“Sure you don’t. The way you were looking at each other, I bet you even forgot where you were.”
I waved my hand at her. “Pssh.” I’d been going for nonchalant, but the sound that came out of me was some weird squeak-squawk noise.
“Want to try that again?”
“Stop it. It’s just fake and you know it. All for show, doesn’t mean anything. Of course, Gabe’s post did earn another snarky comment from Roger, which is why we’re doing this anyway.”
“If that’s how you want to play it.”
“I’m not playing anything.” I paused, still trying to unrattle myself from the kiss and that photo from last night. I shoved down a shudder. That man had no business kissing so spectacularly. It was categorically unfair that he’d seemed unbothered when he’d stepped away to get us waters from the bartender—a water that had taken everything in me to stop myself from dumping over my head. The night had ended shortly after, and he’d been nothing but polite when he’d dropped me at my door.
I shouldn’t have been so disappointed that he hadn’t asked to come in.
Shit.
“Earth to Dani.” Belinda’s voice pulled me out of my head. “Are you drooling?”
“No. It’s just coffee.”
“Sure. So, what happened last night?”
“I met him at the team bar after the game, he introduced me to a bunch of his teammates and their partners. A few know about the ruse and were very nice. Then we kissed for show, posted a pic online, and that was it.” I needed it to sound so clinical.
She narrowed her gaze at me. “That’s all?”
I nodded. “Yup. Just your typical fake date. All for appearances. Nothing else.”
“If you say so. But would it be so bad if it turned into more?”
“It’s not going to. I just ended one relationship, I’m not looking for another one. Especially with another hockey player. I just want to be single, focus on work and the youth center and having fun.”
“Okay, I’ll lay off, but you know you can talk to me about anything, right? I just want to see you have some fun and not get hurt.”
Her kind eyes killed the bite in me. She meant well, but I just didn’t know what the hell was going on, and it was an uncomfortable feeling.
“Me too,” I murmured.
“Alright, So let’s switch gears. I didn’t have a chance to ask at the game. How did it go at the Center this weekend?”
I felt myself smiling already. “Mason demanded to do my makeup and had some skin-care tips. Said I looked tired.”
She chuckled. “Of course he did, and I bet he was spot on. He still loving his new job at Pamper Me?”
“Yes, he filled me in on how he gently guided a tragic older woman—his words, not mine—into trying a new look with her makeup. He helped her find the best color palette for her skin tone.”
Belinda’s shoulders were shaking.
Mason had been going to One Center since he was twelve and had really come into his own already at sixteen. Belinda had hooked him up with a part-time job helping out at a salon her friend owned, and he was thriving. I loved seeing the kids flourish, and now Mason was a great help with the younger kids who came to the Center.
“I can absolutely picture him telling this story. Did you see Jodi there?”
“Connie said she hasn’t been in for over a week, but I know her father is on the road for a while, so I think it’s easier for her to be home with just her mom.” I tried to keep the bitterness out of my voice, but it wasn’t completely absent. Every kid deserved loving and supportive parents.
Belinda and I finished our coffees while catching up on our weekends and general office stuff before we both had to meetour first clients of the day. Thankfully, she didn’t ask me anything else about Gabe.
I spent the rest of the day focusing on my clients and trying not to think about the charity event coming up later that night. The event where Gabe would no doubt be attentive and kiss me again while I questioned what the hell I’d gotten myself into.
It would be fine.
