Fake Dating My Ex's Favourite Hockey Player Chapter 145

EMILIA

"Where do I put this?" Tessa lifts up a heavy-looking stuffed animal, and it takes me a second of squinting to realize what it is. One of the ones I won on that so-called date with Liam. The one to the amusement park with that gorgeous restaurant in it.

I smile and take it from her. "I'll hold onto it."

Dinner's out of the way — which only confirmed Aaron really does have some defect in his tastebuds because it was horrible, but still the most edible thing Tessa's ever made. Now we're back to packing. Or pretending to, while I try to figure out how to tell her I'm moving in with Liam.

"So, I found this gorgeous house," she says, sliding one of my books my way. "It has a pool. Huge backyard. Three bedrooms."

I snort. "What are you gonna do with a backyard? Chase squirrels?"

She ignores me, because she's Tessa. "We could finally have a guest room. Or a movie room. And it's close to the bakery, so you could walk to work."

I freeze, the painting in my hands almost slipping. "Wait. Are you... renting a house?"

"Renting?" She looks at me like I've grown another head. "No. I'm buying it."

"Buying?!" I gape at her. I actually reach for her forehead to check for a fever. She smacks my hand away. "Are you some secret heiress who wanted to test if my friendship was real before spoiling me? And now, since we've overcome adversity together, you've decided to reveal the truth?"

She narrows her eyes. "Isn't that what I should be asking you?"

I blink. "Okay, but seriously, how the hell are you affording a house in New York? With a pool and backyard?"

She just clicks her tongue, smug. "Don't worry about it. We can go house viewing tomorrow, call dibs on rooms. The kitchen's bigger too. You can bake more." She's practically glowing, already packing half my stuff like she owns it.

And it makes me feel worse.

"Tess."

"What?"

"Promise you won't be mad."

Her eyes narrow instantly. She's halfway mad already. "Spill."

I chew my lip. God, I should've said something earlier. But I thought this was just packing junk, not her dream-house plan with me in it. "I'm... moving in with Liam."

Her right eye twitches. For a second I brace for the usual: a slipper hurled my way, a theatrical rant, guillotine-level judgment. Instead she just breathes out a single, small, "Okay."

"Just okay?" I say, incredulous. This is not the reaction I expected. This is the same woman who exploded when I hid Zane breaking into the bakery. She planned house viewings for weeks, picturing us moving in together, and I drop a bomb saying I'm moving in with Liam instead.

I feel like the worst friend in the world.

Before she can launch into anything, I go for damage control. "Tessa, I'm sorry."

"You know where to shove—" she starts, then closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she opens them again she's smiling, annoying and lovely. "I'm not mad."

That terrifies me more than her fury would've. "You're not...?"

"Nope. Not mad." She shrugs like it's nothing. "In fact, I'll help you finish packing and call the movers tomorrow so you can drop everything off."

"Tomorrow? Isn't that soon?"

"Better soon than later." She says it like she's sentencing me to domestic bliss. I feel oddly like a husband who's just been pardoned.

"Are you sure you're not mad?"

"Well, I was. But I was also planning how to guilt-trip you into coming to my AA meeting, so now that you've messed up, you basically have to go with me." She says it like it's a threat and an invitation rolled into one.

"I'm sorry," I blurt, before my brain even catches up to her words. Then it does, and I blink at her. "AA meeting?"

"It's obvious I have a bit..." She presses her lips together, then runs a hand through her blonde hair. "Okay, maybe a very obvious drinking problem. I've been thinking about going, but—" She cuts herself off, pulling her knees up and hugging them tight. Her voice is quieter when she adds, "Isn't it crazy? The great Taisiya Orlova terrified of sitting in a circle and saying out loud that she has a drinking problem."

I crawl over and wrap her in my arms. "You're such a baby."

"Shut up."

"I would've gone with you anyway. All you had to do was ask. Hugging yourself is a waste when you've got me."

She snorts. "Big words from the girl who just told me she's leaving."

"I thought you weren't mad."

"I'm not."

I smile into her hair. "You know, we're kind of co-dependent."

"Only kinda?" Tessa lets out a laugh. "But it's fine. We're both okay now. If you hadn't thrown half your life away on that abusive bastard, I wouldn't have had to worry so much. But you did. And if that same bastard hadn't guilt-tripped you into following him to Chicago, we'd just be two besties who live together and do everything together."

I snort. "Imagine if I hadn't moved in. You'd probably be Mrs. Lyle by now."

"Highly unlikely."

"You're right. You'd be in Russia with Dimitri, giving birth to his fifth son." We both shudder, and she smacks my arm.

"Point is," I continue, "it doesn't matter. We are who we are because we had each other. And I'm thankful for that. Now... we're both starting fresh. I've got Liam. You've got your dream house in New York—"

"You can stop saying that now."

"And you have a pretty great boyfriend. One who literally damaged his taste buds for you."

"Do you want me to smack you again?"

"And I'm pretty sure if I asked, you'd chauffeur me to therapy every Wednesday once this is all over."

She goes quiet, then side-eyes me before sighing. "Guess I'd have to buy a car. I was ready to be a passenger princess forever, but apparently life had other plans."

"Tell me the truth, Tess—are we rich? Like, rich rich?"

"Shut it."