Page 104 of The Fake Out

He nudged me as the shift change started, and we slid down the bench. “Because you love each other, and she wanted to do something about it.”

I smiled when I saw my sister sitting next to Veronica. Maja had that wild look in her eyes when she got excited about hockey. She pointed to the players on the ice, and I could tell from a distance she was probably boring Veronica with all the hockey talk. But V was a good sport.

“Focus on the game, man. Then you can patch things up with your lady,” Riley told me, noticing my concentration elsewhere.

I nodded.

It was good advice. I wanted to win this game for her, and then when it was over, I’d tell Veronica O’Malley I loved her, and I’d never ever abandon her.

Chapter Thirty

VERONICA

The Bulldogs defeated the Montreal Saints 4-0. Blaise’s sister explained that was a shutout. I wasn’t prepared for Maja Holmstrom. She was nice, but holy fuck, that girl lived and died by hockey.

It was comical to watch her and Rox together. They were like two peas in a pod, yelling at the refs for missing calls and screaming for the Bulldogs. Maja was a Philly girl through and through, and despite living in Canada now, she’d always rooted for Philly. Rox was a diehard Toronto Wolves fan, but I didn’t think so anymore. Not with the way she screamed for her man and her twin brother.

“You’re gonna come to the bar, right?” Maja asked.

I nodded and pushed my now chin-length hair behind my ear. I was still getting used to having shorter hair. The other girls said it looked cute, except for Dinah, who saw it for the cry for help it was. I may have drunkenly told her what was going on last weekend.

“Come on,” Dinah urged. “Let’s head over to the bar. I’ll drive.”

“Okay,” I agreed.

“Can I hitch a ride, too? My brothers are going to harass Blaise in the locker room and take too long.”

Dinah laughed. “Sure. Come on.”

The three of us got out of our seats and filed out of the stadium. Maja and I followed Dinah to her car, and she drove us over to Eileen’s Tavern.

We lost Maja when we walked inside the bar, but I froze in place at the front door when I spied both Hal and Ayden behind the bar. I couldn’t bear to show my face here after Blaise and I ‘broke up.’ The pain and the guilt had been too much.

Dinah gave my hand a squeeze. “Come on. Let’s get a drink while we wait for the boys.”

I nodded solemnly, but my nerves built up inside my chest.

Dinah bounced over to the bar, snagging the two barstools that had just opened up. She hopped onto one and immediately started chatting with Ayden. I took a breath and followed her, sliding uneasily onto the barstool next to her.

Hal walked over to me and set down a lager in front of me. He didn’t ask my order anymore; he always knew what I wanted. That used to make me love this bar, but now it made the guilt twist in my heart.

“Hi, sweetheart. Haven’t seen you in a while.”

I took the beer, but he wouldn’t take my money. Ayden snatched the bills out of my hand with a glare at his dad.

“I know,” I said with a sigh.

“Hey, Veronica’s family!” Hal argued and glared at Ayden.

Ayden glared back. “Then I’ll make her pay double.”

I laughed. Ayden giving me shit was a good sign.

“You cut your hair,” Ayden said while he gave me my change.

“It’s not you,” Hal said with a scowl.

Ayden nodded in agreement. “It looks like shit.”