Rule #3: Never Fake Marry the Coach’s Son (Hockey Rules #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

O skar

I pace the hallway outside the locker room. Finally, Dmitri arrives. His eyes flare when he sees me.

We should have prepared more for the interview last night. I scan Daniela’s list of questions again, anxiety bubbling in my body.

He’s freshly showered, and beads of water still shimmer on his face. His hair is damp, and he wears the team sweatpants and sweatshirt.

He takes my hand, and I try not to quiver at the touch of his bare skin against mine.

“The press are here.”

“Good. Let’s get this over with.”

Even though there aren’t any journalists in the hallway, Dmitri doesn’t let go of my hand. I guess a journalist could emerge at any moment, and he’s just being smart.

There’s no other reason why we should be holding hands.

We enter the room.

“The happy couple,” Daniela exclaims when we enter. Her smile is brittle, but she types on her tablet valiantly.

I recognize Jeremy Jones and Rex Manley—two journalists I wish were far, far away.

Maybe I’m being unfair.

They’re probably great people.

But they have the ability to destroy my husband’s life, and even if, strictly speaking, he doesn’t intend to spend the rest of his life with me, I can’t bear the thought of anything bad happening to him.

“Congratulations on your wedding.” Rex’s eyes dance as if he finds the situation amusing.

Something constricts in my throat, but then Dmitri’s hand covers mine, warm and wonderful.

“Thank you,” Dmitri says, his deep voice grounding me.

“I can’t believe there are so many gay couples on the Boston Blizzards,” Rex says. “It’s pretty unbelievable.”

“Well, I’m not a player of course.”

Jeremy and Rex’s eyes round.

“I mean, obviously,” I say. My cheeks heat.

Pappa was one of the best hockey players in Sweden, but I’m shorter than him. I don’t look anything like a hockey player.

“Unlike Finn and Noah,” I say hastily. “Or Evan and Vinnie. I, um, work on the management side.”

“That is convenient,” Rex says, and even Jeremy is nodding along with him now, his eyes narrow and assessing.

Shit.

Jeremy is supposed to be the easy interviewer. He comes from an LGBTQ magazine.

“You’ve been having visa issues,” Rex says. “And now they’re solved.”

Dmitri tenses.

The door swings open and a slender woman with Texas hair and Italian heels sweeps into the room. She wears a badge, and my heart sinks.

“Sorry I’m late,” the woman squeals. “This arena is massive.”

“You’re Kara?” Daniela asks.

The two women talk for a bit.

I give a frozen smile. I know Jeremy and Rex. I don’t know this woman.

Rex pulls out a chair for her, and she settles in the room, murmuring apologies in our direction.

She flutters her lashes in Dmitri’s direction. “Congratulations to the happy couple.”

I stiffen. This isn’t going to work. Dmitri is straight. She’s going to be able to tell.

I’ve seen Dmitri pick up women that look just like her at bars. She’s his type. I know, because I know everything about him.

But Dmitri gives the same polite nod that he’d given to Rex and Jeremy before, and he flashes the same smile that he gives audiences afterward.

“Thank you. We’re very happy.” He grabs my hand and squeezes it, and I try to be calm. I need to be calm. This meeting is important.

“So how did you fall in love?” Rex asks, his lips still drawn into a smirk.

I can answer this.

I’ve been in love with Dmitri for ages, even if that was never something I wanted to broadcast.

But Dmitri speaks before me. “Oskar and I have always been close. He’s my best friend. That’s always the best foundation for love.”

Rex narrows his brow. “I’ve always thought friendship was a great foundation for...good friendship.”

“Then you’re missing out,” Dmitri says lightly, his thumb tracing circles on my hand.

“We are best friends,” I say.

“How adorable,” the female reporter says.

Dmitri turns to her, and I stiffen. But he doesn’t look at her any differently, and I feel guilty for thinking that he would.

“Oskar is adorable,” Dmitri says, smiling at me fondly.

“And you eloped in Vegas,” Rex asks. “You married your best friend, a guy, even though you’ve always dated women before? Right after you had visa issues and realized you might be expelled from the country?”

Dmitri’s mouth falls. He’s not easily ruffled, but yeah, he’s ruffled now.

“Dmitri and I were dating. We kept it quiet because he didn’t want me to be in the news.” I give my best smile. “I’m sort of shy.”

“And when I found out about the visa issue, I realized I didn’t want to live my life without Oskar,” Dmitri says. “He’s the most important person in my life.”

“And now we’re married,” I say, my heart beating wildly.

“Happy ending,” Rex says.

“Very,” Jeremy says.

The female reporter claps her hands. “Super adorable.”

Dmitri stands abruptly. “We should go. I, um, need to get back to practice. And Oskar will be busy with his work.”

We hurry from the room.

“That could have gone better,” I say.

Dmitri’s face is already pale, but he nods. “It could have gone worse.”

“Yeah. That’s true.”

I chuckle, and Dmitri snorts.

“Come, Oskar.” Dmitri leads me from the interview room, and only when he stops in front of my office do I realize that he’s been holding onto my hand the whole way back.