“Nash and Mack had to fight for you, Taryn,” Colsen adds. “They argued that it was an accident or there was foul play because you weren’t the one who fastened that button.”
Everyone is looking at me like I’m crazy. “Look, I don’t know. Ok? I think she did something to that button and to the safety pin, but Carole was clear that she needed proof to justify excluding one of the highest scorers of the day. And I didn’t have any proof other than my gut feeling and Mack’s. Maybe it was an accident.”
“I doubt it.” Tucker says. “I’ve gone to school with Gen for three years and that’s exactly something she would do.”
It’s Talia’s turn to back her brother. “We’ve been in the same sorority for two. And Gen is the meanest person I’ve ever met. She made our president cry on more than one occasion.”
“It’s true.” Tucker agrees. “Candace told me she almost quit the Zetas for the sake of never having to speak to Gen again.”
“Yeah. And she plans to run for president this year. If she gets elected, I’m ending my membership.” Talia’s tone is grim.
Jodie barks out a mirthless laugh. “Fucking great. She wants to be team captain, too. We need to stop her.”
Talia takes her hand, giving it a squeeze in solidarity. “I’m in. Gen never plays by the rules because she thinks they don’tapply to her. We need to watch her and be ready to get proof next time she does something wrong or questionable. Carole and Lexi might look at her in a favorable light, but I doubt they’ll let her get away with the kind of thing she did to you a second time. They want positive vibes for their team, a sisterhood. All we have to do is show them that Gen is the wrong person for that.”
I hate conflict.
“I almost wish she had gotten her wish to have an apartment on the ground floor. Living with her is going to be hard.” I sigh.
Colsen grabs the biggest box in the trunk of my car as if it weighed nothing. “That wouldn’t have happened. Coach refused point blank. He wants the hockey team and the cheerleaders to have their own separate spaces as much as possible to avoid distractions. I heard that originally the cheer team was supposed to be housed in a different building, but the training complex is still being finished and this is the only building that’s been completed.”
“Distractions?” Tucker snickers, carrying some of his sister’s things. “He will never be able to keep a bunch of horny college hockey players away from an entire cheerleading team. The proof is tonight’s party.”
Jodie immediately perks up. “A party? Are we invited?”
“Of course you’re invited.” Tucker winks. “Ten p.m. in apartment three C. It’s the corner unit on the ground floor. If there’s one man who can throw a rager on a couple of hours notice is our new frat president Vaughn Heston. He sent his roommates, Haller and Davis, to get a few kegs, and Slash is in charge of snacks.”
I don’t know these guys, but a party will be a great chance to get to know the team. On week three of training camp, we’ll have some general knowledge tests about hockey in general and the Cove Knights’ history and current roster in particular.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CRUSHES AND SLOTHS
TUCKER
After the last boxes are safe and sound in the girls’ new apartment, I’m reluctant to leave.
With our summer training starting in full force and the cheerleading selections, we’ve been busy and I haven’t had a chance to spend time with Taryn.
“Thank you for helping us move everything up here.” She says with that smile that would make me do anything just to get my next fix. “Jodie and I didn’t have a ton of stuff, but without you and Colsen we would still be carrying boxes and bags.”
I smile. “You’re welcome. Besides, our help wasn’t completely selfless. Now you have time to relax and get ready for tonight’s party.”
“True. I’m excited for training camp. Even if we have Gen as a roommate.”
We’re by her front door and I should get going and leave Taryn to settle down in her new temporary home, but I’m not ready to say goodbye yet, not even for a couple of hours.
“Walk me downstairs, please?”
“Sure.”
Colsen comes running from Jodie’s room, where he helped Taryn’s best friend with her last two bags. “Hey guys, wait up.”
I almost told him to hurry up downstairs, but I can’t find a plausible excuse that wouldn’t make it more than obvious that I wanted to get rid of him.
We agreed that we can both date Taryn for now. I have no intention to go back on my word with him about that, but I’m anxious that I’m falling behind.
She spent the night with him.
