Hat Trick (Fake Boyfriend 5)

“Because you’re too old for him,” Matt says.

“Fuck off,” I grumble at my brother. “Always with the babying. How the hell do you think you’re gonna do with an actual baby? Maybe you should worry more about that and less about me. I’ve been on my own for three years now. I can date who I want, and that includes any of your friends.”

“Is he my friend though?” Matt raises an eyebrow at Soren. “Isn’t bro code something like ‘Thou shalt not fuck each other’s siblings’?”

“In my defense, I fucked Jet before I was friends with you, so technically …”

Ooh, brave move, Soren.

Matt steps closer. “We want to get into technicalities? Like how you technically lied to me for three years?”

“Put your dicks away before you start a pissing contest, okay?” I turn to Soren. “Babe. Go finish packing.” I turn to my brother. “This is happening. Deal with it.”

Matt throws his hands up. “Fine.”

Soren kisses my cheek. “Fine.” He lowers his voice. “I like it when you’re bossy.”

“And I like it when I can’t hear shit like that,” Matt says.

Soren ignores him as he leaves.

“You’re going to have to get over this. You know that, right?”

Matt waves me off. “I know. And I will. I’m more pissed at the secrecy than you two being together.”

“Then what’s all the age talk?”

“An easy shot?”

“It is pretty easy.”

Matt’s brow scrunches. “The more I think about it, the more his behavior makes sense. I always thought he was semi-distant all these years because that was just him or maybe because Bryce was influencing him. Now I reckon it was because of what happened with you.”

“He’s a great guy. He cares about me, and he understands my music the way I wish all my fans would.”

“And what’s going to happen when he has to go play hockey?”

“He goes to New Jersey, and I finish off the tour.”

“Then you’ll be recording again and setting up the next tour. What kind of relationship is that?” He’s not saying anything I don’t already know, but it pisses me off all the same.

“That’s for me and Soren to work out. Not you.”

“You know if he hurts you, we get to kick his ass.”

“Yes, yes, you’re all big badasses who are violent and scary and fighty.” I pat his cheek.

“JJ …”

There was a reason I didn’t let the label make my new name JJ. It’s what my brother calls me. Matt was my protector growing up. He fed us, looked after us, and I know it’s natural for him to worry about me.

“Matt, I’ll be fine. Soren won’t hurt me.”

He can’t. He promised.

After an over-the-top goodbye with hugs all around from the guys, Joni drops Soren, Luce, and me at the airport to do the long-ass trip to the States. The flight to Fiji wasn’t too bad because we had just finished the Asian leg before we were supposed to kick off the US tour.

Soren’s presence by my side the whole way both eases my mind and makes me edgy.

I want him with me.

I love how he looks at me and the way we are with each other.

I wish Fiji could have lasted longer to explore this thing between us, because bringing him into my real life is going to add pressure I don’t need.

And then there’s Harley.

When I’m away from him, I can pretend I’m strong. Either I’m really good at being in denial or he has some sort of hold over me in person because when I don’t have to see him, I’m convinced I’m over him.

But I’ve been there before. All it would take is for him to turn up at my door, looking so damn broken, and I’d let him back into my life and my heart.

Soren shifts in his first-class bed, waking up from a long sleep on the plane.

His hypnotic amber eyes and that smile that makes him look boyish have me asking “Harley who?” which also scares me.

How will I handle both of them in one place?

Luce has already talked about running interference for us. We have a team of roadies, personal assistants, and a backup band to keep Harley away from us, but I don’t hold too much faith. They were trying to do that the last few months, but we still found a way.

Maybe now that it’ll be one-sided, it’ll be easier to keep us apart.

“You didn’t sleep?” Soren asks, his voice raspy.

“Not tired.”

I don’t tell him the only time I’ve slept more than a few hours in the last three years has been at home in New York, visiting with Matt, or the nights I’ve spent wrapped around him.

He reaches over and holds my hand while he puts his bed back into the seat position. “It’s no private plane but still comfortable.”

Luce snorts behind us. “We might have found you a man as spoiled as you are, Jay.”