Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 48

BRAYDON

“I’m about to board right now,” I say into the phone, adjusting my bag higher on my shoulder. The airport’s loud, but I can still hear Katy breathing on the other end.

“Okay,” She says. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

“Yeah,” I nod, glancing at the line moving ahead of me. “Actually wait, I wanted to ask you something.”

There’s a small pause, like she’s waiting for me to figure out what I’m trying to say. “Yeah? What is it?”

I run my tongue over my teeth. “Umm… would you wanna come somewhere with me tomorrow? Just for an hour. I know you probably wanna stay with Allie and all, but I won’t take up much of your time.”

She doesn’t reply right away. I shift my weight, glance around, and start mentally counting the seconds.

Three… four… five…

My chest tightens a little, stupidly nervous she’s gonna say no.

Then finally, she squeaks. “Are… are you asking me out on a date?”

I almost laugh, my chest rumbling with the chuckle I’m holding back in the middle of an airport. It’s not just how tiny her voice is but I can also picture her face behind the phone-her lip caught between her teeth, eyes shiny and unsure, like she’s torn between smiling or freaking out.

“It’s definitely not the kind of date you’re thinking,” I say, grinning as I shift my bag higher on my shoulder. “But I promise it’ll be worth your time.”

Some seconds pass, then I add, “So, will you spare me an hour of your very busy schedule?”

She hums like she’s thinking about it. “Does it involve bars or any of those loud places you jocks love to hang out in?”

I let out a dramatic sigh. “Come on, Peach. Are you trying to mess with me?”

“No,” she shoots back right away, a little defensive. “You’re just being really vague about it, and that’s… suspicious.”

I laugh quietly, shaking my head. “Alright, alright. No bars, no parties, no loud music. Basically, nothing that you dislike. That better?”

There’s a small delay on her end and when she finally speaks, her voice is even tinier. “Yeah.

That’s better.”

Her tone makes me smile wider because it’s the kind she uses when she’s trying not to blush.

“Good,” I say, trying to sound casual even though I’m grinning like an idiot.

She lets out this sigh, and then, almost reluctantly, “Fine. I’ll go to this totally mysterious place with you.”

My brows shoot up, and before I can stop myself, I do a tiny fist pump in the air. A couple of people near me glance over, but I don’t care.

“Wow, look at that,” I tease. “Katy Evans trusting me with her precious time. Should I be honored?”

“Don’t push it,” she warns.

I chuckle, running a hand through my hair. Lately, I’ve been getting good at convincing her to do things easily. She’s loosening up around me and I like that way more than I probably should.

“I’ll text you in a couple of hours,” I tell her, still wearing a smile. “Goodnight, Peach.”

“Goodnight,” she replies softly.

I end the call but stand in line for a second, staring at my phone and there’s warmth in my chest that wasn’t there this morning.

At least something good happened today. After throwing my entire schedule into the bin for a meeting that turned out to be a setup-a stupid attempt to make me lose my mom’s company-I thought the day couldn’t get any worse. But hey, Katy to the rescue.

Shoving my phone into my pocket, I sling my bag over my shoulder and head toward the gate. The line’s finally moving, and the sound of scanners beeping fills the air. I hand my boarding pass to the attendant, who gives me the polite, half-tired smile everyone in airports seems to have.

“Enjoy your flight, Mr. Cooper.”

“Right,” I grin. “Not a bad gig, though.”

She tilts her head, her eyes glinting. “Depends who’s on the flight.”

Then her gaze flicks down to my lips before she straightens and starts down the aisle.

Oh, shit. Is she flirting with me?

I blink, half-amused, and half-surprised. I’m not usually slow to catch things like this, but that one almost slipped right past me. When I glance up again, she’s a few rows ahead, turning just enough to give me a look that tells me she wants me to make a move.

Two months ago, I probably would’ve. I’d be out of this seat already, sliding through the aisle to see what she was really offering and maybe taking a little more.

But right now, the idea doesn’t even spark the same thrill anymore. I reach for my water, take a sip, and sink back into the seat.

There are better things I could be doing than chasing a five-minute distraction in a cramped lavatory. Like finishing the chapter Katy asked me to read. Or figuring out what the hell I’m doing tomorrow. Or maybe just… resting because I sure as hell deserve it.

Yeah, sorry, really sexy fan but I’ll have to pass.

I grab my phone from the seat pocket and scroll until I reach my eBooks app. The screen lights up with the last page I was on. Five hours in the air and that’s plenty of time to figure some of this stuff out and maybe surprise Katy by actually knowing what I’m talking about during our next session.

Just as I start to read, someone brushes past my arm, and a folded piece of paper lands on my lap.

I frown, lifting my head just in time to see the brunette walking down, her hips swaying slightly as she pushes a cart down the aisle like nothing happened.

Curiosity gets the better of me. I pick up the paper, unfold it, and exhale when I read the scrawled message inside.

Meet me after we land.

Yeah, she’s definitely serious. This is a lot of temptation in one day.

But I’m still saying no.