Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 89

89 /193

BRAYDON’S POV

Coach pulls me aside after practice, his face already telling me this isn’t about hockey.

“Your father called me,” he says. Yeah, you read that right. My old man called my coach.

My hands automatically go to my hips, part annoyance, part bracing myself. I already know where this is going, but maybe there’s a plot twist waiting somewhere.

“What did he say?”

“He asked if you’re still active in hockey,” Coach says, shaking his head like he can’t believe it either. “Wanted to know your current schedule.”

I let out a low scoff. “And for what possible reason?”

It’s not like my dad wakes up and cares. Man only does things like this when something benefits him. Coach knows how things are between us, so he’s always had my back.

“I’m guessing it’s about your midterm grades,” he replies. Then he softens a little and taps my shoulder. “By the way, congrats. You did good.”

“It’s not finals,” I mutter, rubbing the back of my neck. “I still have exams to pull off. Long road ahead.”

He snaps his fingers, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I know you can handle it.” He pauses, glancing around. “Anyway… your father seemed pretty surprised about your grades. He might want to… look into it a little more closely.”

I frown, a wave of irritation rising. “Would Cadston actually just let him probe my grades?” I ask. “That has to be against university policy, right?”

He leans back against the wall, his expression unreadable for a moment. “Well… it gets tricky if your father accuses you of manipulating your grades or cheating. Those cases almost never happen, but if they do, the university treats them very seriously.”

I shake my head, frustration bubbling under my skin. “But I didn’t do any of that.”

His gaze softens, and he pats my shoulder. “Exactly. That’s why you shouldn’t be worried. I already talked to him, and cleared up any doubts. And if he decides to push further, I’ll personally back you. No one messes with my player without me knowing about it.”

I let out a long breath, and Coach slaps me on the shoulder again. “Focus on the next game and lead the boys to victory. That’s all that matters this week.”

I nod. “I’ve got it.”

He starts to turn away, then pauses mid-step. He swings back, looking at me like he’s weighing something. “And Katy?”

Heat creeps up my neck. I force myself to stand a little straighter, trying to play it cool, but I know my face is giving me away.

“That… was a risky move,” he says, giving me a look that makes it feel like I just broke every law on campus. “You can’t mess it up.”

“I don’t plan on doing that,” I respond.

He gives a small nod, like he’s satisfied but not done yet. “Good.” He shifts his weight, hands on his hips. “You know, I met my wife in college too…”

I groan inwardly. I’ve heard this story more times than I can count. He met his wife senior year. She was his cousin’s ex-girlfriend, he didn’t want to date her. It was messy, awkward, and rocky. But somehow, they figured it out. Now? Four kids later, and happily married.

I glance at him, trying not to roll my eyes. But he’s looking at me seriously, so I keep quiet.

“The point,” he continues, eyes locking on mine, “is when you care about someone, when you love them… you’ve got to put in the hard work. Don’t mess it up.”

I reach out and give his shoulder a quick pat. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”

He glances at me with a mix of skepticism and faint amusement on his face. Then he shrugs, shakes his head slightly, and finally turns to walk away. I watch his figure recede down the hall, but at a distance, I catch him muttering about me still being a stubborn kid. I chuckle, shaking my head. Maybe in another life, I’ll be lucky enough to have someone like him for a dad.

I pull out my phone, sliding it open as my fingers hover for a moment. Thoughts of Katy make my stomach flutter a little, but there’s no time to dwell. I type a quick text, letting her know I’ll come get her in a few hours.

Then my mind flicks to the plan for later. Luke, Justin, and I have something lined up and it’s all about Bryan. And it’s not going to be pretty. He’s going to regret ever messing with me… and with Katy. My fingers tighten around the phone for a second, and a small grin spreads across my face.

***

Luke gets us into Bryan’s apartment way too easily and honestly, it freaks me out a little. I expected at least a detailed lock pick, a struggle, maybe a curse or two…but nope. A few clicks, one push, and we’re standing inside like we own the place.

Bryan’s going to get the surprise of his life when he walks back into this disaster of an apartment. And the surprise isn’t even the worst thing that’s going to happen today.