Deke Me Paperback

From fake dates to real fate, love has its own playbook.

My life is a mess. The last thing I have time for is to fake date Blake Morton, the arrogantly charming captain of the hockey team. But with my grandmother’s looming rent and a paycheck that’s playing hide and seek, I have little choice but to accept Blake’s bizarre proposition: pretend to be his girlfriend.

The deal is simple—no strings attached, just play the part and collect the payment. Easy, right?

Wrong. Emotions don’t play by the rules, especially when you’re teamed up with someone who’s supposed to be nothing more than an arrangement.

I come from a world where every penny counts, while Blake has everything—a sizable trust fund and effortless talent. Yet, as our charade deepens, so do the glimpses of vulnerability behind his perfect facade, and the more I fall for the real Blake.

My job was to fend off distractors, not become one. As lines between reality and make-believe blur, I’m left questioning: Can my feelings withstand the ultimate test, or will they prove to be the most compelling distraction of all?

“Look, Amanda…” His voice is a low rumble, and he runs a hand through his tousled hair, an edge of frustration to the movement. “I shouldn’t have kissed you like that. We said we’d keep things simple.”

   His hand squeezes mine as his entire body begs for forgiveness. Does he regret kissing me? I don’t think so. I think it’s more like he regrets liking it. But that can’t be right, can it? 

“Simple seems to be a luxury we can’t afford right now,” I say, the words tasting like a truth I’m not ready to face. How can I with how my skin tingles when he touches me? We resume walking to the parking lot. 

“Complicated isn’t necessarily bad, right?” He stops just before his car, turning to look at me with an intensity that makes my breath catch. I swear there’s a flicker of hope in his gaze, but I’m unsure if that was real or just my overactive imagination. 

“Maybe not,” I say. But even as I acknowledge the spark between us, my mind races with why this can’t happen and why I can’t let myself fall for Blake Morton. “We did say we’d have to kiss, for appearance’s sake.” 

“That we did.” Mirth dances in those blue irises as I slide into the passenger seat. Before he closes my door, he leans down, full dimple on display. “I’m sure someone was watching.”