Page 54 of Faking the Shot

“Hey, I’m being Ainsley’s friend. Or trying to be. That’s all.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure. You can tell them and anyone else who cares to know that there’s nothing to worry about, okay?”

“Okay.”

Nothing to worry about, because apart from that hug while biking, there was zero to see. Which was maybe what Chris and Diana had tried to warn him about. That a fake relationship was a dangerous game to play, that it could lead to emotions being stirred up that would best be left boxed until it could be real.

“Are you okay?” Luc asked more softly.

“I’m fine.” Oh, look, he was turning into an actor after all. Zac pointed to the tunnel. “Sorry man, the bus is about to go, and I can’t wait to play Mitchell Reilly tomorrow night.”

“I bet you can’t.”

Zac nodded and joined the tail end of the queue waiting to board the team bus. Chris joined him, punched him lightly on the shoulder. “That is not the face of fine, my friend.”

Zac faked a yawn. Yep, this faking business was getting out of hand. “It’s the only face I’ve got right now.”

Chris eyed him, then comprehension seemed to dawn across his face. “It’s her, isn’t it?”

No guesses for whom he meant.

“You know, I’m guessing you’re struggling here, so how about you just give it to God and ask Him to take your feelings away?”

But he wasn’t sure if he wanted his feelings taken away. At least until he could be sure that nothing could come of this.

The next daywhen he woke and checked his phone there was still no word from her. No reply. Nothing on her socials, either. They’d followed each other, but hadn’t posted a picture to say they were Instagram official or anything yet, which kept wrecking him as he wondered what this meant. He might know they were faking things, but this to and fro was leaving him frazzled, antsy, edgy.

He returned from breakfast to see a missed call from his mom. They didn’t talk too often, so he returned her call.

“Zac, you finally called!”

Only ten minutes after she’d called but whatever. “Hey Ma. How are you?”

“Is it true that you’re dating Ainsley Beckett?”

The reason for this phone call suddenly made a lot more sense. “We’ve seen each other a few times,” he said cautiously. His mom might love him but she also had a big mouth, and some of his past girlfriends had learned the hard way what his mom thought of them when she posted her thoughts on Facebook and showed them in an unflattering light. He couldn’t let her do that to Ainsley.

“Mom, it’s pretty new, so I don’t want you to make a big deal. I really like her,” that was definitely true, “and I don’t want to do anything that will mess this up.”

“I like her too. She’s my favorite actress on those Hallmark movies. So you better treat her right, understand?”

How many times would he have to reassure others? And why was everyone assuming he was automatically the bad guy?

“Mom, I need you to back off. I don’t want to do anything to mess this up. And I don’t want my family to do anything that will make her back off. So please, don’t say anything on social media.”

“But I have to say something. She’s Ainsley Beckett, for goodness’ sake, and you’re my son.”

And this news was likely the high point of her year, even more than her son bringing home a Stanley Cup. What was it that Ainsley had said? That’s right. “Mom, if you have to say something, just say that we’re friends. Then you can post pictures if you like.”

“So are you going out with her?”

“Occasionally. When we can. But she’s pretty busy, and so am I. I’ve got this road trip, then she’s away on an island, filming some mystery show.”

“Can I share that?”

Darn. He knew that his mom took anything he said as an invitation to post online. “I don’t think Ainsley would like you to do that. I can find out if you want though.”

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