Hat Trick (Fake Boyfriend 5)

Lennon avoids my gaze. “I told them. About the guy.”

Motherfucking Lennon. I love him, but I should’ve thought twice before telling him about Harley … well, “Harry.” He and Ollie asked what was really up with canceling the tour while we were on the mainland today, and I thought they’d back off if I told them a smidgen of what happened. They know about as much as Soren.

Tour love gone bad.

“Okay, so I’m out here wallowing. I’m allowed to do that in private, ain’t I?”

“Aww, our baby boy’s first heartbreak,” Noah, the smartass, says. He holds his hand over his heart.

“This is why I didn’t tell you guys and why Lennon should’ve kept his mouth shut.”

Lennon eyes me as if in challenge, and I have no idea why he’s looking at me like that. He should’ve kept it to himself, and he and I are gonna have words.

“What, you don’t think we would’ve been supportive?” Matt asks.

“The opposite. Too supportive. And y’all gonna try to make me feel better, and I’m fine.”

“Operation Get Jet So Drunk He Can’t Remember His Name is underway already,” Noah says. “Can’t stop it now.”

Yep. I was afraid of that. “Great plan … Wait, until I can’t remember the guy’s name or my own name?”

Noah looks pensive. “Both.”

I laugh. “Cool. Can you guys start executing it while I hang out here and execute Lennon first? Thanks.”

Lennon hangs his head.

“Five minutes,” Noah says. “Then you’re ours.”

Great. How to get out of this one? I’ve seen what self-medicating does on the road, and I still have no desire to join that club even if I can afford my own rehab now.

Having gambling addicts for parents makes addiction a touchy subject for me and something I have no desire to develop.

The guys make their way back through the trees, but Ollie and Soren stay back with Lennon.

“You need me to stay for protection?” Ollie asks.

“I’m not really going to kill him,” I say.

Ollie scoffs. “I was actually talking to you because Lennon did you a favor back there.”

“A favor? How is telling my brothers I’m going through a breakup a favor?”

“Because it’s better than telling them you and Soren have been making eyes at each other all night,” Ollie says.

Soren stiffens. “Oh, shit.”

Lennon looks smug. “You guys are playing with fire.”

“Yeah, well, I light fires to feel joy.” I try to not let it show how them knowing about us affects me.

“Tell us the truth,” Ollie says. “You guys hooked up years ago, didn’t you?”

My façade drops. “H-how …”

“How did you know?” Soren asks.

“Boom.” Ollie turns to Lennon. “Someone owes me twenty bucks.”

Lennon grumbles.

“It was the night you lost the Stanley Cup, wasn’t it?” Ollie is way too enthusiastic about this. “You guys were doing the exact same thing you’ve been doing tonight.”

Soren and I meet each other’s gaze, our faces stoic. At least, he looks stoic.

I must be doing the heart eyes thing again because Ollie adds, “Yes. Exactly what you’re doing now.” His face falls. “Wait. That means ‘Hat Trick Heartbreak’ isn’t about me and Lennon?”

“Do you really want it to be?” I ask. “It’s about being treated like shit.”

Lennon runs his hand down Ollie’s arm. “Can you take Soren and get your dance on while I talk with Jet?”

Uh-oh.

“Yes. I need to dance.” Ollie grabs Soren’s arm.

“You need to dance with me?” Soren asks.

“Lennon still refuses to. I love him, but he’s ridiculously uncoordinated on a dance floor.”

“Trust me. I do it for your benefit more than mine,” Lennon calls after them as they make their way back inside. Then he turns on me. “What’s going on?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you and Soren being all … you and Soren again? It’s been like …”

“Three years.” Shit. I slam my mouth shut. “But I still have no idea what you’re talking about. And even if I did, why would I tell you when you’ll run and tell Matt and Noah everything?”

He gestures toward the building. “I did that for you. It was either that or have them wondering why Soren was chasing after you.”

“He wasn’t chasing … okay, he was, but it’s none of their goddamn business.”

“What happened between you two?”

“What, you want the intimate details? Perv.”

Lennon’s unamused at my attempt at deflection. “No. I mean, what happened?”

“He didn’t know I was Matt’s brother until the morning after. That was a fun conversation. He looked like he was going to vomit.”

Lennon laughs.

“Then I went on tour, he got back together with Bryce, and that was it. It was nothing. There was no big drama or breakup or anything like that. And we’ve only seen each other once since then. Now he’s here, we’re both single—no, we’re both hurting. It makes sense we’d gravitate toward each other.”

“That’s all it is?”

“Last night was the first time since I broke up with Harry that I didn’t go to bed thinking about how lonely I am.”