Page 68 of The Roommate Game

“Yes. If you want to do the interview as rivals, he’s fine with that. Personally, I’d rather concentrate on training and forget about it.”

“Are you joking?” he growled. “We had a deal.”

“It wasn’t a deal. It was a loose suggestion that snowballed into a distraction that neither of us needs.”

“Is that so? It seems like you just made us look like a couple of fucking fools.”

“That’s not what I intended. I’m sorry.”

“I doubt it. If you’d just said you’re with the hockey player we could have played it differently.”

I blanched. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, please. I know something is going on with you and Langley.” Eli’s voice carried.

I glanced at the rink and froze.

Oh, no. We had an audience.

Our curious teammates seemingly stopped skating at once as if straining to overhear the conversation.

Kelsi, Celine, Jackson, Isabella…and the coaches, too. Oh, my God.

My face was scorching. All eyes were on us. There was no music playing on the speakers, no conversation, no laughter. This was a show and they didn’t want to miss a thing.

“Wh-what’s that supposed to mean?” I sputtered. “He’s not my—we’re not…”

“Don’t lie, Rafe. Seems like awkward timing for a new high school hockey coach to publicly introduce a boyfriend. I wonder if the incoming parents know.”

“That’s not funny,” I hissed.

Kelsi approached, her ponytail cascading over her shoulder, brow furrowed in confusion. “You and Gus? I thought you were just roommates.”

“No, they’re fuck buddies,” Eli snapped. “Good fucking luck with that, Rafe. Gus is a party boy and he’ll be done with your ass by graduation. Hope you’re happy.”

With that parting shot, he skated away.

Celine hurried to my side, shooing curious bystanders off like flies. “Oh, honey. What was that?”

“I blew our cover.” I tugged off my left skate with my head down.

She frowned. “And he really thinks you and Gus are a couple?”

“I guess,” I rasped.

“Well, don’t you dare tell anyone it’s not true. Let them sweat it out. Eli especially. He deserves it.”

“I don’t know. I agreed to his stupid idea, remember?”

“Yeah, but desperate times, desperate measures.” She slid a pack of gum out of her bag and offered me a stick.

I fiddled with the wrapper. “Or…play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”

“Maybe so. But now, you have the better routine, and you’re nailing every jump and twist and spin like a boss. Even as a fake boyfriend, Eli was never going to be happy for you when you made that roster…no matter what club he ended up with. Let them think Gus is your man. He shows up, cheers you on,and genuinely wants you to succeed. I’d rather have a real friend than a fake boyfriend any day.”

I toed off my other skate, swallowing around a well of emotion, but Celine had moved on. Something about the tights she’d ordered, and would I mind if she checked in my bag for her missing glove?

She was right.