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It’s unreal how gorgeous he looks from this angle. His jaw is sharp enough to cut stone. His angular features stark in the light of the sun overheard. His hair a rich, jet black, tussled in the most appealing way.
“He’s jealous,” Hudson says, clearly relishing the fact.
It’s petty, but I relish it, too.
“Thanks,” I say. “This should help get him off my case.”
His gaze is back on me now, his eyes narrow. “He’s on your case?”
I roll my eyes. “He’s trying to win me back. I’m trying to convince him I’m moving on and want nothing to do with him. If he just sees me with someone else once, I’m hoping he’ll give up.”
“Hm,” Hudson grunts. His gaze darts back over my head to Sean. “He doesn’t seem the type to give up so quickly.”
A knot of worry tightens in my stomach. “Well, maybe he’s not, but …”
“I think he’ll need to see us together more than once before he gives a girl like you up.”
A girl like me. My stomach flutters at the phrase.
Something thoughtful flashes in Hudson’s eyes, like he’s getting an idea. “Let’s keep pretending. For as long as it takes for him to move on.”
My eyes go wide with surprise. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
“Your ex is an asshole. I can spot them a mile away. I like the idea of pissing him off. That’ll help you. And maybe … maybe you can do something to help me in return.”
My forehead furrows. “What?”
“Are you allergic to cats?”
13
HUDSON
Ipark my Land Rover by the curb in front of Summer’s house. Looking at the backseat, I’m met by my cat’s very unpleased expression. She’s sitting on her bed, her head darting around questioningly.
She hissed unhappily the whole time I carried her from my room to the car. For most of the drive over, too. Luckily, about halfway into the ride, she started to paw at the knit pig, her reliable security blanket, and that seemed to calm her down.
My heart clenches at the thought of not having it in my room. But my heart would clench even tighter at the idea of bringing the furball somewhere new and unfamiliar, knowing that she doesn’t like new and unfamiliar places, without the thing that comforts her.
I also have my hoodie rolled up next to her in the cat bed, the one that for some reason she loves to crawl under and wrap herself in.
Hopefully, with these two objects of mine that she’s grown attached to, she won’t think I’m abandoning her when I leave Summer’s today. When she suddenly finds herself in a strange house without me.
Man, I can’t believe how attached I’ve grown to this animal. The thought of getting home after a long day of classes, or a tough practice, or a shitty phone call with my dad, and not having her in my room to greet me …
I huff out a heavy sigh and try to ignore the anxious feeling simmering in my chest.
“Alright girl,” I say, unbuckling my seatbelt and sliding out the door. “Let’s introduce you to your temporary home.”
After that kiss on campus two days ago—fuck, that kiss; my cock thickens behind my zipper just thinking about it—Summer and I formally agreed on a mutually beneficial arrangement.
I’ll pretend to be her boyfriend until her ex, Sean, truly moves on and finds someone else. Meanwhile, she’ll look after my cat and let me visit a couple times a week until …
Until what? I still don’t know.
This isn’t a solution to the cat situation. It’s just kicking the can down the road. But at least it takes care of the one-week deadline that Coach Torres imposed. And I’ll still get to see her. I’m not totally giving her up. Not yet.
Maybe Summer will be able to keep her for the whole semester, and then I’ll move out of the hockey house and find a one-bedroom apartment or studio at a place that’ll let me have a pet.
