Page 155 of Gloves Off

“Is he seeing anyone?” Pippa asks.

“Why?” Hazel asks with a teasing smile. “You interested?”

Pippa laughs, a little embarrassed. “No, but heishandsome.”

Jordan gets up to leave the room.

I catch her hand. “You okay?”

“Yep. Just going to get the bunnies.”

She heads upstairs. I had put them in my room during dinner so they weren’t begging at the table like starved wildlings.

Something isn’t right, but Jordan’s so hard to read sometimes. I’ve learned not to try to pry her open until she’s ready, though.

“I don’t think he’s dating anyone,” Darcy says with a shrug. “I don’t think he has time. If he’s not coaching or on the road, he’s with Bea.”

Pippa plays with the stem of her wineglass. “What kind of woman do you think he’d go for?”

“Someone his total opposite, I’m sure,” I say without thinking. “It always happens like that.”

Their gazes swing to me.

“Right.” Hazel’s mouth curves into a knowing smile. “You and Alexei are looking very comfortable together tonight.”

The way she says it, the sharp, inquisitive way she’s looking at me, it’s like sheknows. My eyes narrow. Does she?

“Why wouldn’t we? We’re in love.” My face heats.

“Cut it out. We know something’s going on.” She gestures between herself and Pippa.

“You know... what?” I prompt, holding my expression neutral despite a hammering heart.

“I don’t know the details but we know it’s fake. Or,” she smirks, “itwasfake.”

And here I thought we’d done a good job at faking it. My gaze swings to Darcy and she gives me a subtle shake of her head.

“Darcy didn’t say anything,” Pippa adds, “but now wereallyknow.” Her smile softens. “You can trust us. We won’t tell anyone.”

“It’s how Rory and I got together,” Hazel adds with a wry look.

I think back to the beginning of last season, when I didn’t know Hazel as well. Realization dawns on me and I stare at her, starting to smile. “Itwasweird how you didn’t like him, and then the next week, you were dating.”

“I was trying to get back at Connor.”

Her ex who had just been traded to the Storm. Right. He was my patient and I couldn’t stand him. One of those condescending, know-it-all types who thinks every woman has a thing for him. Gross.

Darcy and I meet eyes. “You can trust them,” she says.

“I know.” I give them the rundown on the agreement. “We didn’t say anything because we didn’t want anyone getting in trouble. What tipped you off?”

“At first,” Hazel surveys me, “I thought this is just how you are in relationships. Reserved, not good at PDA, private.” She shakes her head, smiling. “You’re acting different now, though. I think you might not be acting at all.”

My heart lurches, exposed and uncertain.

Thankfully, Jordan returns to the living room with a bunny under each arm.

I gesture at the Hartley sisters. “They know about the agreement.”

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