Page 20 of Play Your Part

I looked down at my clothes—black leggings and an oversized tank from my high school track team. “To eat at home tonight? Yes.”

“I think you might want to change.” Gemma pushed past me into my room.

“Why.” The word came out as an accusation rather than a question. When Gemma looked away from me, I knew my worry had been warranted. She’d meddled. “You didn’t?”

I should’ve known better than to tell Gemma about the deal between Alexei and me, but keeping the truth from her didn’t seem likely. When I called her right after Alexei, Deandra, and Peter left the McIntyres, Gemma was so excited, she accidentally dropped her phone into cake batter. Within minutes, she called back and ordered me to tell her everything. It took an extremely long time because she kept interrupting, demanding details likethe look in his eyewhen Alexei said certain things. No matter how much I grumbled, her requests did not stop.

Gemma took a couple of steps back. “We made these plans with Alexei last week. It’s not a big deal, just told him to drop by. You know, he’s probably lonely living by himself in a new city.”

I sighed deeply, sinking onto my bed and nestling under my blankets, my limbs suddenly heavy. When I learned Alexei lived only a few houses down from Gemma and Matt, I dreaded nights when hedropped by. Even if being neighbors was temporary.

The guilt hit me all over again for imposing on Gemma and Matt, even though they said it was fine. But I wanted the comfort of my friends as I came to terms with all the change in my life, as I figured out my next steps.

“I thought I had more time before seeing him again.”

Alexei and I agreed we’d have lunch on his next game-free day—Sunday, two days from now, a week after the photo was released and all hell broke loose. Enough time to make it seem natural we might see each other again. After the date, he would share the explanation we decided on—we hit it off and were going to spend some time together.

Plans for this fake relationship made me anxious and calm in equal measure. We had clear rules and a set end date, which I liked. But we would put on this act for three months, and anything that went on that long may no longer be an act. It could become your life.

Gemma pulled back my blanket in one swift motion, removing the only barrier between me and the frigid air in the apartment. I had no right to complain, but keeping an apartment at sixty-five degrees was not normal.

“Honestly, Kennedy, Alexei Volkov will be here in minutes—a sentence many women would dream to hear—and you’re what… sulking?”

“Women are pathetic,” I said as I tried to wrest the blanket out of her grip.

“Says the one hiding from a hot, rich dude who could break most men in half.”

“Does Matt know about your freakish crush on his new neighbor?”

Gemma huffed out a breath. “Matt Harris knows he hasnothingto worry about. Trust.” She swatted my arm, then wrapped both hands around one of my biceps, pulling me to my feet. “Is this going to be a problem?”

“No,” I grumbled. “I mean, it’s not like he’s here a lot…”

“Oh, he’ll end up being here a lot.” Gemma laughed. “You know, sincehis girlfriendlives here.”

“I’m not his girlfriend.”

Gemma pointed to the ceiling as she sing-songed a response. “Ye-et.” She walked over and took a seat on the bed opposite me. “Kennedy, this is a good thing. You’ll get to spend time with him with other people around. You know,practicewith a friendly audience. Maybe you’ll find you like him?”

“I seriously doubt it.” Though her point about practicing our relationship in a safer space did make sense. I needed to hide my true feelings about Alexei Volkov, and it would take practice. We had to fool Matt, but Gemma could give feedback.

“Is this still about Justin?” Gemma asked, judgment clear as day in her tone. For the last six months, she hadn’t hidden how much she wanted me to move on from him. She didn’t like that I couldn’t tell anyone about our relationship. I didn’t like it, either, but I knew it would change soon. Or so I thought. “Because he doesn’t deserve your loyalty, Kens.”

“It has nothing to do with Justin,” I said. “I don’t like Alexei, all thanks to him.”

“Uh-huh. Can’t wait to hear this. Lay it on me.”

I pulled my legs into a pretzel. “He’s a prick, Gem. He fights with his own teammates, yells at the refs, antagonizes the visiting team’s fans. And do you remember that video a couple years ago of him leaving a club with several women when he had a girlfriend?”

“For someone who claims hatred, you remember an awful lot about him.”

I fixed her with a glare.

“Maybe you should get to know him instead of assuming you have the facts based on the media. I think you’ve seen by now, it can be deceptive.”

Her words gave me pause, but then I remembered every interaction we had so far. I witnessed his assholery up close and personal. And now everything between us would be fake. I couldn’t trust I would know what was real and what was an act.

When the silence stretched too long, Gemma said, “All right, come on, girl. You don’t want to keep yourboyfriendwaiting.”

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