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My very first realization that I’m on Parker’s sofa—hence the aching back. This is quickly followed by the memory of everything that happened with Parker last night, which is likely the reason for my headache.
These thoughts though are quickly eclipsed by a more immediate worry. Because a cat whose name is a shortening of Evil Demon Spawn is currently parked on my chest.
How in the world does this cat hide underneath furniture? He looks like he could eat furniture for breakfast. Is he actually a domestic cat? Or some kind of bobcat house cat hybrid?
Despite his sheer size, he doesn’t look nearly as intimidating as he sounded when growling at me the time I was here for dinner. His greenish eyes, fixed on mine, actually seem kind of friendly. Or, at least, not murderous. Though I’ve never owned a cat, I know enough to recognize that kneading his paws on my chest is a good sign. Even if it hurts. So is the rumbling purr I hear.
“Hey, there, pretty kitty,” I say in a soft voice.
I’m not sure if Parker is up yet, and I don’t want to wake her if she’s still sleeping. I also would prefer not to upset the cat status quo. I prefer this pleasant version of Mr. Eds to the evil demon spawn version.
Also, if it came down to it, I think he could take me.
Without moving my head, I let my gaze move around Parker’s apartment. Early morning light filters through the blinds. There are no sounds other than the cat purring. No sign of Parker.
Which might be good, as I need to unpack the events of last night before I see her again. After Parker shook my hand and bolted like a frightened bunny, I paced my empty apartment. Then I changed out of my tux and paced some more. I dropped my bags in my empty bedroom, listening like a creeper for anything I could hear on the other side of the wall. Nothing.
Parker and I might have agreed on our cordial handshake breakup, but our contract is as flimsy as the sticky notes she wrote it on. Frankly, I’d like to burn them all up. I could, since they’re in my locker at the Summit. Before now, I’ve never thought of myself as sentimental. But I couldn’t bring myself to throw the rules away.
Even if I’d like to break each and every one.
That was actually why I was standing outside Parker’s apartment door when she flung it open last night. I came back because I didn’t want to let the night end without kissing her. Or asking her if she wanted me to kiss her for real.
I didn’t want to sleep without telling her that, for me, none of it was fake.
Have I figured out any of the details about how this would work with me leaving Harvest Hollow in the near future? No.
But I decided that Parker was worth the risk.
Then, it all came crashing down before I had a chance to say a word.
To be honest, I wasn’t shocked that someone (or several someones) sold photos of Parker and me to bigger news sources and gossip sites. I knew the moment I saw the press at her father’s party that there might be an issue. I just didn’t expect it to happen so fast. Or for the story to spread so quickly.
I’ve been out of the news for a while. They got bored when I didn’t get into any more fights with fans at the grocery store and when I stopped going out. And, of course, when I stopped playing hockey to rehab after my knee injury. With as fast as the public moves on to their next non-interesting story to obsess over, I didn’t think me dating someone would be cause for this much attention.
I was wrong.
All the major outlets picked it up.Peopleeven had a brief article about it with a photo of Parker and me looking like a very real couple. All of which I would have known if I hadn’t turned off my phone after texting Jeremy.
I’m not sure what exactly made this story like some kind of gossip catnip. But as Jeremy said, she is like the girl next door. And she is hot. But hot in a wholesome way. Not hot in the real housewives of hockey kind of a way. Parker isreal, and considering I’ve honestly never had a real girlfriend, I guess I can see how this is news.
Oh, the irony—considering it was a fake date. And now, thanks to Parker agreeing with Jeremy that continuing to date me will help my career goals, we’re still together.
Real, so far as my agent and the world knows.Fakein actuality.
And that’s what I need to talk to Parker about this morning. Because yeah, maybe I’m still planning to leave Harvest Hollow as soon as I can get called back up. But location shouldn’t predetermine the success or failure of something like a relationship. No matter where my home base is, I’ll be traveling much of the year anyway. Distance and separation will always be an issue. We can talk through that.
Parker is worth trying for, worth trying to figure out all these complications.
Ifshe wants the same thing—and that’s what I don’t know. I was sure I felt something. The attraction making my chest tight didn’t seem one-sided.
But after Jeremy mentioned us not breaking up would help my career, Parker agreed really quickly to keep this going. After we hung up with Jeremy, Parker said she’d love to see me get back to the NHL, and if she could help me get there by being my fake girlfriend for longer, she would.
Myfakegirlfriend.
Whereas I was about to suggest we go for it forreal. We’re clearly not on the same page. I’m not sure our books are in the same bookstore.
And now I’m confused and sleeping on her couch with a FOMS (feline of monstrous size) kneading me with his needle claws.
