“What, no practicing?” he teases, puckering his lips in an exaggerated kiss.
“Nope.”
His eyes hold mine. Then he says, voice light, like it’s nothing more than a joke, “And no falling for each other.”
I laugh, because that’s what you do when your best friend turns a line like that into a joke. “Obviously.”
We’ve been friends too long for this to be complicated.
The rules are set. The lines are clear. There’s nothing about this that can get messy.
SEVEN
CHASE
DYLAN:Mad wants us to meet at the ranch house before the ball. She’s still hoping to sneak into the limo.
CHASE:If we slap a mustache on her and say she’s my agent, maybe.
JAKE:You’ve got your own game tonight, Chase. Don’t fumble that red carpet kiss.
DYLAN:Hope you’ve been practicing in the mirror like you did before Marie Kettleman.
CHASE:That was 10th grade and my first kiss!
JAKE:Surprised it wasn’t your last after you headbutted her.
CHASE:Great pep talk!
DYLAN:Anytime, dude!
I shove my phone into the back pocket of my jeans and stare down the long dirt track that leads from Oakwood Ranch all the way to the highway, flanked on either side by open grassland and thick clusters of trees. Gravel crunches under my boots as I shift my weight, my body fizzing with the knowledge that any minute now my best friend’s blue truck will appear on the road.
Tonight is the Hearts of Denver awards. Our fake date night.
Since Harper suggested it, pretending to date Serena has felt like the answer to everything. The Chasing Love DMs and crowds have only grown in the last few weeks, no matter what I say or do. If the world needs to see I’m off the market to finally move on, then fine. I’m more than ready to make that happen. Especially as it’s gonna send a clear message to Ryan too. And seeing as Dylan is receiving an award tonight for the Stormhawks outreach program, and the entire Sullivan family—minus Madison because she’s too young—are all attending, the Stormhawks are sending a car for us. Given Serena is my date, it made sense for her to come here and get ready first.
I hear movement behind me and see Mama walking my way from the direction of the ranch house, carrying an empty stew pot. She’s wearing her usual oversized Stormhawks jersey and paint-splattered overalls. Her gray-blonde bob is pinned back on one side with a Stormhawks clip Madison made. It’s so Mama. No-nonsense and all heart. She might be five foot nothing and tiny next to me, Dylan, and Jake, but she’s fierce. After Dad died, Mama raised us single-handedly. Throwing us into football as a way to handle our grief. As soon as the college football scouts came knocking, she took on the role of our agent and made sure we’re among the best-paid football players in the NFL. All while serving up the best beef stew and chili in the state.
“You look like you’re waiting to hitch a ride,” she calls out as she nears me, that knowing glint in her eye.
“I was hanging out with Dylan and Mad on the football field,” I say, nodding toward the back of the ranch where the sun is starting to dip below the ridges of the foothills, making them glow a dusty orange. Mama had the football field put in when we were kids, complete with goal posts and gridlines. I feel like I grew up on that field, and still spend hours out there now with Dylan, Jake, and Mad—our newest and most dedicated Stormhawks fan. “Serena’s due any minute. Figured I’d meet her out here.”
“Are you ready for your fake date?” There’s something in Mama’s tone, like a soft warning wrapped in gentle curiosity.
I study her face but, as always, her expression is unreadable. The woman should’ve been a world champion poker player. “Why do I get the feeling you don’t approve? I thought you’d be thrilled to shut down the Chasing Love circus and get talk back to my game.”
“I am,” she replies. “But I worry about the cost.”
I frown. “What cost?”
“You and Serena have been best friends for a long time, Chase. I’d hate for anything to get in the way of that.”
I chuckle, already shaking my head. “It’s just for show. And probably just tonight. One night, one kiss in front of the cameras. Tomorrow, everything will go back to how it’s supposed to be.”
She gives me a long, searching look before speaking again. “One kiss is enough to confuse things.”
Something in my stomach knots. Me and Serena, kissing. I’ve been so focused on the plan and getting my life back to normal, I haven’t stopped to think about the logistics. This isn’t just a friendly peck on the cheek. This is a real kiss. I push the concern away before it can take root.