AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, come on, Reed. You wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“Why do people keep saying that today,” I mumbled.
“What?” She sounded innocent enough, but her eyes sparkled in reaction. “Maybe because it’s true.”
“It’s not. You’ve seen me play. Our opponents have been known to fake injuries to avoid coming up against me. The rest tend to dodge the puck at all costs when I’m on the ice.”
“You sound like Parker.”
“Please never say that.”
“Besides,” she continued, totally ignoring me. “I like to think the aggression you display on the ice is just another one of your hockey skills. It’s something you only use in games. You’re nothing like that off the ice.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t need the idiots at our school knowing that.”
She let out a sigh. “I hate that you’re always trying to be something you’re not. Grayson hates it too.”
“If Grayson has a problem with me, he can tell me himself. Plus, he’s just as much a Darling Devil as I am.”
Paige laughed, and her eyes sparkled. “That’s because Grayson’s scowl genuinely is terrifying. But you’re an ooey-gooey marshmallow on the inside, and Gray and I both wish everyone else knew it.”
I lowered my head into my hands. “Can we please talk about something else.”
“Naw, but this is so much fun.”
I glanced up at her, my eyes pleading with her to give me a break.
She simply winked. “Does Violet know?”
“Know what?”
“About your soft fluffy center?”
I glared at Paige, which only made her face light up even more. “We haven’t known each other very long,” I replied. “She’s heard more about my devilish reputation than my squishy inner core.”
“Well, just tell her the Reed Darling she’s heard about isn’t the real Reed Darling.”
“I’ve told her I like to maintain a certain level of infamy for hockey.”
“I’m not talking about hockey,” she said. “I’m talking about the fact everyone thinks you’re some serial heartbreaker when really you’re the one who got?—”
“I don’t want to talk about that with Violet. I don’t want to talk about that with anyone.”
“I’m just saying, if you opened up to her, she’d be able to understand why you’ve got such an unfair reputation,” Paige continued. “I know it’s been a while since you let anyone in, especially a girl like Violet. But freshman year was a long time ago?—”
“Okay!” I interrupted her again. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”
Paige shot me a skeptical glance, clearly unsure whether to believe me. She was right to be suspicious. I had no intention of telling Violet the embarrassing and painful details of my breakup with Natalie. I was already worried I’d bitten off more than I could handle with this fake relationship. Opening myself up even more was just asking for trouble.
“Good.” Paige nodded as though her work was done. “Now, when do I get to meet her. Is she coming to family dinner on Sunday night?”
“What? No!” I almost choked on the words. But then my eyes narrowed with suspicion. Grayson had also mentioned bringing Violet to family dinner. The two of them had definitely been talking—or plotting, more like it. “It’s too early to subject her to my family,” I added.
“Don’t be silly. I’m sure she’ll love them.”
“Then it’s too early to subject her to you.”
She laughed. “She’s going to love me too.”
