“I’d be first line still if it weren’t for you,” she chuckles, and I, in turn, flip her off.
Getting closer to Zhuri means I’ve been spending more time with Isla and Bet as well, so I feel like I can consider both of them my friends now, too.
I’m already feeling the camaraderie between all of us on this new team, and I know that can only translate to how we play together on the ice as well.
Practice ends, and we break for the locker rooms. Bodhi catches me, though, before I get inside.
“Do you just flip everyone off?” he laughs.
I lean back against the wall and chuckle. “Only when they deserve it.”
“Well, fuck you, too,” Isla snarks playfully as she, Zhuri, and Bet walk by on their way to the women’s locker room.
I shake my head. “You’re too hard on yourself, Isla. You’re a damn good center. Don’t for a second think you can’t take over my potential spot on the first line.”
Isla claps a hand to my shoulder with a smile on her face. She’s not a short woman, but I still tower over her, so I have to look down to see her. “You might actually be a good guy, Kovacic.”
Bodhi attempts—poorly—to bite down a laugh. “That’s debatable.”
“You’d know that better than anyone, wouldn’t you, Bodhi?” Isla smiles.
“Absolutely.”
“Fuck off, Bode,” I chuckle. “I lived on an entirely different continent from you for six years. You were fucking five when I left.”
Zhuri pipes in now. “Is this how it always goes between you two? You were the same way at City Park.”
Bet looks at her curiously. “When did you go to City Park with them?”
“I didn’t gowiththem,” she replies. “I ran into them when I was there for a jog earlier this week.”
“Yeah,” Bodhi smirks, and I can tell I won’t like what he says next. “Cammy and Zhuri baby found each other on the trail.”
Zhuri and I both sigh as Isla and Bet laugh hysterically.
Wes, Nico, and Sid walk up to us in the hall now, apparently having overheard that part of the conversation.
“Y’all are flirtin’ with each other in front of Cam’s brother now?” Wes asks, trying so hard to hide his amusement.
Zhuri rolls her eyes. “We’renotflirting, Wes. We’re friends. We give each other shit. That’s all.”
“Exactly,” I concur, even though it’s the biggest lie.
I can’t be sure that she’s flirting with me, but I’m sure as fuck flirting with her.
Nico shakes his head. “Whatever you say.”
“It is whatever we say,” Zhuri says with her hands on her hips, staring Nico and Wes down. “We’reteammates.”
“Tone it down, guys.” Sid looks at both of them while rubbing the back of his neck. “No fraternizing within the team. No one is going to break that rule. No point in fucking with them over it.”
“Thank you, Sid,” Zhuri replies. “Now, Cameron needs to get his ass in the shower. We’ve got the Axis shoot in an hour.”
I give her a mock salute, and she sighs.
“Sure thing, Zhuri baby.”
Zhuri locks her eyes on me as everyone else starts laughing. “They just finished giving us shit, and you’re going to start it up again already?”
