made it official.

I press my lips together as the steam from the coffee fills the air. “Is he bugging you?” I ask, wondering if that’s why he’s so concerned. “It’s only been a week.”

“Just call your brother and tell him.”

I roll my eyes as Crew walks away. “Fine.”

I peer down at the coffee before me. I have a few moments until these cool down. I call my brother right now.

“Hey, what’s up?” Ryan answers the phone. It sounds like he’s out of breath. Maybe he’s on a morning run.

“Oh hey. Good morning. I won’t keep you long because I gotta go, but I have to tell you something.”

“Okay,” Ryan says. Yeah, he’s definitely out of breath. He must be on a run with Addison. They hang out a lot.

“Okay. So, yeah, I, uh.” I can’t finish my sentence. I’m worried about what he’ll think of me, but I think of Grey and how much I’ve fallen for him. His eyes, his hockey skills, his hockey stick, his body, and he’s opened up to me in ways that makes me so happy.

Ryan says, “What? Spit it out.”

“Yeah, sorry. It’s just that the whole fake dating thing with Greyson Cress —“

“Yeah, I know who Grey is.”

“Yeah, it’s not fake anymore. I think I’m falling in love with him.”

“What!” Ryan scoffs. “Maddie,” he scolds. “What do you mean?”

“We’re together,” I muster the courage to say. “He’s my real boyfriend now. And I thought you should know.”

“And you’re falling for him?”

“Oh, did I say that?” I ask, dying on the inside. It felt better saying it rather than hearing it repeated back to me. “Yeah. I am.” I squeeze my eyes shut.

I think Ryan stopped running because I don’t hear anything anymore. “Wow, uh, I don’t know what to say.”

“Maybe just say that you’re happy for me?”

He lightly chuckles. “Right. Yeah, I am happy for you, Maddie. As long as you’re happy and you had a long talk with him. I don’t like his reputation. I don’t trust him.”

“I know, but do you trust me?” I ask because I know the answer.

“Yes,” Ryan answers.

“Okay, well, I trust him. I truly don’t think I have anything to worry about. He’s changing. College is almost over, and he’s taking things more seriously. I think he’s maturing since you’ve known him.”

“I hope so. I mean, it sounds like it. So, did you tell dad?”

I shake my head. “No, I’m going to call him next.”

“He might be at work already, but you can catch him before he’s on the clock.”

“Do you think he’ll be upset?”

Ryan takes a moment to think. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

“Okay, thank you, Ryan. I’ll talk to you later.”

I hear Addison in the back. “Bye, Maddie.”

“Love you. Bye,” Ryan says.

“Bye, Baddie. Love you, Ry. Bye.”

I hang up the phone and dial my dad. The line rings twice and my dad’s voice is on the other end.

“Madlibs, hit me with it,” he answers the call.

I subtly sigh. He’s always so straight to the point. “Hi, dad. Busy?”

“Nope.”

“Okay,” I say. “Well, I was calling to tell you something.”

“Yeah,” he mutters like this phone call needs to be quick.

I almost stutter and then I fix my posture. “So, Greyson Cress,” I say and then a figure at the top of my stairs catches my attention.

Grey leans against the railing without a shirt on. His fingers fold together as he watches me. I shoot my eyes to our coffee, hating that I have to have this conversation in front of him now.

“What about him?” my dad says, reminding me that I need to finish my sentence.

“Oh, right. Yeah, well, you see, it’s kind of a funny story.”

“Spit it out, Madlibs.”

“Okay.” I suck in a breath and quickly glance at the top of the stairs. God, please put a stupid freaking shirt on, Grey. He’s beautiful shirtless and I hate it so much. “I really like him, dad.”

Grey glares at me, confused, and I gulp while my eyes dart around the kitchen.

My dad says, “So the fake dating story was real?”

I scoff. “Yeah. Why would I lie about that?”

He says, “I don’t know. I know you’re not a liar, but I knew you guys were crazy about each other. It was very apparent.”

“It was?” I blush, looking back up at Grey. His fingers are no longer together. His elbow is on the railing while his chin rests in his hand. I finally understand the term looking like a snack .

My dad laughs. “Madison. This is not a shock to me. You’re my daughter. I know you better than anyone. So, you’re crazy about him?”

I smile and nod. “Yes.” My eyes lock with Greyson’s.

My dad says, “Okay. I don’t doubt your judgment. Your brother has told me the stories, and I don’t want my little girl getting hurt.”

“Dad,” I scold.

“But that’s all I’ll say. I trust your judgment.”

“Thank you,” I whisper. Grey is looking at me with concerned eyes, so I grab my coffee and take a sip. “I’m happy you answered.”

“Me too, sweetheart. I love you. Call me if you need anything. I’m always here for you.”

“Except during the Stanley Cup.”

He chuckles. “I’ll pretend you didn’t just say that.”

I laugh. “Okay, dad. That is all. I’ll talk to you later. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

He ends the call, so I grab Grey’s coffee mug and walk up the stairs. When he grabs the mug, we walk into my room. I shut the door behind me.

Grey asks, “So, you told your dad about us?”

I nod, taking a sip of my coffee. “Mhm.”

“What did he say?” he asks.

I press the back of my hand against my lips and say, “Mm. He wants me to break up with you this instant. Said he’s heard all the stories.”

Grey observes my face and then puts his coffee down on my dresser. “Has anyone told you that you’re a bad liar?” he whispers, slowly walking toward me.

I take a few steps back and then he grabs my coffee mug. He takes a sip and places the cup on the dresser.

“You’re a horrible liar, Madison Wilder.” When he looks into my eyes, my stomach twists. As I gulp, I glance down at his shirtless body. His morning abs are something else. “So, what am I going to do with you?”

I shrug, so he grabs my waist and lifts me up. I squeal under his fingers. The pressure tickles. My legs wrap around his hips.

Grey looks up at me as his hands travel up my shirt. “What did he say?” Grey asks again.

I tilt my head at him and smile. “He said he knew we were crazy about each other.” Grey looks at my lips and then back to my eyes. “He said that?”

“Mhm,” I smirk. “He said he’s glad we’re finally admitting it because he thought I was lying to him about the fake dating at first.”

He lays me on the bed and leans his body against mine. “I think I’ve been crazy about you for a while.”

“A while?” I ask, wondering what that means exactly.

“When you came to Matt’s mom’s house for the jacuzzi, I was there.”

“No, you weren’t,” I laugh, holding onto his neck with my hands.

He nods with a smile. “I was. I was upstairs, and I didn’t mean to watch, but I couldn’t stop. You got down into your swimsuit, and I thought… wow.”

“Wow?” I mock, laughing. “Just wow?”

Grey says, “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

“Stop,” I say, giggling. I can’t believe that my face is flushing, and I have butterflies right now. “I am not,” I correct him.

He puts his finger to my mouth to quiet me. He stares into my eyes and says, “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes on, Maddie. And then you approached me, and I thought there’s no fucking way she even knows I exist –” He removes his hand and kisses my lips. “There’s no way she’s talking to me right now.” He kisses me again. “There’s no way I could fuck this up.” Another kiss. “So, that’s why I told you I’m never sleeping with you. I’m not kissing you.” This time he sucks my bottom lip. “Because I knew if we did any of that, I would need more.” He kisses me deeply as I wrap my arms around him. “And I need more. I can’t get enough.”

I grab his cheeks and bring him to kiss me. “Tell me more.”

He says, “You kissed me that night, and it was so fucking hot, I’ve jacked off to it ever since.”

I burst into laughter as he kisses my neck.

“Now, I don’t need to jack off anymore because you’re all mine, Maddie.”

I nod. “I’m all yours, Grey. You know what’s so funny listening to you say this?”

“Hm?”

“I wanted to fake date you to get revenge, and then at some point, all I started to care about was pucking Grey.”

“You’ve been trying to fuck me for a while?” He smirks. “You have that crazy sex appeal, you know, but you’re not just an object.”

“Oh, please use me as your object.”

I laugh as he smiles.

He says, “Please do. I’m all yours.”

I kiss him as he presses his hard boner against me. “Grey,” I moan.

He kisses away that sound.

“I need to finish what I was saying,” I say, so he leans back to listen. “So, all I started to care about was pucking Grey. And now?” I grab his face and run my hands through his hair. “Now all I care about is keeping you.”

“Bunny, I’m yours.” He nods. “Forever.”

“Forever?” I question with a smile.

He nods with intensity in his eyes. “Forever, bunny. Always.”