Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 59

KATY’S POV

I pull open the door a few seconds after Braydon knocks.

“Took you long enough,” he says, shaking snow out of his hair like a wet dog.

“It wasn’t even five seconds,” I smile. “Why do you have snow in your hair? Did you seriously walk?”

He steps inside, the cold air following him in. His cheeks are pink, his breath fogging slightly before the door clicks shut behind him. “I parked at the far end of the lot,” he mutters, unbuttoning his coat. “Couldn’t find a spot anywhere. What’s with all the cars outside?”

I turn toward my room, glancing back at him. “Someone down the hall’s having a birthday party or something. It’s been loud since six.”

“A night before midterms?” he asks, following me inside.

“Yup.” I flop down on my bed, grabbing a pillow to prop under my chin. “Some people don’t take midterms seriously. It’s literally thirty percent of our grade, but apparently that’s irrelevant.”

He chuckles, settling beside me and the mattress dips under his weight.

“But you don’t think so,” he says.

“Nope.” I shake my head. “I’m a firm believer that every point matters.”

He stretches, cracking his knuckles. “Then let’s get started.”

“Right away.”

Tonight feels different. Midterms start tomorrow, and apart from his usual courses, Braydon’s also retaking a few junior-year classes he failed which makes his workload twice as heavy. Because I’ve already gone through all of my material, we focus on flashcards for him instead.

It ends up being one of our longest sessions: three straight hours, from seven to ten.

Braydon doesn’t even get up for water like he usually does, and he hasn’t checked his phone once. He’s locked in, completely focused, and I match his energy, flipping through quizzing him until my voice goes slightly hoarse.

When we finally stop, he exhales hard and drops back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

“For some reason, I feel prepared and also… not prepared,” he says. “I don’t know if that makes sense.”

“It does,” I say softly. “You’re just anxious. You’ve got a lot riding on your grades, and that’s enough to scare anyone.”

He shifts onto his side, propping his head up on one hand. “You think I can do it?” His eyes narrow a little, like he’s trying to read the truth in my face.

I lick my lips and scoot a bit closer. “I’m going to be honest with you,” I say. “When we started this tutoring thing last month, you were… okay. But now? I’m honestly confident you’ll do great. You’ve improved so much, Braydon. It’d take a miracle for you to fail anything tomorrow.”

He raises an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Are you saying that as my tutor, or as Katy, the girl who finishes her entire course load before midterms even start?”

I laugh and swat his hand. “I’m being honest, idiot.”

He chuckles, and then falls still. His gaze lingers on me, softer now, and thoughtful. He looks genuinely happy and something about that makes my chest feel warm.

A whole month. It’s gone by faster than I expected, and somehow, he’s become part of my routine without me even noticing. I’ve actually enjoyed this: our study nights, the banter, and everything. I don’t know if this tutoring thing will continue after midterms… but unlike the version of me from a few months ago, I kind of hope it does.

And yeah, it has everything to do with just vibing with Braydon Cooper because honestly, he’s the coolest guy I’ve ever met. There’s something easy about him, something that pulls you in without trying. Extra points for being the first to make me cum.

“You know…” he drawls, interrupting my thoughts, that teasing smile curling at the corner of his mouth. “I was just thinking, there’s one thing we never actually got around to.”

I blink. “Yeah? What’s that?”

He tilts his head, eyes glinting. “The sex lessons you mentioned that one night.”

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