Page 27

VIOLET

As Reed drove us to the restaurant, I was still recovering from my encounter with Jeremy at the rink and struggling to get it off my mind.

The way he’d spoken to me today was worryingly similar to the night of the bonfire and when he’d cornered me at school.

He didn’t seem to understand why I was done with him.

He was convinced it was only a matter of time before I forgave him and came crawling back into his arms.

I hadn’t expected him to hold on to our relationship so tightly, especially once he knew I was with someone else.

But seeing me with Reed only seemed to fuel his desire to win me back.

Was it because he really cared about me, or was he just too proud to lose me to his nemesis?

I just had to hope Reed was right and, by the time our agreement was over, Jeremy would get the message and move on.

“Any news on my car?” I asked, trying to take my mind off Jeremy.

“It’s almost done.” Reed smiled brightly. “You’ll probably get a call from my dad tomorrow.”

“That’s great.” I released a relieved breath. I couldn’t wait to be done relying on other people for rides. “So, how often do you work at your dad’s garage?”

“I was there pretty much every day over the summer break but much less often now school is back.” Reed’s voice was edged with disappointment. He really seemed to love cars.

“Sounds like you really miss it.”

“Yeah, I do,” he said. “If I wasn’t so devoted to hockey, I’d happily follow in my dad’s footsteps and work on cars.”

“Why don’t you then?”

“Because I love hockey just as much,” he replied.

“I’m already committed to play for the Ryker Raiders next year.

They have one of the top hockey programs in the country, and I’ll have a really good chance of going pro if I do well there.

I can always come back to cars in the future. That’s what my dad did.”

“What do you mean?”

“My dad captained the Raiders back when he was in college. He was on track to play in the NHL, but he blew out his knee before he was drafted. It ended his career.”

“That’s horrible.”

"Yeah, I can’t imagine what he went through. He came to terms with it a long time ago though. He’s happy now, and he loves what he does.”

“So, at what point did your dad turn to a life of organized crime in Minneapolis?”

Reed laughed and rolled his eyes. “Is that your rumor of the day?”

“Uh, sure.” Having met Danny, I was pretty confident I knew this rumor was false already, but I liked hearing Reed talk about his family. Plus, I couldn’t think of another rumor I wanted to ask about. There were so many I was losing track. I should make a list.

“No, my dad has never been involved in organized crime,” he replied, shaking his head in disbelief at the concept. “Although, next time you’re wondering whether someone is the son of a mobster, it’s probably best not to ask them so up front like that.”

“I mean, I didn’t actually believe he was a mobster. Where does a rumor like that even come from?”

“Beats me.” Reed shrugged. “My dad’s never even lived in Minneapolis. He and my mom met in high school, fell in love, and, aside from a few years in college, they’ve been here pretty much ever since.”

Reed’s face seemed to light up as he spoke about his mom and dad.

It sounded like he came from such a loving family with parents who cared about each other and siblings who had his back.

When I’d first heard about Reed, I would have probably predicted he came from a broken dysfunctional home.

However, his was in much better shape than my own.

I had my own elite sporting father to blame for that.

I hoped Reed would turn out more like his dad than mine once he got to the big leagues.

“That’s so nice,” I said. “And it’s great that you’re still able to follow the same path as your dad by playing for the same team as him.”

“Yeah, it’s become a bit of a family tradition.” Reed’s smile didn’t fade as he spoke. Grayson’s going there next year too, and my uncle played for the Raiders before he went to the NHL. But hopefully I won’t be emulating my dad too closely,” he said. “I happen to like my knee just how it is.”

As we pulled up outside Nino’s, I saw a group of kids our age gathered outside with more seated at tables inside the restaurant. I recognized some of them but not all, so it could have been a mixture of people from Sunshine Prep and Ransom High.

My stomach tightened as I considered what we were about to do.

It had been one thing to pretend we were in a relationship at the ice rink in front of Jeremy and Reed’s teammates.

But the restaurant felt infinitely more intimate with so many more watchful eyes.

We were going to have to make sure we looked like a couple for an entire meal in front of all these people, and I couldn’t work out if I was excited or terrified about that.

When we got out of the truck and started for the entrance, Reed reached out to me. He gave me an encouraging smile as he took my hand. “You don’t have to look quite so nervous.”

“I know,” I murmured, already feeling better now he was holding my hand. I wasn’t sure what it was about Reed, but despite all the negative things people said about him, he had a way of making me feel at ease with just a single word or the slightest touch even when I was panicking on the inside.

As we entered the restaurant, it felt like everyone turned to look our way. A few tried to hide their shock at seeing Reed and I together, but most just outright gawked at us.

I wasn’t sure why anyone would be surprised.

Our kiss had hardly been covert at the bonfire on Saturday night.

But I supposed it was one thing to know I’d kissed a Darling Devil and another to actually see us on a date.

It seemed his reputation for avoiding girlfriends was widely known, even more so than I had realized.

Like Jeremy, most people probably assumed I was just some puck-bunny fling to Reed.

“Everyone’s staring,” I whispered. This was the whole reason we were here—to put on a show. But that didn’t mean I was comfortable with it.

“They’ll get over it.” Reed didn’t appear that bothered as he looked past me to our curious spectators, but as his gaze darkened and turned a little threatening, people began to avert their eyes and became more interested in their food.

It was easy to forget about Reed’s reputation when I was alone with him. But it was all too obvious when he was around anyone he didn’t consider a close friend. I wondered how on earth I’d managed to end up in that category.

A server showed us to a free booth, which was thankfully toward the back of the restaurant and away from prying eyes.

Nerves prickled on my skin as I wondered whether Reed might try to cuddle up beside me and continue our act.

But, as if he could sense that I was already a little overwhelmed, he slid into the booth across from me.

As the server placed our menus on the table, she leaned in slightly to Reed, batting her false eyelashes at him. “Just let me know if you need anything,” she purred.

I got the impression she was offering things that weren’t on the menu, but Reed barely seemed to notice.

He wasn’t even looking at her. It wasn’t until the girl was gone that he relaxed.

His dark scowl disappeared and was replaced by a sense of weariness.

I couldn’t tell if he was exhausted from his training, faking our relationship, or playing the part of the big, bad Devil people loved to gossip about.

It was probably a combination of the three.

“Why do you do that?” I asked him.

“Do what?”

“You know. One minute you’re laughing with me; the next, you’re scowling at everyone.”

“Just giving them what they want.” Reed attempted a half smile and shrugged. “You’ve heard how people talk about me. I’ve got a reputation to live up to.”

“So, is any of it real, or is it all just an act?”

“I…” His expression was thoughtful. “I guess I’d rather be feared than loved.”

His eyes were still distant, and I tried to read the emotion flickering in his gaze. “Really? Why?”

“It’s easier,” he replied. “No one can screw you over if you don’t give them the chance.”

His response hit me square in the chest. It was like Reed had voiced the way I’d been feeling most of my life about my dad abandoning us.

It had caused me to write off any guy who seemed even remotely similar to him.

Reed appeared be writing off almost everyone but close friends and family, and I wondered what could have caused him to have such a pessimistic view of people.

Had he been hurt or betrayed by someone too?

Or had he simply been on the bad side of people for so long he’d forgotten they could be good?

“So, you distrust everyone because some of them might disappoint you?” I asked.

“Pretty much,” he replied. “It’s been working for me for a while.” His response appeared flippant, but there was still a flicker of hurt in his eyes. I wished he’d open up to me more, but his expression closed, and I got the feeling he was done with this conversation.

“Well, you don’t scare me, Reed Darling.”

“Good,” he said. “You’re the last person I’d ever want to scare.”

The intimate way he was looking at me caused my cheeks to flush, and I was glad a table separated us. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to hide the way his words had filled my stomach with butterflies if he was sitting right at my side or if his arm was wrapped around me, holding me close.

Thankfully, our server returned to take our order, saving me from having to come up with a coherent response.

Instead, I sat there, stunned speechless as Reed listed off the food he wanted.

Jeremy had always eaten a lot, but it was nothing compared to what Reed was ordering.

It was like he’d requested everything on the menu.