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“He says it’s a go and to come by later.” She shoves the phone back into my pocket. “We can skip hanging out tonight if you want.”
“Are you sure?”
I can’t bring her with me to Knox Motors when we discuss a job. She already knows enough about the last one. Chase would throw her out and so would Nate and Roman. While my friends are now okay with Jade, they will never consider her one of us, and I get that. Women are not allowed into the fold, which is why they were so angry with me for such a long time. It took weeks of fighting with Roman and Chase, and Jade proving she’s trustworthy, to convince them that she’s not going to rat on them.
“Yeah, we’re hanging out right now,” Jade says.
“It’s not a big deal. We can do something tomorrow after your hockey practice is over.”
“You’re the best.” I look over long enough to flash a wicked grin at her, and she smiles in return.
Focusing on the screen, I help my brother beat the last mage in our way, and within seconds, the Sword of Balthazar falls from the sky. It flashes at the center of the screen, spinning in a circle as its magic grants us an additional power. Then it lands into Finn’s character’s hand. Only one of us can hold the sword even though we’re on the same team.
“Boom!” Finn slams the controller on the bed. “And that’s how it’s done, ladies and gentleman. The Grand Mage is next.”
“One more level, and then I have to take Jade back to campus.”
Finn nods. “Okay. But until then, we have mages to beat.”
It’s nice to finally have the best of both worlds. Bringing Jade into every aspect of my life gives me a sense of comfort I haven’t felt in a long time, which only makes me want to work as hard as possible to keep everything from falling apart. Because in my experience, happiness only lasts so long before it’s taken away from you.
Chapter Sixteen
Jade
Before the winter break, I went with Shannon to Killian’s hockey game. It was my first time showing my face in the rink as his girlfriend, and I was surprised to find that the girlfriends of his teammates were welcoming. They all made me feel as if I was one of them.
But this time, Shannon and Jamie are on a break, and I’m not so sure how long it will last. She refused to come to the game with me, and I honestly don’t blame her. Seeing Jamie after finding out about his ex-girlfriend, or whatever she is to him, sliced a hole in her chest that he has yet to repair. So, I recruited Jordan and her younger sister, Jemma, who’s also in our sorority and now dating Trent Kane.
Last month, everyone on campus found out about Tucker and Trent dating the same girl from The Queen’s Dethroned post. But no one could confirm for sure it was Jemma until she started officially dating Trent. I’m surprised she took him back considering she accidentally had sex with him and his twin brother. It was a complete misunderstanding, but still, I can’t imagine how I would have handled the situation if it had happened to me.
Jemma moves through the cold rink and leads us up the stairs and to the row where Bex Bryant and Taylor Bradshaw are huddled next to each other. They occupy the same seats every game as if they’re reserved for them. Maybe they are.
Taylor is bundled up in a winter jacket, thick gloves, and two scarves, one she has stretched across her mouth, the other around her neck. From what she’s told me, she’s from California and hates winter. She looks ridiculous compared to Bex, who’s only wearing jeans and a thin sweater. Bex’s dad is the coach of the men’s hockey team, so she’s accustomed to the temperature inside the building. It’s still freezing outside, and being a native New Yorker, I’m no stranger to the harsher climate during the winter months.
Jemma raises her hand to catch Bex and Taylor’s attention. The two girls look up and wave to us as we take our seats on Bex’s right side. She’s a pretty blonde and unusually tall for a girl. So is Taylor. They’re on the women’s basketball team together. Over the years, I’ve run into them on campus, though I didn’t know either of them well until I started sitting with them at Killian’s games.
“I don’t feel so hot,” Jemma mutters, rubbing her hand over her stomach.
“Morning sickness?” I say under my breath.
She bobs her head.
Not many people know yet that Jemma is pregnant with Trent’s baby. She found out just after we returned to campus from winter break.
Jordan hooks her arm through Jemma’s and says, “C’mon, I’ll hold your hair.”
