Page 26 of If You Need Me

“You’re giving the antihistamines a lot of credit.” I prop my chin on my clasped hands and bat my lashes at him. I am more than happy to throw him under the bus and back up a few times. “But they were helpful in getting you to be open and honest with me about your feelings, considering you professed your undying love once we were back in my aired-out apartment.”

Dallas’s eye twitches. As much as I hate lying to my friends, there’s immense satisfaction in watching him try to keep his expression neutral while I weave this outlandish tale.

“Well, I had been holding on to those feelings for a long time.” He sighs and shakes his head. “It was a challenge. The allergic reaction, combined with the near-death experience, and that firefighter hitting on you—a man can only take so much. I couldn’t hold back any longer. I had to tell you how I felt.”

“You did, extensively and emphatically, and then you passed out with your head in my lap.”

“I don’t regret it. I could sleep with my head in your lap every day for the rest of my life and be a happy, happy man.”

I don’t have a chance to reply because Ash appears and slings an arm over Dallas’s shoulder. “Not to be a party pooper, but thefour of us really should get going if we’re gonna make our reservation tonight.”

Shilpa glances at her phone. “Oh wow, I didn’t realize the time.”

Dallas rolls with it, and so do I, glad for the escape.

I hug all the girls and slide out of the booth. I don’t have a choice but to accept Dallas’s hand and allow him to wrap his arm around my shoulder and pull me into his side.

He kisses the top of my head. I smile and try to laser beam him to death with my eyeballs at the same time.

“Are you staying at my place tonight, my little peach pie?” he asks as we move toward the exit.

“That’s the first and last time you’ll use that nickname if you don’t want to end up at the bottom of Lake Ontario.”

He nods. “You’re so damn sweet, honey.”

I dig my nails into his side, and he smiles down at me.

If today is anything to go by, the next few weeks will be an epic test of my patience. And my questionable acting skills.

CHAPTER 10

DALLAS

“Your parents get in okay?” Ash asks as we walk the two blocks to Tristan’s condo. A bunch of us get together to work out in the offseason when we’re in the city. We rotate whose gym we use, so people can never pin down our routine. We could go to the arena, but the condo gyms are sweet and not highly utilized during the summer.

“Yeah, they’re settling in. We’re going for brunch after the workout if you want to join.”

“Do you want me to join?” Ash asks.

“Yeah. I could use the buffer.” My mom can’t stop talking about how excited she is to get to know Hemi better. I feel like a giant bag of shit, seeing as this whole thing is a lie from Willy’s perspective.

Even my dad, who is pretty low-key about most things, is pretty enthused about this development. He also made an offhand comment about making sure I don’t screw this up.

That comment stung, though it wasn’t unjustified. I have done a lot of stupid shit in my lifetime. It doesn’t help that both of my brothers and my younger sister have always been very focused on their goals and how they plan to reach them, with little in the way of distraction. Manning knew he wanted to be adoctor by the time he was five. And Ferris was set on being a firefighter by high school. Paris has loved every animal she ever met, so no one was shocked when she became a veterinarian. In similar fashion, hockey was it for me as soon as I picked up a stick. Unlike them, I was often more concerned with what was happeningafterhockey practice. I’d been so caught up in partying with the cool crowd.

“Are Hemi’s moms coming to the charity game?” Ash asks.

“They can’t make it.” I know this because my mom already talked to her moms and they have to work.

“So you only have to handle one set of parents. That’s good.” Ash echoes the thoughts in my head.

I text Tristan to let him know we’re standing outside his building. Hollis and Roman cross the street as he buzzes us in. They live in the building across from Tristan’s. Most of us live within walking distance of each other.

We all give each other back pats in greeting as the elevator doors slide open, and Rix and Dred step out.

“Perfect timing!” Rix puts her hand over the door sensor and motions for us to pile in. “Tristan and Flip are at the gym. I’ll get you up there before we head out so they don’t have to come down.”

“I just messaged Flip,” Dred says, pushing her glasses up her nose.

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