Chapter 11
CALEB
Morning is my favorite time of day. I used to love nothing more than getting up with the sun for an early run while the rest of the world was still asleep. When Daisy is older, I’ll start that up again.
For now, I shower and do meal prep, then sip my coffee and putter around the house a little.
I’m just about done cutting up fruit and veggies for smoothies and I’m looking forward to sitting out on the balcony with my coffee when I hear footsteps on the stairs and then someone is pounding on my door.
I drop my knife and run for the door, not wanting them to wake Daisy. Whoever it is just keeps pounding. It’s like something out of an apocalypse movie.
Who does that?
When I open the door, I’m surprised to see Liv, her hand poised in midair like she’s about to knock on my face.
“Liv,” I say, pulling her inside. “What’s wrong?”
I expect someone is chasing her from the look on her face. But she doesn’t even move to close the door behind her.
“Look at this,” she breathes, handing me her phone.
Wow.
It’s a photo from the sports section of the Philly paper of the two of us in her car, fleeing the crowd yesterday.
And there’s an article to go with it. I skim it, but mainly it’s a piece about how I just got to town and have a new girl on my arm already, and how I’m chasing skirts instead of chasing pucks.
I scan for the byline, even though I already know what I’ll find.
“Rachel St. Cloud,” I sigh. “Yeah, she doesn’t like me.”
“Why not?” Liv asks.
“I uh, kind of dated her,” I admit. “But it didn’t work out.”
Liv looks stunned and then frowns.
“What are we supposed to do about this?” she asks me, nodding to the phone and looking truly horrified.
If I didn’t know her better, I’d be offended. Is it really that bad to be connected with me? But I’m guessing my new friend, and let’s admit it, my new crush, doesn’t crave the spotlight.
“Come on,” I tell her. “Let’s think while I make breakfast. Daisy will be up soon.”
I head for the kitchen, praying that she’ll follow.
The door closes, and then her soft footsteps are behind me. My heart thumps helplessly.
I know it’s bad to be pleased about something that’s upsetting her, but I can’t help the way it made me feel to see that picture of us together. Sure, she was just rescuing me from my angry former fans. But I kind of like the idea of the two of us together.
That said, I need to fix this. If she’s unhappy, then it’s not okay.
“Oh, wow,” she murmurs as I take my spot at the counter again.
“I guess it looks like I’m planning to open a juice bar,” I say, looking at all the colorful fruits and vegetables laid out in front of me.
“But I like my smoothies and Daisy likes hers too. Plus, we both like salad and fruit salad. I try and prep as much of that stuff as possible so it’s easy to grab. ”
“A man after my own heart,” Liv says, taking a seat at one of the stools like she’s right at home.
In fairness, she probably does feel at home. This was her apartment long before it was ours. I try to ignore how close to the truth she hit with that comment about me being after her heart.
“That’s going to make an incredible smoothie,” she hums over a juicy strawberry.
“I put fresh basil in there too,” I tell her, pointing to one of the rich green leaves.
“Wow,” she says, nodding. “My smoothies are always so boring.”
“Well, a few herbs are an easy fix,” I chuckle. “I could never do what you do in the kitchen.”
“My friends think I should open a stand,” she says, her brow furrowing.
“Really?” I ask. “Where?”
“Hailey and Tessa took me to a place in the arena last night,” she says, shaking her head and looking down at a second strawberry in her hand. “They noticed the churro stand was empty and they found out that the owners retired and closed it.”
“Right,” I say with a smile. “Miguel and Valeria moved to Texas. They’ve got grandkids there.”
“Did you know them?” she asks.
“Not really,” I admit. “But I always make it a point to learn the names of everyone that works where I work, if I can. Fred, the Zamboni driver, told me all about them. He’s a big churro fan.”
“That’s really nice,” she says.
“So, are you going to apply for the stand?” I ask her. “It’s a great location. They did well there with churros. Your cupcakes would kill.”
Her eyes light up and I wait for her plans to come spilling out like a waterfall. But that isn’t what happens at all.
“I wouldn’t know where to start,” she says a moment later, shrugging and looking down at her hands again.
“I don’t have any way to charge people, or any idea of how to price things in the first place.
I don’t have seed money, and I wouldn’t even know how to apply for the stand anyway.
Besides, they’ll want someone with experience. ”
My first instinct is to offer her money, equipment, and help setting up. I almost open my mouth to remind her that she already works in food service and has a ton of followers that clearly like what she does, and that she can do anything she sets her mind to.
But there’s something about the way she’s looking down now, her dark hair hiding her face from me, that makes me think this isn’t really about those practical things she mentioned.
The sweet, cheerful girl I’m starting to have feelings for seems to have some complicated hang-ups when it comes to chasing her dreams.
“Anyway,” she says, sitting up straighter again. “What are we going to do about that article?”
“Listen, Liv,” I say, putting down my knife and leaning across the counter to look her in the eyes. “I’m really sorry. This kind of thing used to be par for the course for me back in the city. But I didn’t really think it would happen here.”
“Okay,” she says, nodding.
“I can post something to tell everyone we’re just friends,” I offer, though it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth to say it. “You can do the same. And I’m really sorry if this causes problems with your boyfriend.”
Could I be any more obvious that I’m dying to know if she’s seeing someone?
“I don’t have a boyfriend,” she says. “Do you have a girlfriend?”
Maybe I’m not the only one looking for information here.
“Nope,” I say, turning back to my basil and trying not to smile victoriously. I can’t let myself fantasize that we could actually be together. I don’t waste time with women these days—I only have time for Daisy and hockey.
Besides, no woman would want to get serious with the most hated guy in hockey, unless it was for the money.
I don’t think that’s really Liv’s thing, but the idea still scares me.
A lot. Because if something were to happen to me, I need to know that Daisy will be okay.
And that means most of my money needs to stay locked up tight.
My phone rings before I have enough time to spiral out.
I grab it before it wakes Daisy. She’s always been a heavy sleeper. She’d have to be to sleep through someone pounding on the door like Liv just did. But it’s getting closer to her usual wake up time.
“Travis,” I say, not super surprised to hear from my agent since I’m in the paper again.
“You’re back, baby,” he says and then howls like a cartoon werewolf. “Rotten game, but way to stick the landing. I love the girl—beautiful, down-to-earth, everyone loves her. Don’t mess it up.”
“We’re um, not actually together,” I tell him. “She’s here right now.”
“You’re not together, but she’s at your apartment before breakfast,” he remarks. “Got it. Put me on speaker.”
I do as he asks and set the phone on the counter between us.
“Liv, this is my agent, Travis,” I say. “Travis, this is Liv.”
“Hey, beautiful girl,” Travis says, ever the flirt.
“Um, hi,” Liv replies, leaning over the counter.
“She was only saving me from some angry fans,” I tell Travis. “We’re friends and neighbors. Rachel just misunderstood.”
I know her article was just a swipe at me, but I let that slide for now.
“Well, this may have been a misunderstanding,” Travis says. “But it was a great one. Caleb is trending right now and for a good reason for once.”
“That’s amazing,” Liv says, frowning.
“If you’re his friend,” Travis says carefully. “And if you care about his career, you’ll find it in your heart to let this play out.”
Even I wasn’t expecting Travis to go there.
“You want me to pretend to be his girlfriend?” she asks after a second.
“It’s not about what I want,” Travis says dismissively. “But how about just not telling anyone you’re not his girlfriend?”
Liv’s eyes lift to mine and I can see she’s actually thinking about it.
I know it’s only because she’s a kind and compassionate woman, and she cares about Daisy and me as friends and neighbors, as I put it.
But she doesn’t seem to me like the kind of person who would ever pretend to be something they’re not.
I’m usually a pretty honest guy myself. But at this moment, I’d do anything for her to say yes. This could get my career back.
And if I’m being that pretty honest guy, I’d love to have her as my pretend girlfriend. Or my not-pretend girlfriend…
Liv nods to me once.
I lift my brows, wanting to be sure she’s really okay with this.
She nods again, and smiles. She’s really willing.
“One condition,” I say before she can say yes out loud. “I want the churro stand.”
“You can have as many churros as you want, buddy,” Travis says, sounding rightfully confused, but as usual, down for whatever I want if it helps him move my career along.
“No,” I say. “It’s for Liv. She wants to open up a cupcake stand at the stadium, and the churro stand just closed. She’s an amazing baker.”
“She bakes cupcakes?” Travis hoots. “Oh, this just keeps getting better. You got it. I’ll work out the details with the churro stand. It won’t be an issue. The Stallions are going to want this good PR too.”
Liv’s mouth literally drops open and it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
I wish I could have filmed this moment. Her pretty green eyes are lit up with happiness and disbelief.
You would think she’d just learned she won the lottery, not that she’s about to work harder than she ever has in her life.
“Welcome to the team, Liv,” Travis says.
“Liv?” a soft little voice echoes from the kitchen doorway.
Liv gets off her stool to greet Daisy as I end the call and wonder what I just got myself into—what I just got us into.