All Chapters of Fake dating my ex’s Hockey-star Brother: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The Ex I Never Wanted to See AgainSophie’s Pov"You are still the same quiet girl who just takes whatever people hand to you, Sophie."Ryan’s voice cuts right through the noisy ballroom, and the sting of his words burns deep in my chest. I grip the stem of my champagne glass so tight my knuckles turn white.Around us, the lights of the grand hotel ballroom sparkle like a million tiny stars, but all I want is for the floor to open up and swallow me whole.I came here tonight to do my job. As the event planner, I spent weeks organizing this huge charity gala for Ethan’s professional hockey team. I checked every table, tested every microphone, and made sure every detail was perfect. The last thing I wanted was to cross paths with Ryan Carter. After he broke my heart, packed up his things, and acted like our years together meant nothing at all, I swore I would never let him hurt me again.Yet here we are. Ryan stands in front of me with his arm around his new fiancée, glowing with happi

The DealSophie’s PovMy jaw drops so fast it almost hits the floor."Have you completely lost your mind, Ethan Carter?" I shout into the phone, clutching it so tightly my fingers ache. "Stop pretending this was an accident? We made the whole thing up because I panicked! We cannot just keep dating!""Listen to me, Sophie," Ethan’s deep voice comes back through the speaker, calm and steady, completely ignoring my panic. "My sponsors are threatening to cancel my contracts because they think I am too wild and angry on the ice. But when they saw those pictures of us, they loved it. They think I am finally settling down. If we keep this up for the rest of the hockey season, my career is saved. And as a bonus, Ryan will never bother you again. Everyone will believe you are completely over him."I freeze. I bite my lower lip so hard I can taste the metallic tang of salt. He is right about Ryan. Last night at the gala, for the first time since our breakup, Ryan looked at me and felt defeated

The First Rule We BreakSophie’s PovMy heart hammers against my ribs like a trapped bird beating its wings in the dark.I stand frozen in the cold concrete hallway of the hockey arena, staring at Ethan after he pulls away. The ghost of his breath is still warm on my skin, and my lips practically ache from how close we came to crossing the line.We agreed there would be no kissing.Those words echo in my head over and over again like a warning bell, but they sound completely hollow now. The truth is, standing there in the shadows with the giant stadium looming around us, I did not want him to step back. I wanted him to close that final inch. I wanted to know what it felt like to forget about Ryan, to forget about the rules, and to just lose myself in Ethan’s strong arms."Right," I whisper, swallowing hard as I press my back against the chilly wall to put some safe distance between us. "The rules. Good thing you remembered them."Ethan runs a hand through his damp hair, his chest stil

The Morning AfterSophie's PovI do not sleep. I lie in bed staring at the ceiling until the sun comes up, replaying that kiss on a loop I cannot turn off no matter how hard I try.By the time Claire lets herself into my apartment with two coffees and a bag of pastries, I am curled up on my couch in yesterday's makeup, looking exactly as wrecked as I feel."Okay." She drops onto the cushion beside me, handing over a cup. "Spill. You texted me one word last night and then went completely dark.""I kissed him," I say. "He kissed me. I do not even know who started it anymore."Claire's eyebrows shoot up so fast they nearly disappear into her hairline. "Ethan Carter.""Ethan Carter," I confirm miserably, pressing the warm cup against my forehead like it might cool down the chaos in my brain."And?""And it did not feel fake, Claire. At all." My voice cracks on the last word. "This was supposed to be simple. Fake date Ryan's brother, make him jealous, fix Ethan's image, walk away in three

Ryan's Second ChanceSophie's PovRyan is waiting outside my office building when I get back from lunch three days later, leaning against the brick wall like he has every right to be there.My stomach drops straight to my shoes. "You cannot just show up at my work, Ryan.""I needed to see you." He pushes off the wall, and for the first time since the breakup, he does not look smug or superior. He looks almost nervous, his hands shoved deep into his coat pockets, dark circles under his eyes like he has not slept well in days. "I saw the photos from the charity skate.""Everyone saw the photos, Ryan. That was the point.""I know." He rubs a hand over his jaw. "Sophie, I have been doing a lot of thinking since the engagement party. About us. About how badly I handled everything.""There is no us." I move to step past him toward the door, but he shifts sideways, blocking my path without quite touching me."Just give me five minutes." His voice cracks slightly, and against every instinct s