Page 190 of Faking the Goal

Most don't.

And then there are the ones who still seem personally offended by the possibility that Kentaro might actually like me.

Everywhere I go, it's the same questions over and over again.

Are you guys really dating?

Or are you just hooking up?

Is this another Zach situation?

Apparently, it's much easier for people to believe I simply bounced from one hockey player to another than accept the possibility that Kentaro Azuma might actually want to date someone like me.

Which is honestly getting a little boring.

"He'll get tired of her," one of the girls continues. "Guys like him always do."

That finally makes me roll my eyes.

I lower my camera and turn toward them fully.

"You know, you guys can just come over here and say it to my face."

All four of them stop and turn toward me, suddenly looking a lot less amused now that I'm actually participating in the conversation.

I smile and tuck my camera against my chest. "Seriously. I can hear every word. If we're going to discuss my relationship, I might as well join in. Maybe I can clear a few things up for you."

None of them seems particularly eager to take me up on the offer, but my attention settles on the brunette who apparently decided I'd thrown myself at Kentaro until the poor helpless man finally succumbed to my feminine wiles.

"Oh, and that part about me throwing myself at him?" I let out a small laugh. "You actually have that backward."

Four pairs of brows furrow almost simultaneously.

I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from snickering.

Oh, this is fun.

Complete bullshit, obviously. Kentaro spent the first few weeks of knowing me looking like he'd rather swallow a hockey puck than voluntarily spend time with me, but they don't need to know that.

Mental note: tell Ken-chan later that apparently he pursued me relentlessly. The last thing we need is one of these girls cornering him someday and our fake relationship collapsing because my dumb ass keeps adding unauthorized plot twists to our love story.

"He pursued you?" one of them asks, and the disbelief in her voice is so fucking insulting that I almost admire it.

"Mm-hmm." I nod solemnly. "It was actually kind of embarrassing. The man was—"

I stop when I notice all four of them suddenly looking past me.

Whatever smug little expressions they were wearing disappear so quickly that I turn to see what the hell could've possibly shut them up that fast.

The doors leading from the players' area have opened, and the Warriors are beginning to spill into the hallway, freshly showered and dressed after the game. A few of them spot me almost immediately. Cody lifts his chin in greeting as he passes, Zach throws me a quick, "Hey, T," and one of the Archer twins calls my name before the other says something that makes them both laugh as they continue toward the exit.

Then Kentaro walks through the door.

Of course he's scowling.

Apparently dominating an entire hockey game isn't enough to convince his face that life is worth enjoying.

His dark hair is still slightly damp from the shower, his duffel hanging from one shoulder, and he's dressed simply in black slacks and a dark button-down beneath his team jacket. Somehow, that only makes him look more unfairly attractive. There's something about the way he carries himself after a win, calm and completely self-assured without needing to show off about it. He doesn't swagger. He doesn't need to. He just walks like a man who knows exactly who he is, and people move around him without him ever having to ask.