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“Is that a problem? I don’t need to know about your secret spy ring to see your influence on that campus. The same tactics work everywhere.”
“I don’t have a secret spy ring,” I said quietly.
He snorted. “Yes you do, Eva. Don’t pull that demure bullshit with me. I may not know the details, but what I do know is that you succeed at everything you put your mind to, and you're going to succeed at this too. Even if you have to deal with grumpy coffee guy all year long. Think of it as practice dealing with hot assholes in the business world. Won’t that be fun?”
I scrunched my nose, but he had a point. My influence at TU wasn’t going to magically transfer to the real world right away, but I had every intention of cultivating a powerful reputation—with time. Before that, though, I needed to get through the challenges of the next few months.
In respect to Kayleigh’s wishes, I’d kept my distance from Gavin over the last two years, going as far as to avoid Wildcat Coffee if I saw him through the window. His presence wouldn’t be a problem today since he’d be at the arena, but maybe it was time I asserted my dominance over my favorite coffee shop. I couldn’t let him keep getting away with the shit he pulled last night.
A grin spread over Stephen’s face. “There she is. Do good in the world…”
I matched his smile and finished the motto we’d shared since the day we met. “And don’t take shit from anyone.”
He stood up and stretched. “Excellent. I have to go pretend to work on a group project. Keep me updated on Operation Naked Hockey Ass.”
I laughed, trying desperately not to think about Gavin’s chest under my fingers last night. “Needs a better name. Talk later. Love you.”
“Love you too, sweet cheeks.”
I tucked my phone away, in a considerably better mood than when I’d walked into the courtyard. Across from me, pink and yellow azaleas swayed softly in the breeze. Stephen always had that effect on me.
My watch beeped with my fifteen-minute warning. After the unconventional pep talk, I had just enough time to grab a coffee before I needed to head to the gym. My ponytail brushed my bare shoulders as I turned the corner to pop into Wildcat, stupidly pleased I wouldn’t have to battle to get my fix.
A trio of people sitting at one of the high-top tables waved at me as I walked in. I didn’t recognize them, but I waved back with a warm smile. Unlike Gavin, my default was kindness. I glanced at the counter, and my good mood faded. Momentum took me two more steps into the building before I skidded to a halt.
Standing behind the counter with a pair of fuzzy black cat ears perched on his head, Gavin smirked at me.
7
Idropped my helmet on the bench in front of my locker just in time to catch the glove flying toward my face. My gaze shot across the room to Jake Sellers, the center for our second line and our resident gossip, and he wiggled his fingers for me to throw his glove back to him.
“Oh, you want this?” I feigned surprise, then tossed the glove over my shoulder into my locker.
Sellers snickered. “I knew you were cranky. What’s with all the aggression today? This was supposed to be alightpractice.”
“I’m prepping for our first match with Easton. As you all should be. Without Thompson, our second line is weak.”
Jaden Staniszweski, Thompson’s former linemate, piped up from across the room. “Hey, not our fault he transferred to the frozen tundra. Killsy and I are bringing the new guy up to speed.” He bumped shoulders with his other linemate, Killian Carter.
For his part, Killian gave me a distracted nod. Coach had paired them with another junior transfer from South Dakota, though I was pretty sure he was originally from Canada, Silas Levac.
I shook my head. “Not fast enough. Tobias Kane is going to skate right past you. Don’t make Mase carry your ass on the ice.”
Jaden muttered something, but I didn’t bother asking him to repeat himself. Instead, I focused on stripping down so I could shower and get the hell out of the locker room. Cole glanced around from his locker next to me, then lowered his voice.
“Did Danny come by after we left?”
The innocent question made my shoulders tighten to the point of pain. “Yes.”
They usually dropped the subject if I didn’t volunteer information, but from my other side, Reece joined in. “What did our new roommate think of your doppelganger?”
The image of Danny staring thoughtfully up the stairs in Eva’s direction made my jaw lock shut. I didn’t trust my brother not to fuck with me simply because he was bored, which meant he would definitely fuck with Eva if given the chance. Cole, Reece, and Mase knew the score. At least, they knew enough of it to understand I’d take care of him whether he deserved it or not.
Eva’s opinion didn’t matter.
“She didn’t meet him.”
Cole frowned. “Why not?”
