Page 42 of Faking the Face Off

Anna nods but doesn’t press me for more info. Probably because she gets me.

“Maybe we can do something another night,” I say, letting my voice soften a little. “Just the two of us, no kids...unless you want them around.”

“Just us?”

“I mean, I’d like for it to be only the two of us.”

I can tell she feels the same way about my suggestion by the way her eyes brighten and the flush that creeps across her cheeks. “Okay. Just us.”

I reach for my drink, lifting it up in a half-toast. “To the gift that keeps on giving,” I say with a grin.

She tilts her head, looking at me with a smirk. “Fake-dating?”

“Yep. Fake-dating. It’s better than it sounds.”

She clinks her glass against mine, and we both sip, but as I watch her, a sinking feeling hits me. I’m not laughing anymore. It’s notjustfake-dating anymore, if iteverwas. I’m fully in love with her, and I know it.

I can only hope she feels the same way.

CHAPTER 14

ANNA

The line at the Right Angle Hardware Store is unreasonably long for a Wednesday morning. I’ve lived here all my life and I swear on all things that I’ve never seen it like this. It’s Murphy’s Law: when you’re in a hurry, the rest of the world slows down.

Tapping my foot, I check the time. Molly called me first thing this morning, freaking out. Ellie had managed to lose part of her science experiment, which is a model of the volcanic eruption in Pompeii. She’d begged me to please go get what she needed, then meet her at the school so she could help Ellie get everything ready. I’ve got exactly one hour to pick up what Ellie needs for her science fair experiment and get it back to the school in time.

The line creeps forward slowly, and I take a moment to count my place. Fourth. Sighing, I turn around and look at the poor suckers—I mean, customers behind me and my jaw hits the floor in surprise.

“Sutton?”

Sutton’s blue eyes sparkle with joy when she sees me. Okay, maybe joy is stretching it, but she’s happy.

“Anna!” She steps out of line to give me a quick hug. “Of all places to see you today.”

“Don’t you have people who can come to the hardware store for you?” I tease.

“It’s my guilty pleasure,” she says with a laugh. “Not a lot of people know it, but I like to”—she puts her hand up to her mouth as if shielding her words from the others around us— “build things.”

“You do?” The line moves again, and I take a step closer to the counter. “Like what?”

“Birdhouses.” A woman who I’ve never seen before is suddenly beside Sutton, handing her a hammer. “Here. I think this is what you wanted?”

“Gosh, I almost forgot and I need this.” She chuckles, her eyes flicking to her friend, then back to me. “Elle, have you met Anna yet?”

I put my hand out to shake hers and Elle laughs, holding her arms out. “I’m a hugger.”

Cracking up, I let her embrace me, Sutton making a funny face and shrugging behind her back.

“She’s always been like this, Anna,” Sutton explains. “I swear, she comes off so soft sometimes that you’d never know she was the first woman to be an assistant coach in the AHL.”

“Oh,” I exclaim as we break apart. “You’re Elle Barrett. I’ve heard so much about you. It’s really nice to meet you.”

Elle’s green eyes dance with delight. “It’s nice to meet you, too.” She tilts her head to the side and looks me up and down. “Wait a second. I’ve seen you in the press with one of the Renegades recently. With your defenseman, Sutton, I think his name is Ollie?”

I jumped in to respond. “That’s the one. Ollie Decker.”

“Yes, Ollie Decker,” she says, snapping her fingers. “What pure talent that kid has.”

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