Page 16 of Going All In

Chapter 4

“Ah, you guysshould really get to dinner now,” Darcy said, willing the heat from her cheeks and wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

Holy fucking shitballs.

“Yes, we should probably head out before it gets too crazy,” her father said, and she could’ve kissed the man. Although she wasn’t sure what crazy he was referring to, but right now, her mother was heading toward that.

Darcy almost missed his raised brow, so focused on getting her mother away from Jake and out of the house. At least he would let her explain later without causing a scene like her mother was intent on doing.

“Yes, we have a reservation. You all have fun tonight,” Ethan’s mom said, giving Darcy a puzzled smile.

That hole could show up right about now, thank you very much.

Then her mom grasped Jake’s hand. “It’s so wonderful to meet you. We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other on Sunday at dinner.”

“Uh,” Jake stammered.

“He has a game, Mom,” Darcy said, pulling her mom’s hand from Jake’s. “Okay, well, great to see everyone. Have fun at dinner.”

Finally, her father ushered her mother from the room. Darcy debated making a beeline for the front door since that hole hadn’t managed to show up yet.

“Want to explain what the hell that was?” His low voice rolled over her.

Dammit. She should’ve run. Instead, she took in a deep breath from the pit of her belly and turned to face him.

“Can I speak to you for a minute?” she asked, unsure of where that calm voice had come from since she was pretty sure her stomach was in her throat.

“Can’t wait to hear this,” he said.

She found an empty bedroom and pulled him inside before she looked at him again.

And then it all spilled out.

“Oh my god. I’m so sorry about that. My mom likes to meddle, and I’m super busy with school, and she keeps bringing random guys to dinner that I would be perfect for,” she said, finishing in air quotes. “And I was just tired of it, so I told her that I had a new boyfriend and his name was Jake. I just need to get through this semester, and then I’ll have my master’s. I mean, then I’m going for my doctorate, but still, this semester is killing me between classes and TAing and working at the coffee shop. I just needed a break.”

He burst out laughing.

“So you said my name?”

“That’s what you got out of that? I mean, I just threw out a name.”

“And it was my name? Were you thinking about me?” He grinned.

“Really? Do you understand how annoying your cockiness is?”

“Apparently not annoying enough for you not to name me as your imaginary boyfriend.”

He goddamn smirked. Why the hell hadn’t she picked another name?

Any. Other. Name.

“Listen, I didn’t say Jake the hockey player. I could’ve been referring to any other Jake.”

“Yet you didn’t correct her when she latched on to me as soon as she knew my name. You could’ve said, ‘Oh no, Mom, a different Jake,’” he said, raising the pitch of his voice.

“Ugh. I do not sound like that.” She paused. Fucking hell, he was irritating, and she hated that she was in this mess. “I was flustered, dammit. Ethan said his teammates weren’t showing up for at least another hour or two, and yet here you are, like some cosmic joke set up to run into my mother.” She dropped her head to her hands, her shoulders shaking.

She glanced up at him again. He really was freaking tall. Like a blond Viking giant. With piercing blue eyes. And a smile that…

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