Rush: The Season (Austin Arrows Book 1)(17)

“No.”

Her gaze swings back to Spencer, which pisses me off. They’re talking about me. The least they can do is focus on me.

“If Kingston doesn’t know anyone, I actually have a friend…” Amber offers.

I shake my head adamantly. “Nope. No way. Can’t say I’m completely on board with the plan, but I damn sure don’t want to have to pretend with some chick I don’t know. If you’re insistent that I need an image overhaul, I suggest you come up with a better idea.”

“You’ve got to get your head back in the game,” Coach injects, his intense gaze burning a hole into my face. “At this point, if it’ll get your mind back on the ice, I think we should try it.”

Coach is right. I need to get my focus back where it belongs. It isn’t that easy to do when the shit seems to be flying and I’m finding myself being covered in it. But pretending to be with a woman I don’t even know… It won’t make things better. Surely they realize that.

Phoenix nods, as though he agrees with one or both of them. What is really going through his head, I have no idea. And that scares me a little.

Since me and my ex split six months ago, I’ve been with exactly zero women. And before her, it’d been a while. Two or three months, maybe. I make a point not to flaunt my personal life, I don’t kiss and tell, and I’m not the kind to talk in the locker room. But in the same sense, I don’t deny rumors, either.

I’m still watching Phoenix when he finally speaks. “It’s actually not a bad idea. I did something similar by announcing my wedding to Tarik and Mia. You don’t realize how much people really do enjoy a good love story until you make that sort of statement.”

Yeah…uh...

Well.

Uh…

Not what I expected Phoenix to say at all, so naturally, I’m f*cking speechless.

“Okay, so what if she isn’t a stranger? Would you be willing then? Show the world that you’ve settled down, found someone who means something to you?” Spencer states thoughtfully, his gaze sliding my direction.

“I didn’t realize there was someone,” Phoenix adds, his curious gaze pinning me in place.

“There’s not,” I mumble, hating that all eyes are on me. I just can’t win.

“But there could be,” Spencer counters.

Phoenix’s eyebrow cocks, his attention returning to Spencer. “I’m listening.”

Coach clears his throat. “I agree. If she’s not a stranger, it’ll look even more real.”

Great, now everyone is on board with pimping me out.

“And you’ve got someone in mind?” Phoenix asks Spencer. “Someone who can be trusted?”

“I do.” Spencer sounds far more confident than I feel.

“And you know her to be trustworthy how?” Amber inquires, sounding skeptical.

Spencer meets her gaze head on. “Because she’s my sister.”

My head snaps to the left and I stare at Spencer. I want to ask him if he has lost his f*cking mind, but I keep that to myself. If he only knew all the thoughts I’ve had about his sister over the years, I can tell you, he damn sure wouldn’t be thinking about hooking us up.

Not even for pretend.





Ellie

“I need a favor.”

Without looking up from the beer I’m pouring, I shake my head emphatically. I recognize the voice, but even if I didn’t, it’s male, so there is only one answer. “Nope. No way. I’ve heard that tone before, and I’m not falling for it.”

With a smirk that I know will irritate him, I look up at my brother.

“Come on, Ellie,” Spencer pleads. “You’re the only one who can help.”

If that isn’t a load of bullshit, I don’t know what is. The last time my brother asked for a favor, I allowed one of his girlfriend’s friends to cut my hair to show how great she was at it and ended up with a f*cked-up bob that took eight months to grow out. Sue me, I was fourteen at the time, and for whatever reason, I had trusted them. That was the last time. Instead of getting mad, I fought back the tears and walked away, swearing I was done doing favors for him. Or any man, for that matter. Twenty years later, those are words of wisdom I still live by.

“I’m sure you can find someone else to help you in your hour of need, which, by the way,” I say pointedly, reaching for the bottle of sour apple schnapps, “there seem to be a lot of these days.”

“Actually…”

Oh, heaven help me, I know that voice, too.

I look up to see Kingston Rush moving toward us.

Yes. That Kingston Rush. The devilishly handsome goaltender for Austin’s very own professional hockey team, the Arrows. The same Kingston Rush who is nicknamed Mount Rushmore because he’s a mountain of a man.

Yep, him.

I glare at Spencer. “He’s the favor you texted me about earlier?” I admit I was curious when my brother messaged me to warn me he’d be stopping by, but not once did I think that it might involve Kingston.

“He is,” Spencer confirms.

Again, I shake my head, trying not to laugh. “Oh, hell no. If you’re the one needing a favor, then definitely no.”

“Oh, come on, Ell,” Kingston pleads, the seductive smirk on his lips belying his desperation. “You can stop pretending you don’t like me.”