by Kat Obie
Maybe he thought the pregnancy scare wasn’t real and then, when he saw the kiss, he realized it was not just a sham after all. Not that I blamed him for obsessing over the kiss. It was way more passionate than expected, and I was doing the same thing.
Weber's lips formed a tight thin line. "I saw the way you kissed her. It's like you marked her or something."
That got everyone laughing, but I knew he was right. It wasn't a normal kiss which could be pushed aside. That kiss was all I could think about for the past twelve hours. I wanted to taste Renee again. "It wasn't that bad."
"Think again, asshat," Weber said a little too quickly for my liking.
I’d definitely hit a nerve with him. I knew he didn’t like the idea of me being interested in Renee, but I thought he was coming around. Maybe things weren't as good as I’d hoped. "And here I thought you were okay with me taking Renee out last night."
"Yeah. 'Cause you two needed to talk." Webs was stating the obvious. We needed to talk about how we would end the prank and tell people that we weren't actually expecting a kid. Now I wanted to date his little sister. Although, we might need to wait on actually making a baby on our own since I wasn’t sure if I was dad material.
We were gathering a crowd. Gavin said, "Sounds like someone is in trouble."
"A bit." I shrugged. I was going to be in the doghouse with Webs for a bit. Not sure how much humor he would see in the prank now that I was truly falling for Renee. That was if I could figure out how to date Renee without sacrificing my relationship with Webs. I addressed Gavin. "At least I know who to turn to for advice since Klaus hasn't killed you yet."
"Doubt you want my advice, ‘cause I got lucky. Do you really want to see your girl hurt?" Gavin asked. When Sabrina had last hung out with us, her leg was in a brace and she had to use crutches. I’d forgotten that Gavin took her car crash so hard he barely left her side in the hospital, which kicked off their relationship.
"Nope. Not unless I hurt her by giving her the best orgasm in her life," I said. I couldn’t help the fact that I wanted Renee. But I realized a little too late that was a really dumb thing to say in front of Webs. Unfortunately, it caused Weber to throw me into the cinderblock wall again. It looked like he was going to punch me. "Sorry. I didn't mean any offense."
Klaus pulled Webs away from me. Probably to avoid any more hits into the wall since none of us could afford to get hurt. Webs looked at me. Almost as if he suddenly realized who he’d hit, he said, "Sorry too. But I don’t like you making jokes like that about my sister."
"Understandable. I should have thought about what I was saying." Couldn't blame him on that one. We both knew I could get a little crude at times, but normally we would just laugh it off since I wouldn't hurt a girl. "If it helps, just think of me as Renee's boyfriend."
I'd seen him call Lily "Rookie" at times, if only to remind himself of what roles Lily played in his life. When he needed to be all businesslike and think about hockey, he would call her Rookie. When it was personal time, he would call her Lily.
"Yeah." He nodded. "It's probably a good idea. But know this: if you hurt her, I'll kill you."
"Would probably be justified. Thankfully, I don't plan to hurt her."
It was utterly amazing that the two of us were avoiding the elephant in the room. We hadn't actually talked about the fact that both Lily and Weber thought Renee was having my baby. The more I thought about it, the more I wondered if he was in denial. Denial might not be a terrible thing if he was that pissed over the two of us being that passionate in front of him.
I could have been a real jackass and said something about how the two of us were going to be tied together for quite some time and out the pregnancy, but I wasn’t sure my shoulder could take another hit.
Looking at the time, I saw we all needed to head into the locker room to get changed. Both Klaus and Gavin headed out to the ice before Webs and me.
I looked over towards him. "Do we need to call a truce or something? I’m not sure if Renee mentioned it, but I plan to take her out again after practice."
"More like ground rules."
That was fair enough, although we’d see if I could actually stick to them. I tended to break rules because I was a dumbass and didn't realize they were rules. "So, what do you propose?"
"Well, for one, never joke about hurting her or talk about her sexually. Especially her sex life. There are some things I don't want to know about."
"Deal." Feeling some pain in my shoulder, I rubbed the nerve endings, hoping I could get the thing to relax. "How about we settle any scores on the ice or at least when we're padded up?"
While hockey players could be tough guys and would try to play through anything, there was a comfort to having padding and something to help soften the blows and prevent real injury.
"I'm sure that could be arranged, unless you say something especially stupid."
I nodded. At least Webs knew I meant no ill will.
Webs tied up his skates as he said, "We might make more rules as it goes on."
“Okay. As long as I’m not dead for seeing her. It’s all good.”
I’d agree to any rules he wanted as long as I could date Renee. I needed to make her mine. Not just for pretend.
Renee
It seemed too soon when I heard the garage door go up. That meant Lily and Colton must be back from the practice. I wished Matt had given me some more details of what to expect or even when he might show up.
I looked up from the sofa and saw Matt there with Lily and Colton. He was dressed casually with athletic pants, a t-shirt, and a baseball hat. I hated the hat. It took away from his facial structure. He was striking without it.
The smile on his face right sent shivers down my spine in anticipation before he gave me the sweetest kiss. It was just a nip, but it gave me that little taste of what I wanted. But I had to hand it to him. It was respectful enough and cognizant of the fact that my brother was watching. Sadly, it made me want him more and more time with him. He was becoming an addiction.
"I've missed you, Little Weber," he said.
I couldn’t believe he’d just called me that. It wasn’t like he hadn't called me Little Weber before. When we first met, that was all he would call me. I found out later that he created nicknames when he couldn't remember people's names. "Don't tell me you forgot my name again."
"No." He shook his head as his finger traced my ear and neck. "I couldn't forget you." He lowered his voice so only I could hear him. "Just trying not to be a dick in front of Webs."
Colton threw a cushion that smacked Matt squarely in the back. "Enough, you two. We all get it that you have some insta-lust going on."
Matt grabbed it off the ground and chucked it back at Colton. "We didn't do anything that you and Lil don't do." That comment was met with silence even though he was right. Matt looked directly at me as he gave me his hand. "But we should get going."
Once I was on my feet again, I placed a hand on his firm bicep. "Let me grab my purse." He nodded. I could feel his eyes following me down the hall to the guest room.
After grabbing it off the nightstand, I was surprised to find Matt in the bedroom behind me. I didn't think he would be so brazen in Colt’s house, but he engulfed me in his arms and pushed me against the wall. Our lips crushed together, and his hands were all over me.
When I pulled back, I looked up into his eyes. I was going to ask him what he was hoping to do next. I lived for relationships, and living in Regina, Canada was a huge complication. It wasn't like I lived in the next town over—I was hours away by airplane. Plus, I knew from Colton that Shoresy tended to favor casual hookups. I didn't want to be a casual hookup.
Fuck. Why couldn't this be just a simple prank and an excuse to see my brother during the season? I wasn't supposed to be falling for my brother's best friend. Yet it was clear the two of us were enjoying the direction of things.
There was a harsh knock on the door. "You better not be doing anything to Renee."
The grin that grew on Matt's face was priceless. He nuzzled my neck, sending tingles down my spine. I was so wet from the pleasure. He worked his way up my neck to my ear. "Let's not give your brother a coronary. Besides, wouldn't it be more fun if we went back to my place where we wouldn’t have any interruptions from your brother?"
If he didn't want to freak out Colton, he wouldn't have brought me into this crazy scheme of his. I just didn’t think either of us thought we would have such insane chemistry together once we had that fake kiss. He was as hungry for more as I was. "Alright."
I opened up the guest room door. Of course, Colton was standing on the other side. So I asked, "Why are you being such a perv?"
Colton folded his arms and said, "I'm not. I'm just making sure he was taking care of you."
I shook my head. It was the worst excuse in the world, and he was trying to treat me like a little girl. Quite frankly, it was annoying. I deserved better than that.
Lily came out of their bedroom. "I don't think anyone here buys that. Come on, we’re going to be late if you keep making a fuss."
"Alright." Colton hugged his girlfriend and headed downstairs.
I was glad that Lily pulled him away. It was weird seeing him get all protective over me. He never did that growing up.
Hell, he used to set me up on dates with guys. So why was Shoresy so different? Was it really that weird to see us dating?
I grabbed my jacket from the hall closet. I was surprised when Matt immediately took it from me and held it out so I could just slip my arms through. It was such a sweet gesture that I wasn't anticipating.
He took us on a short drive to a bowling alley. When we pulled up, I asked, "So, you chose bowling for our date?"
"Yeah. I could have sworn your brother said that you liked to bowl."
I nodded. I did. I was in a league back home, but it was always weird to use a new ball, rented shoes, and etcetera. As we walked up to the entrance, I recognized Colton's car. "Is it just us bowling?"
"Nope. I invited a few of the couples from the team. I thought it might be fun. Maybe get some Weber-on-Weber action and help him get used to the idea of the two of us hanging out as a couple. It only helps to make the pregnancy look more real especially if we talk about baby names and I touch your stomach some."
I smiled. It could be fun. I hadn't kicked Colton's butt bowling in a long time.
Matt gave my bottom lip a quick nip. "Oh, I see an evil smirk on your face. It's a good thing I put my money on us."
6
Matt
Walking into the bowling alley, I was giddy. The smile on Renee’s face when she realized we were going bowling was priceless. I hoped she was okay with this big group date rather than doing something one on one. The only downside would be I shouldn't really kiss her too much until after. Well I shouldn’t. But the prank could be a perfect excuse to kiss her while driving the prank further.
We quickly rented shoes and found out our lane assignments. Waiting for us at lanes five and six were Weber, Lily, Klaus, and his girlfriend Alex. That meant only Gavin and his girlfriend Sabrina were missing.
Looking towards Klaus, I said, "You're going down."
"Never," he said with a smile.
It was basic chirping, but it was fun. The good vibes got killed slightly when Gavin walked in all pissed. "Which one of you assholes put a salmon filet on my engine block?"
I cracked up. That was a new one, and oh, that had to reek. Glad it wasn't in my car. I side-eyed the two most likely culprits. They stayed stoic, which was uncharacteristic of them. Normally, they would take some ownership of a prank since their snickers would always give them away, anyway.
Renee whispered, "Who do you think did it?"
Gavin pushed my shoulders and said, "Do you know how bad it smells in my car now?"
"Dude. Don't look at me. I've been busy."
Then the most unlikely person stepped up. Little Lily said, "It was me."
"Really, Lil? What did I do to you?"
She pointed to her boyfriend, "He didn't think I could get away with a prank, and your hood pops up easily." She gave Gavin an apologetic hug. "I'll show you the tricks to get the smell out. I know it's pretty rank, but I didn't realize that was your truck. I thought it was Scuba's."
Gavin's tone changed dramatically, and he instantly forgave her. It was times like that when I would wonder if they had ever been more than just friends. On the ice, he was one of her fiercest protectors and wouldn't let anyone touch or chirp her. The only one more likely to fight a guy in Lily's honor was Weber, and we all knew those two lived together.
"Ah, I can't stay mad at you, but yeah, that's my truck. For next time, he has a Bentley like Shoresy." He looked over towards the guys. "I really thought it was one of you. I was all ready to take it out on you guys. Knowing it was Lil, I can't do anything. Although I gotta hand it to you, Lil, that was pretty devious."
He was right; it was a devious prank. I put a hand on Renee’s stomach in a hug as we waited for Gavin and Sabrina to get into their bowling shoes. Klaus was already sitting at the computer screen ready to type in the names.
Klaus pointed at me and Weber. "Okay. Let's break up the dynamic duo."
I was expecting that I wouldn't be on the same team as Webs, but I also thought they’d want to break up the siblings. Keep Sabrina and Klaus off the same team and the two Webers as well, especially since the Webers were actually good bowlers.
"I get Lager and Alex." While I liked Sabrina and Gavin, Sabrina was still recovering from a nasty accident during snowmageddon and Alex was an amazing figure skater. I wanted as many competitive athletes on the same team as possible.
"That's cool. I’d rather have Webs, anyway," Gavin said as Webs typed their two names into the screen.
We all got to bowling. We laughed and chirped each other's flubs. The only one who was super accurate was Renee, and that made her even sexier in my book. Renee was amazing at bowling. I was so glad that she was on my team. Plus, she was so sexy and smooth as she let the ball fly down the lane.
After the first match, we decided to get some snacks and drinks from the snack bar. We got some beer, water, nachos, philly cheesesteak, egg rolls, chicken wings, and spinach dip. As we waited for the food, Klaus bumped my shoulder and said, "You and Renee make a cute couple together."
I liked hearing that. Then again, I liked her and it didn’t feel like we were faking anything for a prank anymore.
While we'd all gone out in a group before, I'd been stag most of the time. Sometimes I’d invite a girl from the bar to sit with us, but most of the time, I wouldn't even take her home. This was the first time I had a proper date with me and someone I could see myself with for the long term.
"Yeah, I hate to admit it, but you guys are good together," Weber said. It seemed like I might be getting a little bit closer to getting my best friend's stamp of approval. Although, even if I got Webs’s approval, she was still going back to Regina in a couple days. It wasn’t like anything was a given.
As I paid for the treats, I looked over my shoulder. "I'm just glad you’re not gonna kill me. Would be a shame to leave the kid without a dad."
Klaus's eyes went big. "Woah, woah, a kid? I thought you guys just got together."
"That's what they want you to believe," Weber said. It was clear that he didn't buy the pregnancy claims. So, that’s why he was so focused on the fact that I’d kissed Renee earlier.
"What do you mean that’s what we want you to believe? Why would your sister lie?" I tried to be incredulous.
"Normally, I would be horrified by the idea of you two having a kid," Weber said with a straight face. "Okay, I was until Lil pointed out the timing. A pregnancy announcement over April Fool's weekend? It's fake. It's got to be . . ."
I couldn't be mad at him. I didn't thi
nk I was ready to be a dad. While I liked the idea of hooking up with Renee, we were a long ways away from kids. Plus, I was a traditionalist. Girlfriend, marriage, and then kids. All of that would happen after I retired from hockey.
Well, that secret was out. But thankfully I was saved by the bell. I didn’t have to confirm or deny everything, because the food was ready. I grabbed what I could, and Klaus grabbed the rest of it while Webs grabbed the drinks. I was so grateful that I didn't have to respond to Weber's assertion that it was just a prank.
When we got back to the lanes, I settled in next to Renee. She cuddled into my shoulder. I whispered to her, "Your brother might have figured us out."
To her credit, she didn't react at all. Instead, she reached for the cut-open egg roll and dipped it into the cheese sauce. I casually drank my beer while she looked like she was in heaven eating all the fried food. It seemed like only Alex and I didn't partake in the snacks, but that wasn't uncommon. Alex was even stricter with her diet than me, and I was pretty damn strict in the season. I couldn't blame Renee for indulging in the foods that I didn't dare touch while I was in season. I loved to see her smile.
Renee grabbed a beer from the table. As she took a sip, Weber elbowed Renee. I didn't like seeing him laying a finger on her, but I stayed still. "I knew you weren't actually pregnant with his kid."
"What?" she asked, pretending that she was oblivious to it all.
"If you were actually pregnant, there's no way you would be drinking."
She looked at the drink in her hand and shrugged her shoulders. I rubbed her back. “Alright. Fine. We’re not having a child. Although, I can’t think of a better person to have one with.” I gave Renee a quick kiss with that last statement.
She smiled and said, “I can’t think of a better person either.”