Page 14 of Faking the Shot

“Hey, it’s just a ride, not a date. Although it could be a date if you wanted. Just sayin’.”

She winced, glad this was a phone call. “I thought I made it clear that I don’t date my co-stars. Not anymore.”

“But last night—”

“We agreed to last night, but only because it was helping to promote the show. Not because you care about me in that way.”

“But I could care about you in that way. You’re so pretty, and sweet, and—”

“Are you a Christian?” she asked, fully knowing the answer.

“No.”

“Well, I am. And I’m trying to find a Christian guy to go out with, so if I’m going out with you, then you’re just getting in the way of who I’m meant to be with.”

“Oh. Then last night—?”

“Was just about the show, remember?” she said gently.

He sighed. “I hope this won’t affect our work together.”

Me too. “It won’t, because we’re both professionals, right? But I’m flattered, Jason. Thank you.”

He sighed again. “Well, I guess I better go, then.”

“See you next week.”

“Let me know if you need a ride.”

“I will.IfI need a ride,” she added quickly, in case he got the wrong idea. “Good night, Jason.”

“Night.”

She ended the call. Then looked at her phone, where her contacts lay so close.

“Lord, should I?”

No answer, as if God—unlike her agent—was letting her make up her own mind. In that case… Fine.

She tapped open Cassie’s number. Among other things, Cassie lived on her family’s Three Creek Ranch and managed their western town movie set whereAs The Heart Drawsfilmed, which is how they’d first connected.

And Cassie’s brother Franklin just so happened to play for Calgary’s pro hockey team.

And Franklin just so happened to be friends with Chris Thomas, who played for Vancouver’s pro hockey team.

And both men just so happened to be part of a group for Christian hockey players who played out west, or so Cassie had mentioned before. And while it was a stretch, there was a tiny chance that Cassie might just know if her brother had ever mentioned whether a certain Zac Parotti had ever attended. And if Zac had, well, that might be interesting indeed.

So she prayed, then tapped out a message.

Hey Cassie. Hope you’re doing well. I’ve got a really random question for you…

* * *

“… in Jesus’s name, Amen.”

“Amen,” Zac muttered.

It still freaked him out a little how openly these men prayed aloud, and expected others to pray aloud too. He was glad they were going easy on him still. His dad would likely have a heart attack if asked to do anything more than mumble “Bless this meal” at Thanksgiving. Even his mom, though she attended church sometimes, seemed to regard God as only a Sunday part of her life. Unlike these guys, who seemed to think God was interested in every aspect of their lives, from relationships to health to finances to thought life.

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