Page 24 of Going All In

Right. What could possibly go wrong?

Jake:You’re coming to the game tomorrow night, right?

Darcy:Yes. I told you I would.

Jake:Did you get my present? Boyfriends should give presents, right?

Darcy:Yes. Thank you.

Jake:Make sure you wear it.

Darcy:I’m not wearing this in public.

Jake:In private, then?

Darcy:You are the worst. Why did I agree to this?

Jake:Because you already told your mother we were dating.

Darcy:I said Jake. It could’ve been any Jake.

Darcy:Maybe we shouldn’t do this.

Jake:See you tomorrow night. A nice girlfriend would take a picture of herself in the jersey and send it to her boyfriend.

Darcy:See you tomorrow, Jake.

Jake read over the text chain again before he put his phone in his locker. Tonight the ruse really started, and part of him was excited.

That wasn’t normal or sane.

Who got excited about a fake relationship? Aside from a kiss that he couldn’t stop thinking about, there were no other perks.

After they had come to their agreement last week, he’d kissed her again before she’d walked into the coffee shop. He couldn’t wait to taste her again. To hear the soft moans she probably didn’t even realize she was making when he kissed her.

But they twisted him up more than they should. The innocent little sounds made him wonder how vocal she would be if they ever had sex.

Not that they were doing that.

At least for now.

Maybe getting her a jersey with his number on the back that said My Pookie across the shoulders was a bit over the top, but he hadn’t been able to resist.

He’d wanted her to sit in his seats. Might as well start the show off right, but she’d said no. She was sitting with Ally and then they could casually mention they were dating when they were together at Crash and Byrne after the game. C&B was the unofficial Strikers’ bar, run by Adam, a former AHL player and former teammate of some of the guys who now played on the Strikers, including Harty.

People let them breathe there. Not that hockey players were hounded on the same level as other pro athletes and celebrities, but it was nice to have a place where they could hang out.

“What are you so happy about, man? That smile is weirding me out,” Harty said when Jake sat down next to him on the bench in the locker room.

“Nothing,” he said, and shrugged.

“Don’t do anything crazy on the ice tonight,” his friend warned him, and he wished it wasn’t warranted.

“I won’t.”

“That smile makes me nervous.”

“Just had a nice nap. I’m ready to go.”

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