Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 60

KATY’S POV

“Excuse me,” I mumble, squeezing my way through the sea of bodies flooding the hallway. It’s crowded, with people talking over each other, and swapping complaints about midterms.

“I swear that question on developing economies wasn’t even discussed previously in class.”

I smile to myself. The questions weren’t that bad. Honestly, they were kind of fun, like solving puzzles everyone else found impossible.

Just as I reach Braydon’s lecture hall, the door swings open and he comes out, a shoulder bag slung across his chest, sleeves rolled up, and hair a little messy. He’s scrolling through his phone, totally oblivious to the world.

I raise my hand and wave, but he doesn’t notice. So I call his name, and when he finally looks up, his eyes light up like he didn’t expect to see me.

“Hey, genius,” he says, a half-grin tugging at his lips as he walks over.

“How was Marketing Ethics?” I blurt before he even reaches me. I’m really hoping he has some good news to share.

“You’re not even gonna let me catch my breath?” he reaches out to ruffle my hair.

I swat his hand away, fake glaring. “Come on, I’ve been anxious.”

He chuckles, adjusting his bag strap. “You look even more bothered than me who actually wrote the paper.”

I groan, planting my hand on my waist. “Hey, that’s not fair. Tell me.”

He laughs again, the corners of his mouth curving up in that way that makes it impossible to stay annoyed. “Okay, okay,” he says. “It was way easier than I expected.”

I exhale, a wave of relief washing over me. These were exactly the words I wanted to hear from him, and it feels like a weight just lifted off my chest.

“So, you think you’re gonna make thirty percent?” I ask, watching his expression carefully.

He tilts his head, pretending to think it over before adjusting his face cap. “Hmm… twenty-five seems more realistic.”

I nod slowly. Twenty-five isn’t bad.

“That’s not terrible,” I say, smiling a little.

“Coming from you, I’ll take that as a win.”

I chuckle, punching his arm playfully.

“Did you have breakfast?” he asks suddenly, glancing down at me. “I’m starving.”

“Yeah, me too,” I say. “I only had coffee.”

“Let’s go grab-”

“There you two are!” a voice cuts in before he can finish. We both turn and Allie’s striding toward us, her hair bouncing. She bumps into me playfully. “Katy, when did you even slip out?

I shrug. “You were probably still rounding up.”

“More like rounding over,” she says, blowing a breath. “I’m going to have to study twice as hard for exams because I basically wrote a whole lot of nonsense.”

She turns to Braydon with a grin. “Hi, buddy.”

Braydon lifts a hand in response, his expression giving nothing away.

Then, like something suddenly clicks, Allie’s eyes widen. She steps forward, sliding right between us. “Oh yeah, I actually have something to tell you guys.”

Braydon and I exchange a quick glance before I look back at her. “What is it?”

She smacks her lips dramatically, hesitating for a beat before blurting, “So, um… there’s this rumor going around that Katy’s-” she winces, giving me a sorry look, “that she’s fucking both Bryan and you.” She points at Braydon as she finishes, her tone a mix of apology and caution.

“What?”

“Yup.” She nods. “I heard it last night, but you were already asleep when I got back.” She clenches her fist, her tone tight. “I did cuss them out and tell them it’s not true, but apparently, everyone on campus is talking about it. That’s what they told me.”

I blink, trying to process her words. What the actual hell?

I haven’t heard a thing, not even a whisper about this rumor. And everyone is talking about it? Heat crawls slowly up my spine from anger. Who would make up something like that? Bryan and I broke up ages ago so why can’t people just move on?

“Yeah,” I say quietly.

I wait for him to say something else, my pulse picking up. I’m half expecting him to say something crazy or worse.

Instead, his hand clamps around my wrist, and suddenly I’m being pulled forward. I stumble, trying to keep up as he strides down the hallway without slowing.

“Braydon-” I start, but he doesn’t stop. Not until we’re standing in the middle of everything and I mean everyone. He lets go of me and the crowd around us turns, eyes following, and whispers starting to ripple.

“What are you doing?” I whisper. He’s so close there’s barely space to breathe between us.

“Making sure those rumors are dead.”

Before I can even catch the words completely, his lips latches onto mine. I gasp, but his hand slides behind my head as he sucks on my bottom lip until the rest of the world fades out. Somehow, I’m kissing him back. In the middle of freaking campus.

And just as quickly as he kissed me, he pulls away. He drags his tongue over his bottom lip, before shoving his hands into his jean pockets like nothing just happened. Meanwhile, I’m standing here, trying not to melt into a puddle.

I’ve always hated public displays of affection, but this… this feels like it’s being broadcast live on national TV.

Just then, someone slides up next to me, so fast I instinctively take a step back.

“Sorry to interrupt this very… uh, intense moment,” the guy whispers with a smirk. “But, uh, are you two actually dating? Just trying to conf-”

“Yes.” Braydon cuts in before he can finish.

The guy blinks, lips parting like he wasn’t expecting an answer. Well, that makes the two of us. “She’s my girlfriend,” Braydon adds. “What else do you wanna know? Our playlist? Night schedule?”

“Nothing else.” The guy laughs awkwardly and backs away. He returns to his friends, and the way they immediately huddle together tells me he’s definitely reporting every single detail.

Braydon on the other hand steps closer until his shadow falls over me, his height swallowing the space between us. I can’t tell if it’s the sun or something else, but his face looks a redder than usual.

he shad

“I don’t like to share, Peach,” he breathes, his voice low enough that only I can hear.