Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 269

Epilogue 4

ALLISON’S POV

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

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“Life after college sucks,” I grumble, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

“Why do you say that?” Justin asks, staring at my laptop screen. We’re waiting for my manager to

call, apparently to deliver news about an audition tape I submitted a month ago for a new HBO

show.

I don’t even know why I auditioned. I just did it without thinking. What else am I supposed to do as

a jobless, freshly graduated drama student with no prospects except commercials and the

seventy–eight auditions I’ve already sent out?

“Katy is in Montreal,” I say, settling back down beside him. “She’s planning her life and doing a

whole lot of things. Me? I’m just staring at my screen every day in your apartment, talking to myself

occasionally and losing my mind. I actually preferred when I had classes and exams to look

forward to.”

He tilts his head to look at me. “First of all, you’re not talking to yourself, you’re auditioning for

roles.”

“That I haven’t booked at all,” I cut in.

“And I’ll remind you again that most legendary actors were about to give up right before they got

their dream role,” he counters, raising an eyebrow. “So patience is worth it, Bean. It’s worth it.”

I sigh. “Okay, fine. Still doesn’t change that Katy isn’t here, and you’re also barely here. I mean, you’ll be leaving tomorrow again and I’ll be stuck talking to myself.”

He leans in and tilts my jaw up with his fingers, kissing me softly. Then, slowly, he pulls back and

rubs his thumb over my chin.

“You know I’d stay with you all day if I could,” he murmurs. “But I’ve got to earn money to spoil you, hmm? I want to get you all those bags and things you like. Build you a house, cars, everything you’ve ever imagined.”

I press my lips together, heat creeping up my face. “You make it hard for me to get an attitude around you.”

He smiles. “Then no attitude, baby. Just be happy for me. And yeah, it’s our apartment, not mine alone.”

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“I know but…”

My alarm goes off, and my stomach knots immediately.

“That’s me,” I mutter, sitting up straighter and pulling the laptop closer.

+25 Points

I’ve done this enough times now to recognize how my body prepares for disappointment. The tight chest. The rehearsed smile I always end up wearing when Lizzy gives me the news with that careful, apologetic expression she’s perfected.

Poor Mrs. Lizzy. She’s probably getting tired of this. Tired of me. There’s a real chance she drops me after this call, and I wouldn’t even blame her.

Justin quietly shifts off the couch beside me, giving me space and I click to join the call.

Lizzy’s camera is sideways for a few seconds, then goes black, then her face appears too close before she adjusts and leans back.

Classic Lizzy.

“Hey,” I say. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good, I’m good,” she replies quickly. Then she tilts her head, studying me with an expression I’ve come to dread. “Okay, so I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want first?”

My eyes close for exactly one second.

She always starts like this when it’s a no. Good news being some other open audition she thinks I’ll be good for, bad news being that the role I actually wanted went to someone else. I already know

the shape of this conversation. I could probably finish it for her at this point.

I didn’t get the HBO role.

That’s fine. That’s okay. I’ll be okay.

“Good news first,” I answer.

Lizzy smiles. Then she reaches off screen for something, and when her hand comes back, she’s

holding a small cake.

“You got the role!”

The sound in the room disappears.

I don’t move. I don’t blink. My brain is running the same translation it always runs and coming up

with nothing that makes sense.

A few feet away, Justin jumps to feet.

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“Lizzy.” My voice comes out very calm, which is not how I feel. “Be serious.”

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“Allison.” She sets the cake down, leaning forward. “I got a call from the casting director this morning. They want you. Just like they said, they’re going for new faces and they picked you.”

I stand up. My body just does it, rising slowly from the couch, and then something in my chest cracks open and I scream.

Not a small scream. A full, unhinged, everything–I’ve–been–holding–for–eight–months scream that

bounces off every wall in the apartment and probably travels to the neighbours on both sides.

I spin around.

“Justin.” My voice is shaking. “I got the role.”

He’s standing and taking it in with a broad smile on his face.

“I got the role.” I repeat.

My whole body is vibrating and I don’t know what to do with my hands. I don’t know what to do

with any of myself, so I just close the distance and crash into him. He catches me the way he

always does, his arms coming around my back, and holding tight

I’m crying. I don’t know when I started but I am, fully, into his shoulder.

“You told me,” I say, muffled against him. “You kept telling me and I didn’t believe you-”

He pulls back, his hands on either side of my face, making me look at him.

“Baby.” He says. “There is nothing you can’t do. Nothing. You hear me?”

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I nod, crying harder, which was not the intended effect but here we are.

“Allison.” Lizzy’s voice crackles from the laptop.

I gasp, spinning back around. “I’m so sorry-” I scramble back to the couch, dropping in front of the screen. Lizzy is still there, cake still on the desk, and her expression somewhere between amused

and emotional. “I’m sorry, Lizzy, I just… I’m too overwhelmed to say the right things right now. I

know I’m supposed to thank you and ask about next steps and the bad news and I will, I just-”

I hold up my hands toward the camera and they’re trembling visibly. “Look at my hands.”

“I see them.”

“They won’t stop.”

“They will,” she says warmly. “Okay. Congratulations again, genuinely. Now…the bad news.” She folds her hands on the desk. “Filming starts in two months. That’s a tight window, which means

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they need you in LA in three days for a chemistry read with the lead actor. You’ll also get to meet

the director and the rest of the team.”

I rub both hands down my face slowly. “Lizzy, I need a moment to confirm this isn’t a dream.”

She smiles. “It’s not a dream. And I’ll be with you in LA so you don’t have to navigate any of it alone.

I exhale. “Okay.” I nod, pulling myself together piece by piece. “Okay, I got it. Can I…can I call you

back in a bit? I just need to calm down. I need like twenty minutes to be a normal person again.”

“Take all the time you need,” she says. “Soak it in, Allison. Seriously. A HBO show is not a small

thing. These shows make careers and this one is a book adaptation, which means there’s already

an audience waiting for it before a single trailer drops. This is big.”

I cover my mouth with both hands, nodding, my eyes stinging all over again.

“Call me when you’re ready,” Lizzy says, and the screen goes dark.

Silence.

I stay there for exactly one second before I’m off the couch and back in Justin’s arms, squeezing

him with everything I have.

“I can’t believe it,” I say into his chest. “I genuinely cannot believe it.” I pull back to look at him. “If

this is a dream, I need to wake up—”

“It’s not a dream,” he says.

“How do you know?”

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