Killer laughed heartily. “Yes, Jane. Your lovely girlfriend. Thatisher name, isn’t it?”
“This isn’t funny, Coach!” I whisper-shouted into the phone. “You told me he’d want to have a conversation over the phone—not a dinner at his house with my made-up girlfriend!”
“Hey, it surprised me, too,” Killer said, sounding genuine.
“Great. Just great.” I sighed with defeat. “So what happens if I can’t make the dinner?”
“I wouldn’t do that, Dak. He said if you aren’t willing to make this, you’re off the team. No ifs, ands, or buts.”
“And if I go there without a girlfriend—”
“He’ll suspect you’re lying. And that’s probably worse than not going.”
“Shit,” I whispered. “So what should I do, Coach?”
“Remember what I told you when we talked? How to tell a convincing lie?”
“Uh.” I took a moment to jog my memory. “Fake it ’til you make it?”
“Fake it ’til you make it, Dak.”
“Great.Greeeeat.”
Killer chuckled. “Gotta run. Good luck, whatever you choose.”
I hung up.
Dazed, I slid the backyard door open and staggered back to the pool party.
“Heyy! There he is!”my teammates cheered.
“Jeez! What happened? You look white as a ghost!” McKayla said.
“Who was that on the phone, Dak?” Brett asked.
“Killer.”
“And?”
“Mr. Capuano wants to meet me for dinner,” I murmured.
The group of guys and girls collectively reacted like they’d taken a gut punch.“Oof.”
“Yeah.Andhe wants to meet my girlfriend.”
Cale laughed. “Andthat’swhy you don’t lie about having a girlfriend.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I grumbled. “All jokes aside, I need ideas. So if anyone’s got any, I’m all ears.”
Mischief glinted in Rust’s eye. “Can’t you ask one of the girls in your ‘bullpen’ to be your date?”
McKayla joined in, her laughter tinged with sarcasm. “Yeah, let one of those poor girls live out her fantasy that you’re capable of settling down.”
Their words touched a nerve. This wasn’t a joking matter. This was serious! Life or death, maybe! Couldn’t they see that?
“That’dneverwork,” I snapped back. “If I bring some airhead puck bunny along, Mr. Capuano will see right fuckin’ through her. The dude is abillionaire.He’s not stupid.”
“I agree.” Rust nodded sagely. “So why are you even trying to fool him in the first place? Just be honest.”
