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I gave Violet a warm smile and was pleased when she returned it. She might have been tense when I first came up to her, but she’d certainly relaxed since I’d shown up. It felt good to know she trusted me.

“Speaking of dinner, we better head off so we don’t miss our reservation,” I added.

“Yeah, of course,” Violet replied.

“Catch you around, Hoffman.” I didn’t bother looking his way again as I steered Violet in the opposite direction.

I needed to go to the locker room and change, but I didn’t want to leave Violet anywhere near that guy.

She was glancing over her shoulder and still seemed uncomfortable despite the fact he was walking away.

“What was Hoffman saying to you back there?” I asked.

“Nothing I haven’t already heard,” she muttered. “He still seems to think I’m eventually going to forgive him and take him back.” She paused, and the frown she’d been flashing ever since I’d first seen her talking to Jeremy deepened. “Maybe this isn’t working.”

I struggled not to panic. It was way too soon for Violet to be giving up on our fake relationship. I needed more time with her. To show I was more than the hockey-playing meathead she thought I was.

“This is only our first date,” I quickly replied. “Right now, he probably still thinks you’re just trying to make him jealous. We just need to show him we’re serious. Once he realizes that, he’ll leave you alone.”

“You think?”

“For sure. If we suddenly stop dating now, he’d probably think we broke up because you still want him.”

Violet was quiet as she considered what I’d said, and I did my best not to blurt out something else to try to convince her. The last thing I needed was to sound desperate.

Finally, she responded, “Maybe you’re right.”

I felt like I could breathe again.

When we arrived at the locker room, I paused by the door. My muscles ached with exhaustion, and I needed a long hot shower before we went to dinner, but I was reluctant to leave Violet alone for any longer than necessary with Hoffman lurking about.

She glanced up at me and a raised an eyebrow as though she could see exactly what I’d been thinking. “I don’t need a babysitter, Reed. I’ll be fine out here on my own. You go and get changed.”

Despite what she said, she still seemed shaken from our confrontation with Jeremy.

“Unless, of course, you want to take me in there with you,” she continued. “And introduce me to your half-naked teammates.”

My hands clenched tightly around the handle of my hockey stick. Violet must have noticed my reaction because she laughed. “Just go get changed, Reed. I’ll be waiting out here when you’re done.”

I grunted before turning toward the locker room, but Violet stopped me.

“Reed, wait,” she said, reaching out to touch my arm. “Thanks for backing me up with Jeremy. You’re a good fake boyfriend.” I smiled down at her, trying my best not to flinch at the sound of the word fake.

I had the world’s quickest shower and changed in record time. Once again, I was far from subtle, and all the guys noticed.

“What’s the rush, Reed?” Matt asked, not even attempting to cover his smirk. He’d always been the nice guy on the team unless, of course, the opportunity arose to taunt me. I guessed that was the price of being his best friend. My other teammates were enjoying it just as much.

“Never seen Reed move so fast.”

“Nothing stops a Darling when he wants to score.”

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with the hot redhead waiting outside, would it, Cap?”

“Hey, hot redhead has a name.” Parker countered. “It’s Violet.” I was somewhat surprised he’d come to my defense, but then he continued. “And it has everything to do with her…”

A few of the guys laughed, but thankfully I was done getting changed. I pointed a finger at all of them as I went to leave the room. “Keep this up, and I’ll make Coach give us extra sprints next practice.”

That only made them laugh more, and I pushed through the door and escaped into the corridor.

As captain, it was very rare that I became the butt of the team’s locker-room jokes.

Usually, it was only Parker, Grayson, and Matt who had the balls to give me shit that way.

I didn’t mind so much today. Not when I couldn’t deny they were right; I was rushing because I couldn’t wait to see Violet again.

She was staring off into the distance when I emerged from the locker room but perked up when she saw me. “That was quick.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to keep my girlfriend waiting.” I took her hand in mine, just in case Hoffman was still around. At least, that’s what I told myself. It had nothing to do with how much I liked the way her slender fingers fit between mine. Absolutely nothing.

“Girlfriend?” She glanced briefly at our interlocked hands but didn’t pull away. “Don’t make me correct you again. You know we’re alone out here, right?”

“I know.” I shrugged. “I’m just practicing.”

Violet’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t argue, and I was convinced I saw the hint of a smile on her lips.

We made our way toward the arena exit, and her grasp on my hand tightened when we walked past a few Saints players who had just arrived.

They were all glaring at her like she was their enemy too, and she was clearly uncomfortable around them.

“Are you okay?” I asked once we were outside.

“Yeah, I guess.” She slowly released a breath. “It’s just, even though I knew Jeremy would be pissed about seeing us together, I didn’t really think about how the rest of his team would take it. It’s like I’ve made an enemy out of everyone in Sunshine Hills.”

“That’s the thing about teams,” I said. “We tend to stick together. But if it makes you feel any better, those guys were mostly glaring at me.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

Unlike me, Violet couldn’t have been used to so much negative attention.

She was sweet and fun, and I couldn’t imagine anyone ever having a reason to so much as look at her wrong.

She didn’t deserve to be treated this way by Hoffman or his teammates.

There wasn’t a whole lot else I could do to help her though.

I could always threaten them, but that would just make them even more angry at her.

“If you like, we could go kick a few Saints players’ cars?” I suggested.

A snort escaped her as she failed to hold back her laughter, and her eyes twinkled as she glanced up a me. “I think my car-abusing days are over.”

“I’m glad to hear it, Sunshine.”

She turned her eyes up toward the sky but she appeared to be fighting a smile. It was like she couldn’t decide if I amused her or annoyed her.

When we reached my truck, I opened the door for her to climb inside. “So, where am I taking you for dinner?” I asked. Her car would be in the shop for a couple more days, so I’d told her I’d give her a ride home after practice.

“Dinner?”

“You know, that big meal you eat at the end of the day. I was thinking we go to Nino’s. They have the best pizza around here.”

“I know what dinner is.” She seemed to be leaning more toward annoyed with me right now. “But don’t you think me coming to your practice was enough fake dating for today?”

We couldn’t have spent much more than twenty minutes together tonight, and that was never going to be enough.

“I told my brother we were getting food,” I replied. “If I head home too soon, Parker’s going to think something’s up.”

“Is that a problem?”

“Well, he isn’t great with secrets and has a very big mouth. He can’t be trusted with the truth about us.”

“Ah.”

“Plus, it will be good if we’re seen out together. There are always a few kids from school at Nino’s on a Monday night, and we want our relationship to look convincing, right?”

As if my stomach knew exactly what we were talking about, it gave a small grumble of complaint. It was pretty loud, and I couldn’t even attempt to hide it.

Violet smiled as she caught the sound. “I guess we could grab a quick bite to eat.”

“Done.” I grinned as she pulled herself into the truck, and I closed the door behind her. Our dinner date might not be real, and I might have had to coerce Violet into it, but my stupid heart couldn’t help feeling excited because I had a little more time with her tonight.