A Hockey Player's Guide To Deception

Chapter Twenty-Four

Kayla barely had time to process the barrage of questions swirling in her mind before Louis's driver arrived. Everything after that was a whirlwind—bags packed, car loaded, and before she knew it, they were cruising down the highway.

Louis fell asleep the moment he settled into his seat, leaving Kayla sitting next to him in stunned silence. She was still reeling from the bombshell he had casually dropped earlier. Her gaze shifted to him, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. Was he really asleep, or was he just pretending to avoid her inevitable questions?

She leaned back against the seat, her thoughts racing, trying to piece together the new puzzle he'd thrown her way but the gentle lull of the car soon pulled her into a deep sleep.

Kayla was startled awake by a light tap on her shoulder. She yelped, squinting against the sunlight pouring into the car. Blinking rapidly, she saw Louis standing outside, peering down at her with an amused expression.

She quickly sat upright, flashing him a boyish grin, her hands instinctively flying to her head to smooth down what she knew must look like a bird's nest of hair.

"You sleep like a corpse," Louis quipped, a chuckle escaping him.

Kayla rolled her eyes but froze mid-motion as her gaze shifted past him. Two unfamiliar figures stood next to Louis: their expressions unreadable. She hesitated before offering them an awkward wave, her smile turning sheepish as she tried to gauge their reaction. The resemblance was uncanny. The two strangers bore the same striking blonde hair and piercing blue eyes as Louis, it was like staring at carbon copies of him, one in a female form. Kayla blinked in disbelief, unsure if her grogginess was playing tricks on her.

"Hello! You must be Nathan!" the older woman, whom Kayla quickly deduced was Louis's mom, greeted with a warm, dazzling smile. She radiated effortless elegance, dressed head-to-toe in understated yet undoubtedly designer pieces.

"I've heard so much about you!" Louis's mom exclaimed warmly, pulling Kayla into a hug that caught her completely off guard. Kayla froze for a moment, her mind searching for the right way to react. After an awkward beat, she relaxed just enough to pat the woman's back stiffly, trying her best to appear at ease.

"I'm really sorry for the last-minute plans," Kayla said as she pulled away, her voice cautious. "I hope I'm not an inconvenience."

"Not at all," Louis's mom replied with a reassuring smile, her tone as warm as her embrace.

"You're the subject of every phone call home," chimed in the younger woman standing beside her.  Kayla's eyebrows shot up, her gaze darting back to Louis. His face was a picture of irritation, his jaw tight and his lips pressed into a thin line obviously he wasn't very happy that his sister shared that information. Kayla couldn't help but smile.

Amused yet bewildered, Kayla fought back a smirk. "Really? I didn't realize I was so popular."

"It's always Kingston and I this, Kingston and I that and blah blah," She drawled, rolling her eyes for dramatic effect.

 "I'm Kaylor, by the way, but you can call me Kay. You don't need to tell me your name. I already know." She raised her head, offering Kayla a warm look.

 "You have a lovely name," Kayla said cautiously, hoping her tone sounded natural. Kay's lips fell into a lopsided smile and her cheeks flushed pink.

Before she could say anything more, Louis interjected, his voice firm as he cut through the conversation. "I think it's best we head inside."

"Yes! Inside!" Louis's mum clapped as she made her up the pathway leading to the home entrance.

Grateful for the interruption, Kayla quickly hopped out of the car, slamming the door shut behind her. Her feet touched the gravel lightly, but her focus was immediately stolen by the mansion in front of her. She froze in place, her jaw slack with awe. The house or rather, the mansion stood like a monument to luxury, a blend of modern and ancient sophistication. Its sheer size was daunting, and every detail seemed meticulously crafted to perfection. Her gaze trailed to the manicured gardens and the water cascading in shimmering tiers, glittering under the sunlight. She felt utterly out of place, like she'd stumbled into a billionaire's fantasy or the pages of an old interior design magazine of the 2000s.