Page 76 of The Fake Out Flex

I brush the sugar off my fingertips, smile at Fraser, and announce, "Looks like you've got yourself a new girlfriend, buddy."

10

Fraser

Getting to spend one day with Evie—even if it was at jerkface's wedding—was a bonus.

Dinner alone with her after the game? Another bonus.

Seeing her at Levi's the following day? Yet another bonus.

And now…my bonus just scored a bonus, and I'm officially the most bonusfully blessed guy in the world.

Trust me when I say I wasn't expecting any of this. I fully believed Evie when she told me over dinner that interest in us would all blow over in a few days.

That dinner was two months ago.

Since then, the story of me and Evie dating hasn't blown over—it's blown up.

What's surprising is that I don't actually hate the persistent media attention anywhere near as much as I thought I would.

Most of that comes down to taking Levi's low-key approach.

The press is off my back, no longer speculating and gossiping about every woman I'm seen with. They seem content to snap photos of Evie in the stands whenever she can fly out to a game.

So far, we've gone out on three public dinner outings. Each time, we get spotted by fans who post the photos online, and then voila, the next day, it hits the mainstream media.

Who knew that two people eating burgers could generate so much interest and such a variety of hashtags?

I will never understand social media, and I am one hundred percent okay with that.

The team is doing well.

Our record so far for the season is 14-4-2. Fourteen wins, four losses, and two overtime losses. My personal stats are thirteen goals and twenty assists. Even though it's still early, we're in a good position within our division and are on track to secure a playoff spot.

I actually don't mind the few losses we've had as much as I normally would. I have this secret fear that once we inevitably lose a game or two, the press might turn on Evie. The good luck chalice can quickly turn poisonous. I've seen it happen before to other players' girlfriends, and I don't want it happening to my girl.

Yes, I said my girl. I'm aware.

In my private thoughts, that's how I think of her.

Thankfully, Evie hasn't been blamed for any of our defeats. Maybe it helps that she wasn't in attendance at two of the four games we lost. Or maybe the halo effect of being Alex Freeman's daughter grants her a degree of immunity. Who knows? I'm just happy the media and fans are still on her side and that we're pulling this whole fake dating thing off.

All in all, the plan is going swimmingly.

And I haven't lost the thing I value the most—my privacy.

Because my day-to-day life has stayed pretty much the same. I still play and train like normal. I still avoid interviews—really, any interaction with the press—like the plague. I'm still perceived as guarded and aloof.

Importantly, though, my family's secret remains safe.

I'm coming back from spending a few hours with Dawn and Oakey in the mountains. As long as they're protected, I'm fine with everything else.

And I'm more than fine with what's about to happen tonight.

Because, without a doubt, the best part of this whole fake dating thing has been getting to spend more time with Evie.

I'm standing outside her apartment, yellow roses in hand, grinning to myself like an idiot. This was never part of the Levi-plan, but it's something Evie and I just, I don't know, fell into.

---