Chapter 3
Zach
I shift in place as the tailor pulls at my jacket, muttering something about the fit around the shoulders. Tuxedo fittings aren’t exactly my idea of a good time, but if I’m going to be Wyatt’s best man, I’m going to look the part.
Wyatt, standing beside me, is messing with his cuffs while Mark, our agent, straightens his own tux, looking just as unenthused about the process.
Mark’s been more than just an agent to Wyatt—he’s like a big brother, which is probably why Wyatt insisted he stand with us as a groomsman.
Now he’s stuck here with us, enduring this marathon of measurements and adjustments.
“You know,” he starts, “I figured I’d bring up some business while we’re all here and focused.”
Wyatt groans, tugging at his sleeve. “Come on, Mark. Can’t we just focus on looking good?”
“Looking good is part of it, my friend,” Mark replies, grinning. “But in your line of work, there’s also the part where you keep the public invested.”
I shake my head, tuning out slightly as he starts to list off upcoming appearances and endorsements he thinks we should consider.
My mind keeps drifting back to yesterday and the way Lainey managed to slip out of the hotel room before I even got out of the shower.
I don’t usually let people get the last word, but she… well, she played that one perfectly.
As the tailor moves to adjust my cuffs, I glance at Wyatt and smirk. “You know, I promised Lainey you wouldn’t show up to the wedding in jeans, so let’s get this over with.”
“Jeans? What does she think I am, a caveman?”
Mark chuckles. “Does this mean you two are finally getting along, or what?”
“Something like that,” I say, shrugging.
Wyatt narrows his eyes. “I don’t like the sound of that. What did you do?”
“Relax,” I say, holding up my hands. “She’s taking the lead on most of the wedding planning. I just have to handle your tux and the bachelor party. Everything else is under her control.”
Wyatt lets out a long sigh of relief. “Thank God. Chloe’s been stressing over everything, and preseason’s coming up soon. If Lainey’s handling it, I can just hand her my credit card and let her go wild.”
“That’s the plan,” I say with a grin. “Let her control issues take over.”
Mark raises an eyebrow. “How’d you get away with that?”
I flash my signature smile. “I’ve got my ways.”
Mark rolls his eyes. “Translation: you charmed her into it.”
“I was sick and tired of her early morning calls and schedules,” I say, shaking my head. “Reminded me way too much of my dad and Noah when I was younger. I don’t deal with that anymore.”
As if on cue, my phone buzzes. I glance at the screen and groan. “Speaking of the devil.”
I answer the call. “Hello, big brother. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
Noah’s voice is as gruff as ever. “Just wanted to remind you about the family reunion. Dad expects you there.”
Typical Noah. Getting straight to the point.
I grit my teeth, already feeling the familiar frustration that comes with family gatherings.
The “reunion” is just code for our father holding court, roping everyone in to discuss his grand plans for the family business and the future he imagines for us.
And for me? It always means an extra lecture about “settling down” and taking on “real responsibilities.”
“Oh, does he?” I say, feigning surprise. “Thought I’d been excused this year.”
“You know better.” Noah sounds exasperated, like he’s already dealt with enough resistance on his own end. “Just show up, okay? Don’t make it harder than it has to be. Dad’s already riled up about you being the only one not involved in the business. It’s not going to help if you skip out.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I say, already feeling the weight of the expectation settling on my shoulders. “I’ll be there.”
He hangs up, and I put my phone away, feeling the headache that this reunion is going to bring. Between my dad’s obsession with the family business and his relentless pressure for me to settle down, I can already picture the conversations waiting for me.
Mark looks up, catching my expression. “Everything alright?”
“Just family stuff,” I mutter.
Wyatt raises an eyebrow. “Same old story?”
“Pretty much.” I shrug, trying to shake it off. “They’re convinced I need a ‘steady influence’ in my life. Someone who’ll keep me grounded.”
Mark smirks. “Which is exactly why I’ve been saying you need to work on that playboy image. You know it could come back to bite you.”
I scoff. “I don’t need a babysitter, Mark.”
Mark crosses his arms, clearly unconvinced. “Look, just think about it. I got Janelle to help Wyatt when he needed a reputation boost. You know how good she is at what she does—Luminous practically runs half of LA’s PR scene.”
Wyatt chimes in, grinning. “Yeah, Mark’s got a point. Having Janelle onboard made things smoother.”
I glare at him. “You’re one to talk. You got your fairytale romance and a rebrand in the same package.”
Just then, my phone buzzes again. This time, it’s Blair calling. I put my hand up for Wyatt to hold his thought and answer, stepping away slightly for some privacy.
“Hey, Blair.”
“Zachary,” Blair says, her voice dripping with amusement. “I heard Noah just called you. Thought I’d give you a little heads-up before you walk into the reunion completely blind.”
I groan, already bracing myself. “What’s Dad got planned this time?”
“Dad invited a special guest.” Her tone is sympathetic but tinged with laughter. “And by special guest, I mean your ex. Consider this your official warning.”
I close my eyes and rub a hand over my face. “Oh, great. Another attempt at matchmaking.”
Blair chuckles. “Dad’s relentless. Consider this my gift to you, little brother. Now you owe me one.”
“Thanks, Blair. I’ll set you up with one of my teammates as a thank-you.”
Blair scoffs, “Oh, please. The last thing I need is a hockey player in my life. I don’t need you finding me a man, Zach. I like my independence—and I’m not looking for the drama Noah, Cora, and Whitney have gone through. Tell you what—if you really want to thank me, you can take me out for dinner.”
I chuckle, grateful as always for my sister’s straight talk and independence. “It’s a deal,” he says.
With a laugh, she ends the call, and I tuck my phone back into my pocket, shaking my head.
Wyatt and Mark exchange glances as I rejoin them.
“What’s up?” Wyatt asks.
“Dad’s at it again,” I say, shrugging. “He invited my ex to the reunion, hoping I’ll ‘settle down’ with someone suitable.”
Wyatt laughs. “Sounds like you need a date, too.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Chloe told me last night that Lainey’s on the hunt for Mr. Perfect after finding out Chloe’s cousin Drew is coming with a plus one.”
I raise an eyebrow. “What’s the deal with that?”
“Apparently, she had a big crush on Drew back in college. He turned her down and ended up dating someone she couldn’t stand.”
I let out a low whistle. “Someone not getting along with Lainey? Shocking.”
Mark shoots me a pointed look, his brows lifting in mild reproach. “Lainey’s a sweetheart. If there was an issue, it was probably the other person.”
Wyatt nods in agreement. “She might have control issues, but she’s caring and loyal. She helped Chloe out with Jasper so much over the years. I’ll always be grateful to her for that. That’s why she’s got my credit card. Whatever she wants for my wedding, she gets.”
Mark and I exchange a glance before I smirk. “Listen to Mr. Billionaire over here.”
Wyatt snorts. “Look who’s talking. You were born a billionaire, Zach. You don’t even have to play hockey.”
“Nope,” I reply, shaking my head. “That’s my family’s money. Hockey is my life. I earn my own wealth.”
Mark chuckles. “I’m proud of you guys. You’ve come a long way.”
Wyatt and I both turn to him, eyebrows raised. “You getting sentimental on us, Mark?”
Wyatt adds. “You’re getting old. Maybe it’s time you thought about settling down, too.”
“We’ll set you up with Janelle,” I say.
Mark glares at me. “Janelle is my friend—and she’s like a sister to me. Besides, she’s too young. And way too independent for someone like me.”
Wyatt raises an eyebrow. “She’s 35, Mark.”
Mark shakes his head. “No matchmaking, thank you very much. You don’t like it when your family does it to you, Zach, so don’t do it to me.”
I grin. “Fair enough.”
As the tailor finishes up and we start changing back into our regular clothes, I can’t help but let my mind wander. A fake relationship with Lainey could solve both of our problems—and it might be the most fun I’ve had in a while.
Mark raises an eyebrow. “You’ve got that look, Zach. Spill.”
Wyatt laughs, shaking his head. “This is going to be interesting.”
I just grin. “Let’s just say I think I have the perfect solution for both me and Lainey.”