Deke (Fake Boyfriend 3)

“Yeah, that sounds more like what I was expecting. I guess I’ve always figured Tommy to be the flashy type not …” I stare at the renovated colonial house, which is beautiful, yes, but it’s … normal.

“Tommy’s ego on the ice might be huge, but in reality, he’s just a guy supporting his family. The difference between hockey-season and off-season Tommy is astounding. I can’t wait for you to witness it.”

He grimaces, and I assume it’s because he realizes what he’s said. After the season, I’ll most likely be back in Chicago. We won’t be hanging out and doing whatever we’re doing.

As we approach the house, my ankle twinges with each hobbled step. It’s definitely less painful today but still annoying.

Ollie huffs and lifts me bridal style before I even have the chance to protest.

“What are you doing?” I struggle against him. “I can walk, dickhead. Plus, I’m, like, heavy and shit.”

He leans in, so his mouth is close to my ear. “Need to keep your foot elevated, remember?”

A shiver runs through me from memories of last night.

My eyes scan the quiet street, but paranoia for Ollie sets in. “What if someone’s watching?”

He does the same glance over the street I did. “Let them see. You’re just an injured guy being carried by a super-hot, super-strong hockey player. I’m being chivalrous.”

I laugh. “If you say so.”

“And you’re not heavy. I bench press more than you daily.”

“Okay, big guy, I get it. You have muscles.”

Ollie’s voice takes on a husky quality as he says, “Muscles you traced with your tongue last night.”

“Truth.”

I don’t know what game Ollie’s playing, but it’s working. Reminding me of last night has me hardening and my worries of our future muted.

But my hard-on dies completely when Tommy’s door opens, and instead of Tommy or his wife—or hell, I’d settle for either of his kids—Damon, my friend and Ollie’s agent, stands there looking at us with a furrowed brow.

His dark hair is styled casual messy like it always is, but instead of the suit I’m used to seeing him in, he’s in jeans and a T-shirt. That’s when I remember his boyfriend is Tommy’s brother-in-law.

“Shit,” I gasp as Ollie almost drops me. I struggle the rest of the way out of his grip and tell my brain to come up with an excuse. Any excuse. “Umm, I injured my foot, and my magazine wanted me to interview Ollie and do a follow-up to all those articles I wrote about him earlier in the season, and now that the Dragons are out—”

Ollie bursts out laughing. “It’s a good thing for me that you suck at lying.” He throws his arm around me. “Hey, Damon, you know my boyfriend, right?”

Damon’s eyes are the size of saucers, and they probably match mine.

“Boyfriend?” I croak.

“Boyfriend-type-person,” Ollie says with a wave of his hand. “You know what I mean.” He kisses the side of my head and walks past Damon into Tommy’s house.

Damon and I stare at each other with mirrored dumbfounded expressions.

“Did he just come out to me?” Damon asks. “Oh, God, has he come out to the world without telling me first?” He whips out his phone from his pocket, but I step forward and cover it with my hand.

“Your professional world isn’t imploding, but I fear Ollie’s head might be. I had no idea he was going to do that.”

We make our way inside, Damon faster than I can manage on my ankle, only to find Ollie in the kitchen talking to Tommy as if he didn’t just come out to his agent.

Ollie claps Tommy on the shoulder. “Ready for the game, old man?”

“Of course,” Tommy says as his wife and Maddox enter the room.

“Why do you guys look like you’re trying to do math?” Maddox asks Damon and me.

The dynamic hockey duo turns to us, as if just realizing we’d followed them in.

“Oh. That,” Ollie says. “I think they’re freaking out because I told Damon that Lennon and I are a thing.”

Maddox cocks his head at Damon. “Why would that shock you? We saw them flirting at the benefit.”

“I’m trying to work out if I should be in friend mode or agent mode,” Damon says.

Ollie finally loses his calm composure, and he frowns. “You guys already know I’m gay?”

Damon shrugs. “Suspected.”

“Lennon, did you give me your gay vibes?”

I laugh.

Damon takes out his phone again. “Does this mean … like, do you need me to do a press release, or—”

“No,” Ollie says quickly. “Not ready for that, and I hadn’t planned on telling you today, but I’d planned on it eventually.”

Damon nods. “Whenever you’re ready. OnTrack Sports and I will support you one hundred percent.”

“Yeah. After Matt, I figured,” Ollie says.

Tommy slaps Ollie on the back. “I’m gonna be totally lame here and tell you I’m proud of you.”

Ollie nudges him. “’Cause I totally did it for you, bro.” His eyes flick to mine before looking away again and speaking quietly. I don’t think I’m supposed to hear it, but I do. “Not making the same mistakes this time.”