Chapter 8
JO
Sean had given me a whole week off to recuperate, and between doctor appointments that Nico insisted I keep him updated on, I spent most of my time working on my personal photography, knitting, and opening more gifts than I ever could’ve expected.
It can’t be said that Nico is not trying to court his fake fiancée.
From food deliveries to Iron merch, he’s spoiling me rotten, including custom pajamas with his face all over the set.
That day, I ignored his daily text and called him instead.
He answered immediately, almost like he was waiting to hear from me. As silly a notion as that is.
We talked for a long time, about the most random things until he asked about going public with our relationship, but I immediately changed the subject.
Because while Nico’s making this whole fake engagement easy, I still don’t know if it’s a good idea. I don’t know if it’ll be believable. Aside from my family’s constant curiosity, I’m not sure anyone in his orbit would accept us as a couple.
Though, I’ve run out of time and excuses because he told me in no uncertain terms this morning that we had to officially come out tonight.
No big statement, but enough of a show to prove Nico was changing his tune.
He promised me it would be easy, and that going out for a beer with a couple of his teammates after their last preseason game tonight would be no big deal.
When I balked, he said, “One beer. That’s it. Then I’ll take you home.” I hemmed and hawed, and he turned on that Nico charm. “Come on, Jojo, be a good little fiancée. Let me show you off for an hour or so, and then I’ll take you home and tuck you in. Say yes for me… Two little words: Yes, Nico.”
Even though he couldn’t see it, I bit back my smile and gave in. “Yes, Nico.”
Which is why I’m currently attempting to make myself look busy while waiting for him at the mouth of the tunnel, where I stood with my camera mere hours before, snapping photos. Now, I’m here as Nico Tremblay’s fiancée.
“I thought you’d have gone home by now,” Sean says, touching my elbow for my attention.
I stuff my cell phone in my pocket. “I, uh… I’m waiting for someone.”
Sean lifts his brows, expecting me to go on, and when I don’t, he shakes his head in amusement.
He’s probably about my parents’ age but knows me better than them.
He knows I keep to myself, don’t give much away, so when Nico appears at my side a moment later, he doesn’t know what to think, removing his baseball cap to scratch at his head.
My boss is a Stanley Tucci look-alike, down to the glasses and baldness.
He’s also a father of two kids and a former construction worker who stumbled into a career in photography after an accident left him with a permanent limp, unable to continue his career.
He’d just married his wife, and, according to his recounting, fell into a depression, afraid he wouldn’t be able to provide for his new family.
So, one day, she gave him a camera and said, “Go do something.”
Sean taught himself how to use it and soon found himself a job taking photos of high school athletic programs, which eventually led to this high-paying gig with the Iron.
If only I could be so lucky.
The only thing I stumbled into was a fake fiancé.
“Hey, mama,” Nico says, easily wrapping his arm around my shoulders. As if it’s old hat.
Sean’s head wrenches back as he flicks his index finger between the two of us. “What…did I miss here?”
Nico shrugs. “What do you mean?”
“You…” Sean studies us like he can’t get a good angle for a photograph. “When…? What is going on?”
Nico smiles down at me, murmuring to me as if he does it all the time. “You didn’t tell him yet?” He clucks his tongue playfully. “You that embarrassed of your future husband?”
Sean holds up his hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. What did you just say?”
Nico laughs good-naturedly. “That Jo’s embarrassed by me.”
My boss puffs up his cheeks and crosses his arms. “You’re getting married?” At Nico’s nod, Sean asks, “Since when?”
“I asked her at the hospital.”
“After you knocked her out?” Again, Nico nods, and Sean spins in a tight circle, mumbling a curse I don’t quite catch. “You knocked her out, and now you two are getting married?”
Nico looks to me to finally answer, so I swallow the lump in my throat and force a smile. “Wild, right?”
“Wild? I’d say so, yeah. Josephine, you don’t do wild.”
I nod because that’s true. I am the exact opposite of wild. Tamed, quiet, invisible. The human version of camouflage.
But Nico is… He is the human version of a neon sign.
If he didn’t play professional hockey, I’m positive he’d be famous in some other aspect. On a reality dating show or one of those where they sell houses to rich people. He has no fear and doesn’t seem to care what people think about him.
He may not be the star player of the Philadelphia Iron, but he is a star.
And we have no business being together. It doesn’t make sense for us to hang out, and certainly not to be getting married, which is presumably why Sean gapes at me like my brain is melting out of my ears.
“Why didn’t you tell me you two were dating?”
“Engaged,” Nico corrects, and I pinch his wrist, the one dangling off my shoulder.
“It’s all been a sort of whirlwind,” I say, the one truth in this gigantic web of lies.
“She was worried about what people would think,” Nico adds.
“What you’d think. You know how she is about her career.
She doesn’t want to mess it up, and even though she doesn’t technically work for the team, she was really afraid of how it’d look.
” He shakes his head, frowning as he weaves our fairy tale.
“You know how our girl is. Doesn’t like the spotlight. ”
Sean shrugs. He can’t deny it.
“So, this is all my fault, really. I should have done a better job laying the groundwork. I should have protected her better with all this, so she wouldn’t be so scared to be honest about it all.
” Nico stops only long enough to glance down at me with a soft, almost believable smile that his apology for our fake relationship is earnest. “I’m sorry, Jo.
” Then he turns to my boss. “I’m sorry, Sean.
If there is any kind of blowback about this, it should be on me, not her. ”
Sean’s jaw moves for a moment as he recovers from the news, but he eventually holds his hand out to Nico, as if giving me away. “I trust Josephine implicitly, so if she loves you, I guess there is nothing else for me to say besides congratulations.”
Nico grins. “Thank you.”
“But she was right. While Jo works for me, I’m still not sure what the front office will say about all of this.”
That’s when Nico waves his hand. “I already talked to them. They’re okay with it.”
I jerk back. “You told them?”
“This morning. I know I should’ve talked to you about it, but I couldn’t wait another minute.
After the accident and everything with you in the hospital, I couldn’t stand the thought of everyone not knowing anymore.
I love you, and I want everyone to know it.
I’m only sorry we weren’t honest from the beginning. ”
Honest from the beginning?
He’s better at this lying game than I am. It comes so easily. Maybe he is the sociopath.
Moving his hand down to mine to lace our fingers together, Nico focuses back on Sean. “Anyway, maybe we could all grab a bite to eat or something. But right now, I promised my friends I’d officially be introducing them to my fiancée.”
Sean smiles at the both of us. “Of course. Have fun.” He glances my way. “See you in a few days.”
Then Nico tugs me to the exit, and I have nothing left to do besides go along with all of it. Him. Us.
“I cannot believe that happened,” I mumble once we’re in the parking lot.
“What?”
I fling my hand back toward the arena. “That!”
“What? Sammy? What’s wrong with him? He’s my bud—”
I roll my eyes. “Not Sammy. Actually, yes, Sammy.” Nico exchanged a few quick words with one of the security guards, again introducing me as his fiancée. Again, reinforcing how ridiculous this all is.
Who pretends to be engaged? And proceeds to tell literally everyone we pass?
“It’s like you want to be caught,” I say with a huff, yanking my hand out of his.
“Caught?”
“In this lie.”
“I’m making it more believable.”
“You’re making us look like fools.”
“Mama.”
“Don’t call me that.”
He unlocks his car with a fob and opens the back door to toss his navy jacket on the seat. “I don’t know why you’re freaking out. We’re doing all the things two people about to be married would. We’re acting happy and telling people and making it official.”
“You don’t know what two people about to be married would do.”
He undoes his maroon tie and tugs it off. “Well, I’m doing what feels natural, which is to brag. You want your family to believe that we’re engaged, then let me do my thing, okay?”
I heave a sigh, and he shoots me a just relax look over the hood of his car. Which only serves to annoy me more. “My soon-to-be husband would talk to me. Ask me what I’m comfortable with. Not walk all over my needs.”
He places his hands on the roof of the car, staring at me. Really staring. His blue eyes unblinking as they refuse to leave mine. It’s unnerving, but I’m afraid to be the first one to blink. Like it’s some sort of test.
I won’t back down from him.
My so-called fiancé.
“You’re right,” he says eventually. “I apologize.”
Finally, I blink, set back on my heels. “That’s it?”
“Yeah.” He unbuttons his cuffs and rolls them up his forearms then undoes the top two on his shirt placket. “I won’t do it again.”
I honestly can’t remember the last time someone apologized to me.
Growing up, I had my feelings trampled on, and while I’d like to think I’ve become immune to my family’s put-downs, it hurts every time, and while Nico’s intentions might be good, it still feels the same. Like he doesn’t care about me.