Page 28 of Soulmates and Slapshots
“That depends on what you did that might cause me to get mad at you,” I say slowly.
“Well, I ran into someone who really wanted to say hi.”
Before I can ask who, the screen shifts and suddenly…he’sthere. My ex, Joshua.
His face appears so suddenly that I feel my entire body lock up.
“Hey, Fiona,” he says softly.
I blink, struggling to process the moment. “Joshua.”
“Don’t be mad at Hayley,” he says quickly, like he knows exactly how furious I’m about to be. “We just bumped into each other, and I told her I’ve been trying to get in touch with you. I begged her to call so I could talk to you.”
Oh, Hayley.We will be having words later.This explains why she asked me not to be mad. Although she knows better.
I take a breath, trying to keep my voice calm. “What do you want, Joshua?”
“Just a few minutes of your time. Can I call you back when I’m in a quiet spot? I just want to explain?—”
Suddenly I catch a glimpse of Weston coming out of the locker room. He’s talking with another player, a duffle bag slung over his shoulder, and his damp hair curling slightly at the edges like he just stepped out of the shower. My heart speeds up because he’s walking right toward me.
And that’s when the most ridiculous idea pops into my head.
Without thinking it through, I frantically wave Weston over like we’ve known each other for years. His brows pull together as he notices me, clearly confused but curious enough to approach.
“Sorry. I have plans tonight,” I say into the phone, louder now. “Plus I really don’t think we have much to discuss.”
“Fiona, please—just ten minutes,” Joshua pleads, desperation creeping into his voice.
Weston stops in front of me, eyes flicking between me and the phone.
“I can’t,” I say again, heart pounding. “I have a date.”
Weston blinks. “What?”
I shoot him a desperate look, silently begging him to just go with it.Please, please go with it.
Joshua frowns. “Adate?”
“What date?” Hayley’s voice shrieks from the background.
And then without any hesitation, Weston takes the phone from my hand.
“A date with me,” he says flashing a smile at the screen. His dimples are on point tonight. “We’re celebrating our first win of the season.”
My heart is beating so fast I’m surprised he can’t hear it.
“This is Weston Smith,” I say, leaning in, like this is all totally normal. “The Ice Breakers just won their first game. It was amazing.”
The silence on the other end of the call is deafening. Joshua looks stunned, and Hayley looks confused, probably because I haven’t mentioned anything about dating someone. It serves her right because she’s on my list right now.
I give Weston a grateful look as he hands the phone back. He smirks like he’s enjoying this far more than he should be.
Hayley finally speaks again. “Wait, why didn’t you tell me about this?”
I flash a wide smile at her. “I haven’t had a chance untilnow.”
Her expression is a mix of surprise and curiosity. There’s also a chance she might not be falling for this sham, but I’ll deal with that later.
