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“Oh, are you an Omega Psi Zeta?”
“Sure am. Omega Psi Zeta for life. Seriously, it’s a great group of guys, and we know how to throw a damn party. Bring your friend.” He nodded toward Lily, who didn’t look enthused. It was too bad, however, as she’d promised me over summer thatshe’d give at least one frat party a try, seeing how it was a rite of passage for college students.
“She actually already promised me a frat party, so we might see you there after all.”
“Oh, you remembered?” Lily teased.
We headed to the stands. If we hung around, we’d get to hear who made the first cut.
“I thought we’d dodged that bullet,” she continued.
“Come on, it’ll be fun. It’s practically a crime not to go to a frat party at least once.”
Lily sighed. “I guess you’re right. If you want to go, I’m there.”
Selena stomped up the bleachers and sat behind us. “Are you talking about the Omega Psi Zeta party? Are you sure you’re invited?”
“Yeah, that guy just invited us,” I told her sweetly and nodded to Warner, who was standing talking to his football buddies.
Selena raised an eyebrow. “Did he? I didn’t know you were friends with Warner James.”
“I’m not.”
She shrugged. “Whatever.”
Silence fell. Lily and I exchanged looks. I could feel Selena’s eyes on the back of my head as we waited.
Finally, one of the cheerleaders at the table stood. “Excellent tryouts, you guys. If I call your number, you can come back for the second stage. Everyone else, please try again next year!”
I wondered if they gave out the requisite amount of pep when you made the team, or if you were supposed to bring your own, because I was pretty sure I’d never sounded that enthusiastic about anything.
The numbers were called. Selena’s was among them, and so was mine.
“Yes!” Lily exclaimed, jumping up afterward. “I knew you were going to get in.”
“It’s the second stage, Bug,” Selena said. “I thought you were the smart one. That doesn’t mean she’s in.”
“And it doesn’t mean she isn’t,” Lily tossed at Selena and threaded her arm through mine. “Let’s go and celebrate. Lunch is on me.”
Eve
That evening wasthe first Hellions pre-game of the season. I headed back to campus after covering for someone at the diner. Even though summer was over, my position at the Chickadee was still very necessary.
I got to the rink with only a few minutes to spare before the starting buzzer. The crowd was out in full force that night for the opening game of hockey season, and a wall of green and black met my eyes. Hellions fans, excited to cheer on their champion team at home.
Lily waved wildly from some of the best seats in the house. Being the coach’s daughter meant she got front-row seats.
I headed down toward her and slid into my seat. I’d hurried the entire way over and was hot as hell. Shucking off my jacket, I tucked it under the seat and smoothed out my jersey. It was Asher’s high school jersey, number eighteen, and it had my name on the back, Martino.
“You nearly missed it!” Lily’s eyes were huge, her face flushed. She was excited to watch her boyfriend play and see her dad’s tactics in action.
I got it. She was deeply involved in the hockey world, and so was I, to a certain extent. It used to be that my brother’s dreams rode on the performance of the Hellions, so it had mattered to me, too. His dreams had always been my dreams, after all.
The players were circling the ice. Marcus was warming up near the goals, enjoying his thrusting movements way too much, as were most of the women in the crowd. Cayden had his head down and focused. Lily was sitting on her hands, her jersey the same as his, West, number ten. A large figure in black shot past, and the name jumped out at me.
Anderson, number four.
The big and burly defenseman moved so confidently, other players made sure to get out of his way. My gaze followed him, drawn, like always, to the one Ice God who drove me crazy. Last night was like a fever dream. Beckett and I might really kill each other before I could move out.
