Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
“What did he say?” I glance at my phone, wondering why my father hasn’t called me.
York leans in, whispering into my ear so nobody can overhear us. “Your father wants us to keep pretending to date. He said a scandal right now would be bad for the team, and that he talked with the head of PR, and we can’t handle another scandal right now.”
I lean back to look into York’s big blue eyes. “Scandal?”
He raises a finger to my lips, lightly touching me. “Shh. After last year with a few of the players. It’s just through the holidays,” he whispers.
“We need to pretend to date?” I ask, my head swiveling to make sure there’s no eyes on us.
“We’ll discuss it once we’re off this plane. But yes,” he says with a megawatt smile. The one he gives for all the cameras.
The one that has made me fall completely head over heels for this man.
This is going to be bad.
Chapter 4
York
Getting out of the airport was a nightmare. It took forever to get our luggage, navigate through the crowded terminal, and find our rental car. However, now Noelle and I are finally heading toward her parent’s house. I needed privacy before I could tell her what her father revealed to me.
Her father knew we weren’t dating. He made it clear he expected better judgment from me than to date his only daughter. But with the media constantly sniffing around, he didn’t want another scandal on his hands. Last year, a few teammates got drunk and hooked up with random girls, which landed them all over the tabloids. Sometimes it’s tough being a celebrity. Sometimes it downright sucks. Like right now.
As I drive further into the mountains toward Coach Pearl’s house, my mind races. What can I say to Noelle? I need to offer her some sort of explanation. Honestly, I should start with why I kissed her.
“I’m sorry,” I say, breaking the silence.
She turns in her seat a bit to face me. Since we left the airport, she’s been gazing out the window at the passing scenery. “Sorry for what?”
“For kissing you. I don’t know what came over me.” I should not be kissing Coach Pearl’s daughter. Ever.
“It’s fine. You were scared. It’s fine, really. We should talk about what my father said.”
I nod, focusing my attention back on the road and not her pretty blue eyes. “Right. I’m sorry to put you through all of this. I know you probably don’t want to be in the middle of all this publicity.”
She shrugs. “If it helps the team, I don’t mind.”
“Really?” I stop at a red light and turn toward her. “You would do this for the team?”
She blushes. “I’d do anything for the team, and for my father. It’s how I was raised. Team first, always.”
I look at her, really look at her. “I’m sorry you’ve had to put the hockey team first all your life. It must have been hard.”
She shrugs again. “Nah, it’s been fine.” But I can sense her tone. Her casual demeanor doesn’t mask the underlying fatigue, the weight of always putting others before herself. I reach out and gently squeeze her hand, offering a silent promise to make things better, even if I don’t yet know how.
After another bout of silence, I pull into the driveway of her parents’ house. The estate is breathtaking, a picturesque cabin nestled in the snowy mountains. Tall pines surround the property, their branches heavy with fresh snow. The cabin itself is large and rustic, with warm wooden beams and a stone chimney puffing out smoke. Icicles hang from the eaves, glittering in the late afternoon sun, and the snow-covered roof adds to the postcard-perfect scene.
The driveway is lined with fairy lights, their soft glow making the snow sparkle. A wrap-around porch with rocking chairs and a swing beckons us to sit and take in the serene beauty of the mountains. In the distance, the peaks of the mountains rise majestically, their white-capped tops blending into the sky.
I park the car and turn off the engine, the sudden silence almost deafening after the drive. Noelle looks at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of apprehension and resolve. This is her home, her sanctuary, and I can only hope that whatever comes next won’t shatter the peace this place seems to promise.
Her parents step out onto the porch. I remove both of our luggage from the back of the rental, wheeling them both toward the front door.
Noelle hugs her parents, saying her hellos, and I step up to join them.
“How was the flight?” Coach asks, and his eyes glance over our shoulders. He’s probably checking to make sure we haven’t been followed by any paparazzi, or crazed fans.
“It was very eventful,” I say with a slight chuckle, trying to break the tension.