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“Is something wrong, Marcus?” Winona asks.

“No. Nothing. I’m just … hungry.”

“Well, let’s get you some cake,” she says with a smile.

Treyvon, Linc and Pierce show up, and then a red pickup pulls up and two girls hop out. Cass steps down out of the front passenger seat, looks around, sees Winona, and a smile like the sun lights up her face. Her gaze drifts toward me and there’s this moment where her face falls. She catches herself, but I saw it. Something delusional in me wants her to smile like she does when she sees Winona when she sees me.

It won’t ever happen. And why do I care? She drives me nuts.

Never in my life has someone irritated me more than Cass Carter.

Carter. Carter. Carter.

Why doesn’t she want me to use her last name?

I walk over to her. A boyfriend would.

She sees me coming and her spine stiffens like she’s preparing for a hit on the field.

“Hey,” I say, turning the charm on to about a five out of ten.

“Hey,” she says back, her eyes meeting mine.

Our gazes lock and we study one another like we’re cramming for a test.

I don’t know what to do. I didn’t study. I don’t have the notes. I just lean in and place a kiss on her cheek. She smells like lemons and blossoms in a spring orchard.

When I pull away, her eyes are slightly wide and there’s a flush to her cheeks.

“Patrick can’t make it,” Declan says from behind us. “He’s on shift at the fire station.”

“I guess that’s everyone,” Winona says. “Let them eat cake!”

She thrusts her fist in the air.

Our group approaches the bakery door.

“Kissing?” Cass says to me under her breath.

“I’m improvising here,” I whisper back.

“Improvise at a distance,” she whisper-scolds.

“You’re my girlfriend,” I remind her.

“Fake girlfriend,” she says in a voice that’s almost impossible to hear.

I don’t do distance. Not when I like someone. And you know who knows that about me? Treyvon. We grew up together. He can tell when I’m into someone. I haven’t been seriously interested all that many times. But there were a few girls in high school, one in college, and a handful since.

Trey smiles over at us like he’s proving a point. He thinks he saw some chemistry between Cass and me all along. He’s convinced we’re finally giving into this latent attraction. When I finally tell him we’ve been faking, he’s going to lose it. I won’t be able to keep him from laughing me into next week. I’ll deserve it.

If this charade weren’t some weird key to my future fame and the solidifying of my redeemed reputation, I’d never come within ten feet of Cass Carter. And it’s not only for me. I’m really doing this for the team. I want to keep my position with the Thunder. And I don’t want my misstep last season to be a stain on the other players and the organization.

We walk inside the bakery, all glass windows facing the street and a large glass case running nearly the entire length of the room, full of all the types of treats I avoid in-season. A cluster of tables has been pulled together at the very back of the room past the glass case with signs on the tables saying Reserved.

“Hey, everyone!” one of the women behind the counter says. “I’m Emberleigh. Sydney, the co-owner of our bakery, who is also one of the bridesmaids, can’t be here today. So it’ll be me and Jolene serving you.

“I’ve got sample slices of each flavor we baked based on Declan and Winona’s preferences. If everyone will move to the back of the room to the tables we have set aside for you, Jolene and I will bring out the cake.”