“I hope so, Kells! We’ll get you tickets in the suite with all the WAGs, and you know I’ll hook you up with whatever you want.”
“Could I get my own nacho bar?”
“I think we can arrange that. I can bring a nacho bar here if you want one. How about we set up a nacho bar for the entire floor and all the staff tomorrow? We can celebrate the Riders making it to the next roundandyou, hopefully, getting out of hospital jail soon. That work?”
“That would be sweet! Hospital food is theworst.”
“You got it, Kells.” He laughs again, pulling a Sharpie out of his pocket. “So…what do you have for me to sign today?”
I take a step back as Jordan follows Kellsie’s very detailed directions to grab a stack of things across the room to sign. It’s not even hockey or Riders’ merch. It’s a lot of random items; some stuffed animals, a book, a weird-looking bottle of shampoo, and one of those hospital water bottles with the ounces listed on the outside and a giant bendy straw. Hegracefully signs everything she asks him to, chatting with her the entire time, asking how things are going with school, what she thinks the Riders need to do to bring the Cup home this year, and, of course, talking about how they can’t wait for the next season of their favorite reality dating show to start back up. A look passes between them before they burst into the theme song simultaneously with a bunch of ‘ooo ooo’s as they both wave their arms in matching hand motions.
Watching these two interact is cuter than a litter of newborn puppies. Something tightens in my stomach as my mind flips back to when I saw him dancing at the club a couple of months back.I was so irritated at him for showboating on that bar.I was bitter that he was flaunting his hot body and his dance moves to get attention. I was so put off by everything.
I was wrong.
This side of him? His compassion. His ability to make everyone around him feel magical. Hisheart.He did all this with no cameras, no media, no photos, no recognition.
I was so caught up in preconceived notions about a rich hockey player with more money than God, I failed to see the real Jordan. And now all I see is this incredibly tenderhearted, loving human. One who also happened to mention that he was attracted to me. A warmth spreads through my body. But this isn’t lust. It’s not attraction. It’s not infatuation. And it’s fucking scary as hell.
This fake relationship is starting to feel more real than I ever imagined.
42
jordan
“Thanks for taking me with you today,” Kennedy says as I look for a parking space outside her apartment. “I really didn’t know what to expect when we got there, but everyone was amazing. Especially Kellsie.”
“Yeah, she’s a pretty cool kid,” I say, shifting the car into park. “I’m glad you got to meet her.”
“Same.Andwe got her approval of our relationship, so it’s a good day all around.”
“Oh, for sure. If only this weren’t fake.”
Her smile fades as she looks down at her hands clasped in her lap, nervously picking at her nails.
“Right. That’s what I meant. At least ourfake relationshipis cool with her.”
My leg shakes against the floorboard. There’s something she’s not saying. The way her eyes don’t meet mine. The way she’s fidgeting.She’s hiding something.
“Is it okay to park here?”
“Oh, Jordan. It’s okay. It’s been a long day; you can just drop me off and head home…” Her voice trails off, her shoulders flinching as she catches a sensitive part of her nail.
“Kennedy.” I turn to face her, grabbing her hand as her gaze drops to where our palms meet. I don’t know where the hell this boldness blossoming inside me is coming from—it all started that damn night in that hotel bar when my feet took off like a racecar toward her—but it’s here. And I’m leaning into it.
“I’m staying here tonight. After all the weird texts, especially now that you’re getting them too, and the damn bear I’m going to have nightmares about for the rest of my life, you’re not staying here by yourself. In fact,” —my leg is now shaking at ludicrous speed, but I have to do this. For me. For her. For us— “I’m moving in.”
She jerks her head toward me, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. “You’rewhat?”
“I’m moving in and staying here with you until we can figure out what the hell is going on with all this stalker shit. Unless you’d rather let me hire a security detail for you. You said you didn’t want that, and I want to respect it, so I figured this was the better option.”
“You’re moving? Into my apartment? When?”
“Now. I packed up some stuff this morning, and I’m going to stay here tonight.”
I can see her breathing pick up, her gorgeous chest rising and falling with every word I speak. I rub my thumb across hers, easing the tension or whatever the hell this is, and trying to calm myself down as the silence stretches between us. My heart drops.She may say no.
“You think you can keep me safe, pretty-boy?” Her eyes dance. “You do remember thatyouhid behindmewhen that damn bear started talking?”
