Page 43 of Rival Darling
I knew the answer, but I wanted to hear it from her. Her plan to make Hoffman jealous had clearly worked, but given her reaction and the way she was freaking out, a small part of me wondered if perhaps she’d been just as affected by the kiss as me.
“And, if I remember correctly, you were the one who concocted the whole story about us dating,” I continued. "After you attacked me with your lips, that is.”
“It was hardly an attack, and I didn’t hear you complaining.”
“Oh, I wasn’t complaining. The kiss was great. Maybe we should do it again.”
Violet’s lips twitched as though she was struggling to withhold a smile. But any look of amusement was quickly gone as her eyes filled with concern once again. “Let’s just forget about that entirely and focus on the real problem.”
“Which is?”
“How people are going to react when they find out the truth.”
“That you’re a great kisser?”
“No, Reed.” She was starting to sound exasperated. “That we’re not really dating, and it was all a lie.”
“Ah.” That terrible truth.
"I’m sorry I kissed you,” she started. “But I wasn’t thinking straight at the time. I just wanted Jeremy to see I was moving on. He wants to get back together, and he won’t take no for answer, so I had to do something.”
As much as I hated Jeremy, I didn’t blame him for not wanting to give Violet up without a fight.
“I didn’t realize he’d storm over and confront us,” she continued. “I just figured he’d see us together and finally realize I was done with him.” She let out a heavy sigh. “But once he finds out we weren’t really kissing. Aren’t really dating. He’s going to think he still has a chance.”
She groaned and placed her head in her hands. “Then there’s the whole puck bunny thing. I don’t want people thinking that about me.”
As Violet spoke, I was struggling to stop myself from interrupting her so I could tell her that I wasn’t sorry she’d kissed me. That it felt one hundred percent real to me. With every word, this girl was shattering my heart but making it beat harder at the same time.
“There might be a way we can avoid all of that,” I said. An idea was forming in my mind, and I couldn’t stop it from bursting out.
“What? How?” Her hands fell away from her face, and a glimmer of hope shone in her eyes.
“It should be quite easy really. Just date me.” I shrugged like it was no big deal, but my heart was on tenterhooks as I waited for her response.
Her shoulders slouched, and she slowly exhaled like my response hadn’t been the one she was hoping for. Again, it was the reaction I expected but not the one I wanted. “I already told you, Reed, I’m done with hockey players.”
“You can’t be that done with hockey players. You just kissed one…”
“Yes, but that was a mistake.”
Ouch. Another punch to the gut. I was taking some serious punishment here, but I was still standing. Had I really been the only one to feel fireworks exploding when we’d kissed? Apparently, so.
“Besides, I’m not ready for another boyfriend,” she continued. “Not after Jeremy…”
“Yeah, I know that. Obviously. I’m not looking for a relationship either.” That was actually the truth. At least, it had been until I’d met Violet. “We’d only be pretending to date." From the casual way I said it, you’d think it was a totally obvious and totally normal thing to do. “We just have to live the lie for a little while.”
“Pretend to date?” She let out an uncomfortable laugh.
“Yeah. We can just act like we’re together until Jeremy gets the picture. Technically you won’t be breaking your rule because we’re not really dating.” The more I thought about it, the more appealing the idea became. I got to date Violet without the risk of heartbreak that came with a real relationship.
She still didn’t look convinced, so I continued. “Seeing us together clearly drives Hoffman crazy. Isn’t there a small part of you that wants to make him pay for what he did to you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Really?”
“Okay, maybe a small part,” she admitted. “But what do you get out of pretending to date me?"