Rival Darling: A Young Adult Hockey Romance (The Darling Devils Series)

I WAS SHOCKED I didn’t get fired during my shift at Hug in a Mug on Saturday. I dropped an empty coffee mug, spilled three drinks, and messed up far too many people’s coffee orders. My mind was most definitely not on work. Even Nicole had noticed something was off and asked me if I wanted to talk about it, but I’d just pretended I was tired, not spiraling after my fake bowling date with Reed.

Ever since I’d had dinner with the Darling family, I’d been doing my best to try to avoid Reed and the confusing, swirling emotions that bubbled up inside me whenever he was near. I was doing such a good job of it too, and then he had to go and ruin all my hard work. Just one fake bowling date, and the confusion was back; the line between fake and real was blurry as ever. No matter how hard I tried to hide from it or deny it, I knew I was starting to develop feelings for Reed that I wasn’t supposed to.

I was somewhat glad Mia hadn’t been scheduled to work with us because she wouldn’t have let me suffer in silence so easily. She’d been all over me on Friday night after I got back from bowling, wanting to hear every last detail about the date. It was surprising seeing as she’d been so opposed to Reed only a few days ago.

I’d somehow managed to dodge most of her questions about the date. But it didn’t stop me from obsessing over it as I drifted off to sleep last night. And the same thoughts continued to consume my mind today, distracting me as I tried and failed to serve coffee to my unlucky customers.

The only thing confusing me more than my own feelings were Reed’s. He had told me he missed me, and even though he denied it, I kept coming back to the same question: was Reed developing feelings beyond the boundaries of our fake relationship too?

The way he’d held me at the bowling alley and gazed into my eyes had felt so incredibly real. I’d gotten lost in the moment, and I hoped the way I responded to his touch and gazed back at him hadn’t made him think I was breaking the rules. I was afraid to admit that even to myself, let alone Reed.

I was almost hoping the Devils lost their game on Saturday afternoon. Then the victory party would be canceled, and I could get back to avoiding Reed and hiding from all these questions and feelings I was too scared to face. Unfortunately, Reed and his team won easily, of course, and I was still grappling with my emotions as I got ready for the party that night.

Mia wandered into my room while I was searching for something to wear. I’d been standing in front of my closet for ages, unable to make a decision. The clothing you chose sent a message, and I had no idea what I wanted to communicate to Reed that night. But Mia shouldered me out of the way when she realized I was struggling.

“You can’t make me wear that,” I said when she held up the shortest dress I owned. It was a piece my mom had designed and one I’d never worn before. It was more of a top than a dress, and it was so shimmery it reminded me of a disco ball. It definitely wasn’t my style, and the only reason it was in Minnesota was because my mom had thrown a pile of her latest pieces in my suitcase before we left. Seeing it now made me miss her. We’d had a brief chat a couple of days ago, but like always, she’d had to cut our call short.

“But it’s so cute,” Mia said, holding it up to her chest.

“It’s snowing outside.”

“Well, I was going to suggest you wear a jacket and boots with it.”

“Still not happening.”

Mia gave me her best pout. “You told me I could help you get ready.”

“No, I said you could keep me company while I got ready. You were the one who pushed me out of the way and started raiding my closet like a bargain hunter at Black Friday sales.”

“I just want to help.”

“I know, but I’m trying to convince people I’m not a puck bunny, not that I’m their one true queen.”

Mia snorted. “Violet Sinclair, queen of the puck bunnies. It has a nice ring to it.”

“Better than Devil worshipper, I guess.”

“I kind of like that one too,” Mia replied with a laugh. “So, no to the dress?” She lifted it up one more time and wiggled the hanger in the air like that might miraculously make me change my mind.

“Definitely not,” I replied. “And, if you insist on helping, you’re limited to jeans and tops.”

“You’re no fun.” Mia’s shoulders sunk in defeat, and she trudged back to the closet.

“Why are you so interested in how I look tonight, anyway?” I asked as she riffled through my clothes.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You just seem to have changed your tune about Reed and this whole fake relationship thing.”

“You told me I should give him a chance, so I’m doing that.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “It’s just that you’ve been telling me to stay away from him for weeks, and now you’re getting me all dressed up for him.”

“Well, you’re only pretending to date the guy, so I’ve got nothing to worry about… right?” She glanced over her shoulder as she waited for my response. It felt like she was digging for information and wanted me to disagree.

“Right.”

She rolled her eyes before focusing on the closet again. “Oh, I know!” She reached out and grabbed my hand before she dragged me into the corridor.

‘What are we doing?”

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner.” She only let go of me once we were in her room. “Okay, I have an outfit that fits your overly strict restrictions. But, before I show it to you, you have to promise me you’ll wear it.”

“Why would I do that?” I laughed. “It only makes me more concerned about what you have in mind.”

“I promise you won’t feel uncomfortable wearing it.”

“Mia…”

“Just tell me you’ll wear it. It’s too perfect for you, and you know I’m not going to back down.” From the way she was looking at me, I had a feeling she might just try to wrestle me to the ground and force me into the clothes if I refused. So, I reluctantly gave in.

“Okay, fine. But if it’s another short dress…”

“It’s not,” she quickly replied.

I was relieved when Mia pulled out a pair of denim jeans and a maroon long-sleeved top. It looked innocent enough, but from the glint in Mia’s eyes, I still felt like I should be worried.

“Why am I suspicious right now?” I asked as I took the clothes from her to try on.

“Don’t be! I would never make you wear something that wouldn’t look great on you.”

“No,” I agreed. “But you would make me wear something that flashes my ass.”

She rolled her eyes. “That was one dress.”

“Yeah. The last one.”

“Just put the clothes on, Vi.”

“Okay. Okay.”

I shimmied my way into the jeans before pulling the top on over my head. When I looked in the mirror, I was pleasantly surprised. The jeans fit perfectly and hugged my curves in all the right places. While the top was soft and luxurious against my skin, and the color complimented my complexion perfectly. With the way it enhanced my features, it was almost as if the outfit was made for me.

“This is my never-fail first-base outfit,” Mia said, grinning proudly from beside me.

“What?” I gasped.

“I never fail to reach first base with a guy when I wear this top,” she explained. “It’s got a proven track record.”

“Gross, Mia. You can’t make me wear your make-out top.”

“Uh, I can, and I will. You look great.”

“This isn’t even a real date. And I’m not trying to get to any bases with Reed.”

That didn’t mean I hadn’t been thinking about it though. Especially after last night when my skin had come alive at the feel of his hand on my waist and my lips had itched to reach up to his. I’d been imagining what it would be like to kiss him again ever since and recalling our kiss at the bonfire a whole lot more than I should, too. Had it really been as spine-tingling as I remembered? I tried to convince myself it wasn’t, because I knew I shouldn’t be thinking about Reed that way, but it was too hard. The kiss really was that good.

“Oh my god, you’re thinking about it now, aren’t you?” Mia smirked.

“No, of course not.” I quickly busied myself rummaging through the jewelry collection on Mia’s dresser.

“Well, maybe you should be,” she suggested and passed me a necklace. It was perfect for the outfit and, knowing her, probably a key part of the superstition that went along with the top and jeans. “I bet he’s an incredible kisser…”

I ignored the necklace in her outstretched hands. “Okay, now I’m certain you’ve changed your tune about Reed. What happened to him being a big scary Darling Devil that I should avoid at all costs?”

“Well, you keep telling me he’s not like the rumors say,” Mia said. “And if he’s half as great as you seem to think, maybe you should give him a chance.”

“I’ve never said he’s great,” I muttered.

“Except you kind of have.” She gave me a knowing smile. “The way you’ve been acting says even more than your words could. You like him, don’t you?”

I hesitated. It wasn’t as simple as that. After everything I’d been through with Jeremy, I’d be an idiot to fall for another hockey player, to even consider another relationship with one. But each time I saw Reed, my feelings seemed to grow and intensify. I’d been trying so hard to ignore them or pretend they weren’t there, but I was beginning to realize that might be impossible.

Mia was the one person I could talk to about this, and while I wasn’t sure if I was ready to vocalize how I felt, I didn’t think I could keep my internal struggle to myself either. Reed and I only had one week left together. If I didn’t face my feelings now, he might be gone from my life before I got a chance to explore them.

“Okay.” I sighed. “I might like him…”

“I knew it.” Mia practically touched the ceiling as she jumped in celebration.

“But it doesn’t matter because I’m not dating another hockey player. I can’t. I’m done with cocky jocks for good.”

“I know you have your reasons for that rule,” Mia said. “But you made an exception for Jeremy…”

“Yeah, and look how that turned out.”

“Okay, so you picked the wrong player, and perhaps you’re right to be cautious where hockey stars are involved. Hell, you’re right to be cautious with any guy. But they aren’t all bad. And Reed is not Jeremy.”

“No.” That we could definitely agree on. “But, even if I was crazy enough to forget my rule and date another hockey player, Reed doesn’t like me that way.”

At least, that’s what I told Mia. But it could get confusing when we were together, sharing laughs that felt as easy as breathing and smiles that made my heart glow warm with happiness. Sometimes when we held hands, I could feel his skin sparking just like mine. And then there were a few moments, like in his room and at the bowling alley, when it had seemed certain we would kiss. All of this pointed toward Reed returning my feelings. But I couldn’t tell if these moments were just a part of our arrangement or the beginning of something real.

“Are you sure he doesn’t like you?” Mia asked.

“He can’t,” I replied. “We promised each other we wouldn’t get feelings.”

“You developed feelings,” she replied.

“I’m an idiot.”

“Well, you know there’s one surefire way to find out…”

“There is?”

“Yeah,” she said. “You just tell him how you feel.”

“No way!” I instinctively shouted. There was still every chance he’d simply laugh in my face. And every time I thought it might be worth the risk, every time I thought maybe he might be somewhat interested in me, I kept coming back to one simple fact: Reed Darling didn’t want a real relationship. It was why he agreed to this whole mess in the first place.

“He’s made it pretty clear he’s not interested in dating right now,” I added. “That’s why I was the perfect candidate for a fake relationship… I didn’t want a real one either. Especially not with someone like him.”

“I’m still not convinced,” Mia said.

“I don’t know what else to tell you. But I’m definitely not going to confess my feelings to him. I was barely even able to share them with you.”

Mia lifted her hands in defeat. “In that case, I see no other option. You’re just going to have to kiss him again.”

“What? How is that the next logical step?”

“Because a kiss can tell you everything you need to know about how another person feels. You can’t fake chemistry, and if this relationship really is just pretend, he won’t be into it.”

“I don’t know, Mia. Will I really be able to tell what he’s feeling from a kiss alone? He seemed pretty into our kiss at the bonfire… Are you saying he wanted to date me even then?”

“It’s not just about the kiss,” she said. “It’s the whole package. How he looks you in the eyes before and after, how he holds you, all that stuff. Just trust me; kiss him, and you’ll know.”

My heart pounded with anticipation. The first time we’d kissed was incredible. But I’d been fueled by anger then, and I knew I didn’t have any feelings for Reed at the time. What would it be like if we kissed again? Would it intensify my feelings for him or only add to my confusion?

“What if I’m only setting myself up to get hurt again?” I asked.

“I guess you have to decide if he’s worth the risk. And whether you’re willing to take the risk,” she said.

Mia was asking me to be brave, but I wasn’t sure I was capable. Putting my heart out there, to see if my feelings were returned, felt like launching out of a plane with a shoddy parachute you’d found on Marketplace—there was every chance it wouldn’t open to catch your fall.

“But if you want to stay cautious, then you’re already in the perfect situation to pull this off,” she continued.

“I am?”

“Yep. The whole reason you’re going to this party with him is because the girls at his school are coming on to him too hard and you need to show off your relationship, right?”

“Yeah, so?”

“And so, all you have to do is pretend like they’re making eyes at him and suggest you two kiss to send them a message. If, by some miracle, he doesn’t seem into it, you can just say you were only being a good fake girlfriend. Reed is none the wiser, and no one gets hurt.”

“I guess so.”

“I know so,” she added. “Now, let’s fix your hair and makeup. We don’t want you to be late.” I sighed and allowed Mia to finish preparing me for the party. There was really no point fighting her. It was a battle I knew I’d lose.

Once Mia was finished, I had to admit she’d done an amazing job. She’d left my long, red hair loose, and the earthy tones she’d used for my makeup highlighted my eyes nicely. I’d expected her to go for some kind of bold glamour look, but she must have realized how much I’d hate it and settled for something more subtle.

“Thanks, Mia,” I said, smiling at her in the mirror’s reflection. She’d somehow managed to achieve the perfect balance of accentuating my features without also making it look like I’d tried too hard.

“You’re hot.” She grinned appreciatively. “Tell Reed he can thank me later.”

“Of course, that’s the first thing I’ll tell him.” I glanced at the time on my phone. Reed was supposed to be here to pick me up ten minutes ago, and I was surprised I hadn’t received a message saying he was running late.

“What is it?” Mia asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” I replied, double-checking my phone to see if I’d missed a call or text. “Reed’s just running late.”

“Uh, about that…” Mia tucked her hands into her pockets, a guilty look on her face. “He might be here already.”

“What?”

“Yeah, he arrived when I went downstairs to grab my hair straightener. I wasn’t done with you yet, so I told him to wait in the living room.”

“Mia,” I groaned. “Why didn’t you tell me? What if Luke’s in there grilling him?”

“Uh, I think he is…”

“Are you kidding me?” I quickly grabbed my bag off the bed and raced downstairs. Ten minutes with Luke and it wouldn’t matter what I felt for Reed. Fake or not, our relationship would probably be over.

I hurried to the living room but stopped by the door when I heard laughing coming from within. I cautiously edged into the room and saw Reed was sitting in an armchair chatting freely with Luke who was on the couch opposite. There was no pained look in Reed’s eyes and no anger, disgust, or suspicion on Luke’s face. The two of them were both smiling and talking.

Reed jumped up from his chair as soon as he saw me enter the room. His eyes lit up, and he gave me a warm smile. He started to walk toward me but bumped into the coffee table and almost tripped.

I spluttered out a laugh. He was blushing, and it was actually really cute.

“Hey,” he said, his deep voice rumbly and all too familiar as he came to stand before me.

“Hey, yourself. Are you okay? That coffee table nearly took you out.”

“I’ll survive,” he said, still slightly red in the cheeks. “You look gorgeous.”

My cheeks flushed just as bright as his at the compliment. The moment didn’t last long though because Luke cleared his throat.

“The coffee table won’t be the only thing injuring you if you keep looking at my niece that way.”

There was the Luke I knew and loved. I guessed whatever joke he and Reed had been sharing before I came in was short-lived.

“Uncle Luke, don’t–” I started to complain.

“It’s okay, Violet,” Luke said, lifting himself off the couch and coming to stand near us. “I’m only joking.”

“You are?” Now I was even more confused than when I’d seen them laughing and chatting together.

“Well, no, I’m not joking. I’m actually deadly serious,” he said, raising an eyebrow at Reed. “But don’t worry, I’d give the same threat to any boy who takes you out. I think this one might actually be all right though.”

“You do?” I couldn’t hide my surprise.

“Yeah.” Luke shrugged. “Reed and I just had a little chat, and I think we’ve come to an understanding. And, while I’m not going to go so far as to say I totally trust him yet, I do trust you. And if you like Reed, then I guess I like Reed too.”

He made his point by giving Reed a firm slap on the back, and I couldn’t help but let a grin pull at my lips. Reed also seemed to be holding back a smirk, and he gave me a subtle wink.

“Okay…” I said, unsure what exactly had just happened. “Thanks, Luke.”

He nodded before turning to Reed. “Just remember, you do anything to upset Violet, and the coffee table will be the least of your problems.”

I expected Reed to look embarrassed or concerned, at the very least. But he turned to Luke and smiled. “Understood. I’ll be the perfect gentlemen.”

“Right, well, I think that’s enough threats for one night. We’ll see you later, Luke.” I practically dragged Reed away before my uncle could get in another word.

Mia was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, grinning wickedly as she watched us. “Have fun tonight, kids,” she said.

“Bye, Mia,” I replied without stopping. After Luke’s performance, I didn’t want to stick around to see what else my cousin had to say. It would probably have been something about my first-base outfit.

As soon as we got to Reed’s truck, I grabbed his arm to stop him. “Okay, what was that between you and Luke?” I glanced over my shoulder as I spoke to make sure Mia and my uncle weren’t watching us leave through the windows. The blinds in the living room quickly jerked shut, and I shot a glare in that direction. It had to be Mia, and I really hoped it wasn’t Luke too.

“What do you mean?” Reed asked, a look of deliberate thoughtfulness on his face.

“You know what I mean. Last time you came over and Luke was here he almost kicked you out before you walked through the door. Tonight, you’re in there laughing together.”

“It was nothing,” he said. “We were just bonding.”

“Bonding? Over what?”

“Well, it seems Luke used to play a bit of hockey when he was in school around here. He heard we destroyed the Summit High Vikings in our game today and was very happy about it. I guess they were his rival team back in the day.”

I shook my head in disbelief. What was it about hockey in this place?

“So, you’re saying one quick conversation about hockey and you’re suddenly the apple of my uncle’s eye.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Reed continued. “The first time I met Luke, he clearly didn’t like me, but you whisked me away before I got a chance to change his mind. I decided to arrive a little early tonight so I could talk to Luke one on one.”

“And say what?”

“And say that there’s nothing for him to worry about. Because I really care about you and I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

Reed said it casually, like it was the most normal thing in the world. He reached out and opened the door of his truck, gesturing for me to get in, but I was frozen in place. Had he really meant the things he’d told Luke, or was he just saying them to avoid hassle from my uncle. I wasn’t sure I could handle the answer. Either way, it was one of the sweetest things a boyfriend, fake or real, had ever said to me.

I simply smiled at him and nodded before I climbed into the truck and let him close the door. I was still a little unsure about what had just happened, but what I did know was I was more nervous about this party than ever before because maybe Mia was right. Maybe it was time to take a risk on Reed.