Juliet turns back slowly, eyebrows raised, mouth twitching like she’s two seconds from grinning.
“I know that look,” she says.
I swallow hard. “What look?”
“The look of a man who just saw the girl he’s about to marry…” She taps her chin gently. “…and forgot how to swallow without choking on his own tongue.”
My cheeks go hot. “It wasn’t—he was just—”
Juliet laughs under her breath. “Oh, honey. That boy just had his soul rearranged the moment he saw you.”
“I—”
“Don’t deny it. I saw his face. I’ve only seen that expression once before.”
“When?” I whisper.
“The moment I realized I was falling for my fake husband.”
I blink. “Coach Haynes?”
“Mmm-hmm. Green-card marriage. Six years. Two countries and two sweet babies later.” She adjusts the lace on my sleeve while she reminisces. “Sometimes the universe sends you something unexpected. Something you didn’t pick… but maybe deep down, it’s what you needed all along.”
I breathe in shakily.
Juliet squeezes my hand. “Keep your heart open, Katerina. Scottie Easton is a good man.”
I glance towards the door that he just left through.
I won’t fall for him. This is temporary.
But this arrangement might not turn out to be as cut and dry as planned.
Chapter Six
SCOTTIE
I've been to a lot of weddings in my life.
My cousin Sophie's elaborate wedding in Texas with two hundred guests and a live band. My buddy from college got married on a beach in Mexico. A teammate from another team got married last year. Then Aleksi and Kendall’s last week onthe ice, which was beautiful and emotional and made half the stadium cry.
But standing on this rooftop in downtown Seattle, watching Juliet and the girls put the final touches on what can only be described as a miracle of event planning, I realize that this isn’t just any wedding… it’s mine.
…Even if it's fake.
"Stop fidgeting," Luka says, adjusting my tie for the third time.
"I'm not fidgeting."
"You've checked your phone six times in the last ten minutes."
"I'm just—" I shove my phone back in my pocket. "Making sure… we’re not running late."
"Everything's ready on time. Stop freaking out; you’re making me uncomfortable, like you’re about to make a run for it.”
“I'm not going to make a run for it. I gave you my word that I would do this… so I’m doing it.”
“Good, because Juliet's been planning this for thirty-six hours straight. If she can pull off a championship afterparty in four hours, she can handle a small wedding."
