Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 94

BRAYDON’S POV

That moment when her smile lights up the whole room? Yeah… that’s when it hits you. Not just the usual cute stuff, but that deep, sinking feeling that you actually want to spend every second of your life with her.

And I’m not exaggerating when I say… I want to spend every second of my life with Katy.

I catch myself staring, and suddenly I can’t stop. She’s laughing softly at something I don’t even remember, and I feel like I’m seeing her for the first time.

“So… what are your plans for the future?” she asks, breaking through the fog and I blink, caught off guard. She’s slowly cutting into her caprese salad, and savoring each bite.

I swirl my wine in the glass, take a sip, and let out a slow breath.

“Umm… I wanna play in the NHL. I want to-”

My mind floods with everything I’ve not really said out loud: Being a Chicago Hawk, not because they’re the best, but because Mom loved them. Winning Pendant back from my old man, just to prove something to myself. Taking long, lazy vacations with Katy, to different countries where we could forget everything else for months. I’ll just be happy. With her.

“Honestly? I wanna do everything with you.” I say, finally letting the words out.

Her cheeks flush, but there’s a flicker of doubt in her eyes. “Are you saying that… because of me?”

“No.” I hurry to clarify. “I mean it.”

She studies me, and there’s a look on her face I can’t quite read. It’s the kind of look that makes my stomach twist and I feel a knot of fear inside myself. I’m scared I’m moving too fast with her. Scared she’ll think this is just some flash of excitement, a moment that’ll burn out, like people do these days. I’m terrified she’ll think this is love bombing, or whatever they call it before someone ends up hurt.

I want to go slow. I want to do everything I can to make her believe this is real. But even thinking about going slow is dangerous, because sometimes I can’t help myself. I can’t stop imagining the future with her.

It’s barely been two months. And yeah, that’s fast. But then I think about people who meet and get married in a week and somehow make it work for years. Why shouldn’t that be us?

“Do you think we’re moving too fast?” The words slip out before I can stop them. My pulse kicks and I watch her carefully as she lowers her fork slowly and dabs at the corner of her mouth with her napkin.

“Personally, I don’t think so.” She answers, and for many reasons it feels like a weight has lifted off my shoulders. “We did click fast, and yeah… a lot happened in a short time,” she continues. “But when you like someone, it just… becomes clear. There’s not much to overthink.” She tilts her head, studying me. “Why do you ask?”

“Maybe because I’ve been… freaking out about it,” I admit. “I just…I didn’t wanna sound like I’m overdoing it or give you the wrong impression.”

“Wrong impression?”

“Like… love bombing,” I explain. “I really mean it when I say I think about my future. And I want… I want to be happy with you.”

She smirks. “And what else?”

I grin. “I want to wave at you during my big league games.”

Her cheeks turn pink. “And what else?” she presses.

I swallow, leaning a little closer. “I can totally see us… banging in my mum’s old office.

“Braydon!” she blurts, her eyes wide. Her hands fly to her mouth. “No way you just said that.”

“Want me to keep going?”

“You better not.” She says it like she’s scolding me, but I chuckle anyway. She shakes her head, looking at me like I’m completely unbelievable but she has no idea that, yeah… that will definitely happen. She just doesn’t know it yet.

I take a bite of my food, then pause, curiosity getting the better of me. “What about you? What’s your future plan like?”

Her fingers rub together as if she’s been waiting for me to ask. “Me… I want to graduate summa cum laude and rub it in Zhao Lan’s face.” She giggles. “If I win the grant, I want to start a business. I feel like I’ve been working for other people forever, and I want it to be the reverse soon. But if I don’t win, I’m really hoping for a decent job… six-figure earnings would be nice. And…” Her smile lifts, teasing. “I want to be a WAG.”

I bite my bottom lip, heart skipping. Damn. Just that one sentence, and I know I’m going pro right after college if I want to make that come true.

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