Irresponsible Puckboy (Puckboys #2)(45)

“You should have spoken up,” Karl says.

Tripp’s hand tightens around mine. “When it comes to the people he loves, there’s nothing Dex won’t do. This is an extreme exhibit A.”

“Goddamn, Dex.” Karl picks up his menu. “You couldn’t let us be mad at you about the whole wedding thing for a bit longer?”

“I want you to like me,” I say.

“We always have.” Mira nods. “But next time you mess up—and we all know you two screw heads will do something—just remember you don’t need to get yourself close to passing out to make it up to us.”

“So we’re forgiven?” I ask, ignoring the way my head spins.

“Like we could say otherwise.” Mira tilts her head. “Should we go, honey? You’re looking pale.”

“Please, for the love of Gretzky, do not make me stand up again now.” I close my eyes and lean forward to rest my head on the table. And like he can read my mind, Tripp’s hand rubs circles on my back.

And if I focus on that, it makes me forget everything else.

Including the very possible, highly likely drop to my death.

“I guess the observation deck is out after this?” Karl mutters.

It takes everything in me not to sob.





Eighteen





TRIPP





“Do you need us to drop you off anywhere on the way home?” I ask my parents while we walk to the car. “CVS? Grocery store … Airport?”

Mom glares at me, but Dad laughs.

“You wouldn’t be trying to get rid of us to spend time with your new husband, would you?” Mom asks.

“Maybe.” That’s exactly what I’m trying to do. Because I hate all this lying. It twists my insides and makes me nauseous. Lying to the public to save our image is one thing—that’s necessary sometimes—but lying to my parents? I’m starting to regret letting Dex take the lead and keeping my parents in the dark.

Not only that, but I’m desperate to get Dex alone and find out what he was thinking last night. I know what I was thinking—that Dex, perfect Dexter Mitchale, the man of my dreams, let me touch him and kiss him and suck his amazing dick, so there was no way I was going to turn that down.

But what was he doing? What does it mean? Maybe he’s looking down the barrel of twelve months without being able to have sex with someone else. Maybe Anton was right when he said given the circumstances, Dex could realize it’s possible to be attracted to me. That theory would work with how Dex has been acting today.

It doesn’t fill me with reassurance though. Him only realizing he’s attracted to me because he can’t have anyone else sounds a hell of a lot like “I’d do you … if you were the last man on earth.”

Dad slaps my back. “You don’t need to worry about us. We’re out of your hair tonight. I have to work in the morning, and you know your mother doesn’t like to fly alone.”

Okay. Tonight. I can deal with a couple more hours.

Maybe.

“Your sister finishes work at three and said she’ll be by to see us before we leave.”

Sienna. Shit. She knows this whole thing is fake.

I get Dex to drive us home while I get my phone out and text Sienna.

Long story, but don’t tell Mom and Dad that Dex’s and my marriage is fake. They think it’s real.

She’s at work, so she won’t see it until she’s done, but she checks her phone religiously, so she shouldn’t miss it. But then I reread my text and again am hit with why did I let this get so out of hand? The deception is really sinking in.

When we get home, I busy myself with washing the coffee cups from this morning and the plates my parents used when they had breakfast at whatever crazy hour they woke up at. It doesn’t take long for Mom to join me.

“I could’ve done that. We’re the ones imposing on you and your husband. Wow. Husband. It’s surreal to say that aloud.”

I don’t know where it comes from—the guilt, maybe—but I accidentally blurt, “It’s not actually real.”

Then I can’t look at my mother.

Her delicate hand touches my shoulder. “What do you mean?”

I turn to her. “It was supposed to be a joke, but we’re dumbasses and accidentally got married for real, and now the team’s PR agent is doing everything they can to try to convince people it is real so it doesn’t look bad on the team or us.” The words come out in one long rush.

“Oh, honey.” Mom steps forward and hugs me. “That must be difficult for you.”

“You have no idea,” I mumble.

“I think I do. It’s obvious how you feel about him.”

“To everyone but him evidently.”

“I’m not sure that boy even knows his own feelings. I mean, if this is all fake like you say it is, why is he going to such big lengths to impress us and make sure he’s always touching you in public?”

“Graham from PR is telling us to act like a couple to cover our asses.”

“Hmm.” Mom purses her lips.

“What?”

“That doesn’t explain why you two came home last night trying to eat each other’s faces.”