Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 132

BRAYDON’S POV

My heart is racing, even though I’m doing nothing wrong. I’m just… trying to figure out how to talk to Katy while she’s lying on my lap and I stroke her hair.

“What are you thinking about?”

Shit. I glance down and she’s peering at me, chewing on a granola bar, and looking cute as ever. Maybe this is a bad idea. I could just go with Rangers and never talk about it. Yeah, the team isn’t the best right now, but they’re still top ten and maybe they’ll win a Stanley Cup by the time I’m signed. Who knows?

“Noth…”

“Don’t even think about lying,” she cuts in between bites. “I can see through you.”

The corner of my lips lift into a smirk I’m not exactly feeling. “You know me too well, huh?”

She smiles. “Yup.”

I inhale, then exhale slowly and her eyes narrow. “I… I’ve been hiding something from you.”

She stops chewing. “What?”

A few seconds pass before I muster the courage. “I… got a call from Montreal.”

Her eyes widen, and she shoots upright. “Montreal?”

I nod. “Yeah… a few days ago.”

“Oh my God!” She wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me into a tight hug. “Baby, this is huge!”

My chest tightens a little because her excitement hasn’t let her process what this news really means.

She pulls back slightly, her eyes searching mine. “Why haven’t you told me? I mean… I don’t know much about hockey, but I know this team is like…” Her voice trails off as she studies my face, and then I see the moment it clicks. “Oh.”

I rub my forehead. “I know I should’ve told you earlier… but I didn’t know what to say.”

An unimpressed look crosses her face. “Didn’t know what to say? There’s only, like… what, up with two options? Either you ask me to join you in Canada after I graduate, or you break me?”

I reach up and cup her face, letting my thumb brush along her cheek. “Baby, I’d never break up with you.”

“Then what’s your big, bright idea?” she asks, arching an eyebrow.

I grimace and glance away for a second. “You have big plans. You want to start your own company… you’ve mentioned New York. I don’t want to take any of that from you.”

She removes my hands from her face and holds them. “Yeah, I want to run my own company someday…..but does it have to be New York? I can still do that in Canada… or wherever I want.”

“I don’t want to be the reason you have to compromise on anything,” I admit, my voice heavy with guilt.

She tilts her head. “If not you, then who? Some other hockey player I’m screwing?”

I blink. “Excuse me?”

She leans closer. “You heard me. If you’re not going to make it work with me… someone else will.”

“What about Pendant?”

She shrugs, chewing her lower lip. “I… don’t know. Expand to Canada, maybe. Most companies are doing it now, opening branches all over the place.”

Why didn’t I think of that?

“Is that… an option?” I ask.

“Of course it is, Braydon Cooper,” she snaps, narrowing her eyes. “What were you thinking?”

I press my lips together, feeling my face heat up.

She leans forward slightly with a scowl. “I’ve been so stressed the past few days, wondering if you’ve finally decided between Bruins or Rangers… and the whole time, you were just… wallowing in self-pity?”

I feel small, like a kid being scolded. “You know I don’t want you to have any regrets for being with me,” I mumble, glancing down at her hands in mine.

She exhales sharply, then cups my face. “Listen…” Her voice softens, but there’s still fire in her eyes. “I could launch a company in the middle of nowhere in Texas and still make it work. And yeah, it’s gonna take two or three years to have a branch of Pendant and migrate staff to Canada but we can do that. Together. Getting signed with Montreal… it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Braydon. You should not throw that away just because you think I can’t handle it.

She nods, then rests her head against my shoulder and I wrap my arm around her, holding her close.

“One year is a long time,” she mutters. “I’m going to miss… having you around all the time.”

I smooth my hand over her hair. “You’ve learned how to drive. You’ll have Allie and… Justin till he’s ready to leave.” I pause, then add, “And you’ll always have me. I’m one call away so if you need me, I’ll come running. I’d drop anything and fly back.”

She lifts her head and studies my face. “I hope nothing ever happens that makes you have to drop everything and run back,” she says softly while her fingers brush along my jaw. “We have to do this right, even with the distance so when we’re finally together, we’re happy.”

“Of course, we will. But I’ll visit,” I promise. “As much as I can.”

“I know,” she smirks. “You’re obsessed with me, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am,” I murmur, leaning in to kiss her. “I’m in love with you completely.”

She pulls back just enough to raise a hand. “I’m not going to cry when you leave,” she says firmly. “When I miss you, I’ll just look at this beautiful promise ring and pretend you’re right there with me.”

I trace my thumb along her cheek. “When I miss you, I’ll think about everything we’ve already done together. From holding hands to… now. I’ll look at the socks you gave me, the bracelets, the hoodies, your panties-”

“Panties?”

“And-“I grin. “Okay, fine. Your dresses, skirts….basically, your stuff.”

“You might as well take my entire wardrobe,” she says dryly.

“Hmmm.” I grin wider. “Tempting.”

She laughs, clutching my shirt as I gently guide her back onto the bed. I hover over her for a second, just looking and admiring her face.

“I love you,” I say.

She taps her finger thoughtfully against her jaw. “Do I love you?” A smile curves slowly across her lips. “Yeah, I do.”