Page 35 of Once Upon a Fake Date

When we pulled apart, she blinked away the haze that had clouded her eyes.

“Wow.” She ran her fingers over her lips. “That was…”

I felt smug. “Good?”

She laughed, pushing at my arm. “You’re a good kisser, Parker Maxwell. Who’d have thought?”

It was the reminder I needed that we werebest friends. That this wouldn’t be weird. I wouldn’t let it be.

We’d promised that we wouldn’t fall in love with each other, and damn if that wasn’t the hardest promise I’d ever made. But there was a difference between loving someone and beingin lovewith them.

No matter what I felt, I pushed the thoughts away.

We’d rundrills tonight since our first game of the season was only days away. All I could think about was that kiss earlier. That damn kiss.Fuck. I wasn’t sure what the hell was wrong with me. Why couldn’t I get the feel of her lips on mine out of my mind?

Rubbing at my shoulder, I looked across the locker room.

“You good?” Samuel asked, bumping me with his knee as I sat on the bench. I’d stripped out of most of my gear, leaving me in just a t-shirt and my shorts.

I exhaled roughly, nodding. “Yeah. Just pulled something tonight.”

He made a noise under his breath. “You seemed a little distracted.”

I winced. Damn, if he noticed, had everyone else?

“Parker!” Taylor—one of our defensemen—shouted from across the locker room, interrupting my conversation with the teammate at my side. “Are you coming out with us tonight?”

The guys on the team were all heading to the bar to celebrate one of our last free nights before the season started.

“I don’t know.” I frowned, looking down at the floor. Running my hands through my hair, I looked between the guys. “I, uh, have plans. With my… girlfriend.” Coach would want me to go out with them, to bond with the team,but I had standing dinner plans with Audrey. And I hated to cancel them.

But maybe it was time to come out with it. We’d agreed to this charade a week ago, but hadn’t publicly done anything since. Dinner on campus didn’t count.

“The blonde?” Samuel raised an eyebrow. “No surprise there.”

I frowned. “What?” I hadn’t even told any of them we were dating yet.

“Come on, dude. It’s been obvious you liked her since the Halloween Party.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong about that. I couldn’t deny it.Still. “It’s still new. We were best friends when we were kids.”

“Bring her to the party on Saturday,” Derek said, slapping me on the back. “After our first game.”

“I don’t know if she’ll?—”

“Of course she’ll want to come.” Taylor grinned. “We’re thebest. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with us?”

I laughed.

“You sure about tonight?” Derek asked. “Whole team’s going.”

“I’ll be there,” I promised. After dinner with Audrey.

Grabbing my towel to head to the showers, I looked up to find my coach leaning against the lockers. “Maxwell.”Shit. Coach had thatI’m-disappointed-in-youlook. The same one he gave the guys when they showed up to practice hungover after a long weekend. “What’s this I hear about you being in the musical?”

I winced. “I was going to tell you. It’s not a big deal. Just one weekend in early April and some rehearsals. It shouldn’t conflict with any games, I checked.”

“Thought we said no distractions.”

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