He did none of those things. But… he turned out to be Kyle Hendrix.
The typing bubbles appear. Disappear. Then come back fast.
Maria
NO, HE IS NOT!
Tiff
Like THE Kyle Hendrix you’ve been dating for months and didn’t tell your best friends about? Sorry, I’m bitter.
Maria
Oh, me too. But we can talk about that later. I just want to clarify that you’re talking about the coach’s baby brother. The youngest in probably one of the most well-known hockey dynasties in the universe and looks like nothing but trouble in a helmet. THAT Kyle Hendrix?
Yup.
The phone rings before I can decide if I want to hear their voices.
“Explain,” Maria says without saying hello. She sounds gleeful and furious at the same time.
“It wasn’t supposed to be him,” I say, pacing my kitchen like cardio helps the panic.
“What wasn’t supposed to be who?”
“My fake date for dinner. It was just supposed to be dinner. A story my mother would accept.”
“And?” Tiff asks, dragging out the phrase like she is trying to drag the whole story out of me.
“And then he kissed me.”
Maria makes a choked, delighted noise. “Right. The unhinged goodnight kiss.”
“It wasn’t planned,” I say quickly, words tripping over each other. “We were outside my apartment, saying goodnight, and it was supposed to end there. Just a polite, fake-date goodbye. But then he looked at me, and he leaned in and smelled so good… and we kissed.”
Maria sounds half scandalized, half delighted. “Iforgot how unhinged that was. And you kissed him back.”
“I know. Iknow.I shouldn’t have. It was supposed to be pretend, but I wanted to kiss him. And I never do anything just because I want to do it. That’s the problem, isn’t it? I’ve spent my whole life being careful—thinking before I speak, planning before I move—and then one look at him and suddenly I’m a woman who makes reckless decisions on her doorstep like I’m in a movie with bad lighting and worse judgment. It wasn’t strategic or professional or smart, but it was justreal.For a second, it was real.”
“You done spiraling, or should we grab snacks?” Tiff hums teasingly.
“I panicked.”
“And then?” Maria presses, her tone dangerously giddy now that the memory has fully reignited for her.
“And then I went to work the next day, and he was there. In my office, like the universe personally hates me.”
“No.” Tiff makes a soft, disbelieving noise.
“Oh, yes. My impulsive doorstep kiss was with the coach’s baby brother… and the newest PR disaster I’m assigned to.”
Maria squeals. “I can’t believe you kissed a Hendrix!”
“I didn’tknowhe was a Hendrix at the time! Or a hockey player! Or my future problem!” My voice jumps an octave. “He was just this charming, infuriating guy who smiled like he knew I’d say yes todessert. And then suddenly, he’s on the team’s payroll and in every headline I’m supposed to manage.”
Tiff groans softly. “That’s... impressively unfortunate.”
“I told him it could never happen again. I made it clear. I was professional and firm, but then…” I trail off, stomach twisting. “Then the press conference happened.”
