Page 61 of The Fake Out

“I did. We were too busy last night. I forgot to congratulate you.”

“Aw, look at you, becoming the good little hockey girlfriend.”

I stuck out my tongue and focused on my work. “You’re in a good mood.”

“Yeah, hashed some things out with my dad today.”

“That’s good.”

“My siblings and I had to twist his arm to set up a dating profile. He’s still in love with my mom.”

“My dad was like that, too,” I admitted.

“Oh?”

“My mom ran off when I was two months old.”

“Three months,” my brother’s voice said behind me. “And it broke dad. He was already broken from my mom’s death, but it made it worse.”

“How’s your dad now?” Blaise asked.

Without thinking, Alex shrugged and said, “He’s gone now.”

Blaise frowned.“Oh, sweets. You didn’t tell me.”

I didn’t answer, just continued with my work. “Was there something you needed?” I asked my brother.

“Nah, just checking your work.”

I wiped at Blaise’s tattoo and started working on the greenery. “I don’t need help.”

“It looks good. You can’t see the script anymore,” he praised me. “Don’t you grow flowers like this?”

“Yeah. They’re my favorite flower.”

“Really?” Blaise asked.

“I thought that was why you were getting this?” my brother asked and knitted his eyebrows together as he surveyed my work.

“No…they were my mom’s favorite, too,” Blaise said.

Thank God I had to focus on my work and not his eyes, which I knew were boring into me. I bent my head and added in more color, laser-focusing on my task at hand and not the conversation.

“Well, in any case, it’s looking good.”

“K. Bye!” I dismissed Alex and continued working.

“Sweets,” Blaise said softly. “You need a minute with your brother?”

I shook my head. His voice was soft and kind, and it was so damn nice of him to think of my needs right now. But I was here to do a job, not deal with my brother.

Eventually, Alex walked away. He hovered a little too long for my tastes, but once he left, Blaise and I lapsed back into conversation.

“You’re doing so good,” I told him.

“Hockey player. We’re used to pain.”

I laughed. “Umm…I had Benny in this chair, and I think he almost squeezed Rox’s hand off.”