Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 257

Chapter 0115

ALLISON’S POV

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you!”

We gather around, singing for Katy.

Katy, who has been grinning like an absolute maniac since six this morning.

Katy, who and I cannot stress this enough, had her cake planned two weeks ago, her decorations up by yesterday afternoon, and her outfit picked out since last Tuesday. She even texted me at eleven last night to confirm that her candles were the right shade of gold and not yellow.

But that’s the thing about Katy and her birthday. It’s less of a personal milestone and more of a production she’s been executive-producing for months. She once confided in me that she takes it very seriously because she never used to celebrate them as a kid.

Which, honestly, tracks.

Her birthday is today and mine is in three days. We used to joke that the universe couldn’t decide whether to put us in the same body, so it split the difference. Bestie link or whatever people call it.

“Happy birthday, dear Katy, happy birthday to youuu!”

The last note dissolves into cheers and Katy presses both hands to her cheeks, looking emotional but she absolutely rehearsed everything, and I love her for it.

“Okay, okay…make a wish!” Justin calls out.

Katy straightens, squares her shoulders, and closes her eyes. Her lips press together and whatever she’s wishing for, she’s being thorough about it.

Then she leans forward and blows every candle out in one breath. She gasps, then immediately throws her hands up.

“Okay, what’d you wish for?” Braydon asks, already leaning in with a grin.

She turns to him slowly.

“Braydon.” She puts a hand on his cheek. “If I tell you, it won’t come true.”

“It’s a superstition.” He responds.

“It’s a rule.”

“Who made the rule?”

“Whoever made birthdays.” She pats his cheek once and turns back to the cake. “Now hand me the knife.

She accepts the knife from Braydon and gets to work, before setting pieces onto plates.

“Okay, who wants the corner piece –

A knock at the door cuts her off.

Katy looks up. “Allie, please can you get that?”

I set down my plate. “On it.”

I cross to the door and pull it open, my gaze landing on Bryan who is very clearly still slightly out of breath, and still in his work clothes with his sleeves rolled to the elbow and a gift bag hanging from one hand.

“I thought you weren’t going to make it,” I say, stepping aside to let him in.

“I almost didn’t.” He exhales, running a hand through his hair.

He steps in and the room does that thing rooms do where nothing visibly changes, but everything shifts anyway. Justin doesn’t react at all, which with Justin means he has already decided exactly how much attention he’s giving the situation: none.

Then there’s Braydon.

I don’t even have to look directly at him to feel how his mood has changed. I glance at him and sure enough, he’s moved closer to Katy than he was thirty seconds ago, his arms loosely crossed, and jaw ticking.

I press my lips together to stop myself from smiling. They are actively, definitively, happily dating. And yet the arrival of her ex-boyfriend who stands approximately zero chance has activated some deep, irrational territorial instinct that I find both ridiculous and a little cute.

Bryan greets the room with a wave. “Hey, everyone.”

The responses are flat and the only person whose face actually opens up is Katy as she smiles at him.

“Bryan! You made it.”

“Barely.” He crosses over to her and holds out the gift bag. “Happy birthday, Katy. Sorry I’m late, my internship ran over and I still have to head back actually.”

“Oh, don’t even worry about it.” She takes the bag and peeks inside briefly before setting it with the others. “I’m glad you came at all.”

“I wasn’t going to miss it.” He glances at the cake. “That looks incredible, by the way.”

“It is incredible.” She cuts him a slice. “You’re not leaving without taking some.”

He laughs. “I won’t argue with that.”

She wraps a piece for him and he takes it with both hands. He says his goodbyes around the room which is another general wave, and then he’s gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

The atmosphere exhales. I look back at Braydon and he’s suddenly relaxed, jaw unclenched, and he even reaches over and steals a corner piece off the serving plate.

Katy slaps his hand away as he reaches for a second.

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