16. Night With The Zetas
Night With The Zetas
Bex
M eetings at the Zeta house are interesting.
Candace is allowing me to stay with them while the Cove Knights are in Seattle for their first away game of the season.
“I promise you that things aren’t always this chaotic.” The Zeta president says as the meeting comes to an end. “Sisters, for goodness’ sake! Can we stop fighting at least when we have a guest?”
It’s hard to keep a straight face because this is kind of funny.
“I’m telling you, I’m sure my secret kiss was Dave.” Hillary shrieks.
“Impossible,” Heather argues. “I’m positive Dave was behind mask number three, and he kissed me. So find another victim, because Dave was my mystery kiss.”
That’s just one of the arguments that’s bringing the volume in the Zeta house dining room to domestic disturbance level.
“I’m pretty sure I kissed Jamie Hart,” Carissa says.
“But I hope I’m wrong, because he has a girlfriend, so winning a date with him wouldn’t be fun.
Connor, on the other hand, would be an awesome mystery kiss.
He would also be a great addition to my bunny card, since I’ve been trying to hook up with him and he pretends he doesn’t get the hint.
I’ve tried everything, but nothing. Maybe I’m not his type, can you believe it? ”
Talia snorts at her sister’s vexed expression. “I bet you kissed Tucker. I caught him looking at you a couple of times. The guys know who they kissed, and my brother isn’t very subtle.”
Carissa’s face falls. “I hope not. A date with Tucker would be even worse than going out with a guy who’s taken.”
“Hey.” Talia takes offense. “What’s wrong with my Tucker? He’s kinda cute even if I’m his sister, and just the thought of him making out with someone makes me wanna vomit.”
“There’s nothing wrong with his looks.” Carissa explains.
“Tucker would be hot if he weren’t such a jackass all the time.
Your brother has the emotional maturity of a toddler high on sugar.
He’s always fucking around and planning ridiculous pranks, and I have it on good authority that his grades suck and he’s about to be put on academic probation. ”
Right then I remember that Carissa is the Dean’s daughter.
“It better not be true. My parents took a second mortgage to pay for his tuition here, and I have to work to supplement my scholarship. Everything is riding on Tucker getting drafted this year. And he can’t play if he’s on academic probation.”
Carissa crosses her arms over her chest. “That’s beside the point. Your brother is the opposite of my type.”
“That shouldn’t matter either way. You complain about not wanting to win a date with someone who’s taken, but so are you. Aren’t you engaged?”
“Just FYI, my fiancé and I have an understanding. We can play around until the wedding.” The dean’s daughter snaps. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
Hillary and Heather continue bickering about who kissed the Gamma president.
“Fine.” Hillary crosses her arms over her chest. “Then if it wasn’t Dave, I hope it was Keene. I love his brooding, quiet personality. And those blue eyes are magnetic. If I got to go on a date with him, he’d get way more than a kiss, I guarantee it.”
Fiona chimes in. “Keene is handsome, but he’s scary.
Besides, I’ve heard him telling my ex that he has sworn off women after his divorce.
He’s damaged goods. So if what you want is just a fling, go for it.
But be careful; I doubt he’s after any more than that.
I think I might have kissed Tucker. My guy kept trying to feel me up while we were kissing. It’s something Tucker would do.”
“Are you sure you didn’t kiss your ex?” Heather provokes her.
“Positive. Connor is a great kisser, but I know it wasn’t him. Put me down for Tucker, Candace. Going on a date with him would be interesting. He might be a little immature, but he’s hot, and I bet he’s a great fuck.”
Sam, one of the freshmen, intervenes. “I can confirm that Tucker is a great fuck. We hooked up during rush week. But you wouldn’t like him, Fiona.”
Connor’s ex arches one perfectly shaped eyebrow. “And why is that?”
“I’ve heard you complain that your ex’s cock was gigantic, and if you don’t like big cocks, you’re not going to like Tucker. He’s packing at least eight inches, but I would say he’s closer to nine.”
Talia interrupts the X-rated conversation between her sisters. “Hello? Did anyone miss the fact that Tucker is my big brother?” She covers her ears with her hands. “Stop talking about my brother’s dick, for fuck’s sake, before I lose my dinner.”
The other girls find Talia’s objection funny, but as the sister of someone who loves to overshare the details of his sex life, I understand where she’s coming from.
“By the way,” Carissa asks Fiona. “Why are you interested in a hookup? You aren’t a bunny, and you have a boyfriend. Wouldn’t your man have a problem if you went out with a hockey player?”
“Victor dumped me.” Fiona admits. “He was sleeping with another TA behind my back, would you believe it? I guess I should have known it would happen since when he started pursuing me last year, he knew that I was with Connor. I guess karma is a bitch, huh?”
While I don’t like to see anyone get hurt, I can’t say I disagree with her on that last point. She treated Connor terribly, and maybe she’ll learn something now that she’s got a taste of her own medicine.
“I have to say,” Candace muses. “That I’ll never understand what you saw in that guy when you had Connor head over heels for you.
Connor is handsome, smart, his family is loaded, and he’s a total sweetheart.
You had it all, and you threw it all away for a guy who laughs at his own lame jokes and always has something in his teeth. ”
Fiona hangs her head. “I don’t know. I thought he was mature and so intelligent.
I’ve never cared for hockey, and I guess I wanted to move more in academic circles rather than hockey arenas.
I know you hated Victor, but if you have such a crush on Connor, why don’t you date him?
I bet you ran to hook up with him when he was on the rebound.
I heard he was sleeping around a lot after we broke up. Jamie was his wingman.”
The Zeta president corrects her. “I just know a good guy when I see one, and FYI, Connor and I are just friends. We never hooked up.”
“Maybe you should have.” Fiona snaps.
“Maybe. But things were never like that between us. We’ve only ever been friends.”
Heather intervenes. “It sounds like you miss him. I know a lot about how it feels. My boyfriend died two years ago on a racetrack, and I don’t know what I would do to have a chance to have him back. Connor is still alive, so why don’t you see if he’s willing to give you another chance?”
“Don’t you think I tried?” Fiona sighs. “I’ve been trying to text him and message him on social media, but he blocked me. I tried to talk to him at the after game party last week, but he pretended I didn’t even exist.”
Jealousy twists my insides, but then I remember that Connor is with me, not with Candace or Fiona.
“Why should you have a second chance with Connor?” Hillary whines.
“You were telling everyone that hockey players aren’t that great.
You should step aside and give your sisters, who haven’t dated one, a chance to make up their own minds.
And leave Tucker alone. If Dave wants Heather and Keene isn’t interested, Tucker is my next choice. ”
Sam glares at her. “Hey. I might want to take another shot at Tucker. Who gave you dibs on all the best looking players?
“Shut up.” Hillary argues. “You’ve already hooked up with him, and I didn’t see him giving you his jersey or anything. So Tucker is fair game.”
Talia rolls her eyes. “I swear I never thought I would see the day when a bunch of sorority girls would bicker over my brother. Even though I bet he would love it if he knew.”
Candace pinches the bridge of her nose. “God give me strength. I’m so sick of this constant bickering. Every meeting ends up in a catfight. It’s a miracle that we managed to nail down all the details for the President's Gala. SISTERS!” she yells. “Is this the image you want to show to our guest?”
In all fairness, I had planned to do some research for Keene’s next art project while the meeting was in session; but Candace insisted it was fine to be here, since I offered to help make some of the floral arrangements needed to decorate the house.
The bickering stops, but that doesn’t mean that the Zeta sisters are at peace with one another.
“You should have made sure that all the guys selected for the kissing game were single.” Heather complains.
Candace rolls her eyes. “They were at the time of the game. Get over it, will you? The only guys who have a girlfriend now are Jamie and Corey. Everyone else is still as eligible as they were a month ago.”
“Yes,” Hillary argues. “But what if someone wins a date with someone who is in a relationship? Would you want your boyfriend to go on a date with someone else? I think we should redo the game.”
That idea is met with a chorus of consensus.
“No way.” Candace snaps. “We already had to delay the Gala by a whole month because the caterer we normally use had a mix up with their bookings. I’m not redoing the game.”
Fiona chimes in. “Pick another caterer.”
“Absolutely not. I’m not going to risk my legacy becoming the Zeta president who fucked up the Gala. We have some really important alumni in attendance this year, and everything needs to be perfect.”
Candace’s decision is met with a collective groan by the Zeta sisters.
“You don’t care because you didn’t participate and because you and Corey made it official, so you don’t hope to turn your mystery kiss into a boyfriend.” Hillary complains. “But it would be fair to redo the game, since two of the guys who played are no longer single.”
Yeah, let’s make it three, since Connor is off the market, too.
I’m dying to tell everyone, but I bite my tongue.
The guys and I haven’t discussed what we’re going to tell people about our unconventional relationship.
I’m not ashamed of dating the two best guys I’ve ever met.
As far as families are concerned, Luke is now my only family, and he couldn’t be more supportive of my choice.
However, I’m not sure if things are different for Jamie and Connor.
I’m happy to let them take the lead on the subject, and I won’t take offense if they don’t want to announce to the whole world that they’re dating the same woman.
As for the Gala, if one of the Zetas wins a date with them, then so be it. I trust both my boyfriends.
A few of the Zetas agree with Hillary and want to redo the kissing game, but Candace is adamant.
“No. What’s done is done. Rather than wasting your time arguing with me about it, you should all do a better job at guessing who was your mystery kiss. I’m not supposed to reveal anything, but as of right now, no one has entered a correct guess. So the prize is still totally up for grabs.”
That titbit of information is met with yet more frustration by the sorority girls.
“That’s because you made it too difficult. In the past, the guys weren’t all wearing the same clothes.” Hillary argues.
“And that made it way too easy to guess. But in the past, the prize was a lame tin trophy. This year the winner gets a dinner for two at the Country Club. You all know they have three Michelin stars and how pricey it is to dine there in a private room. So, it’s only fair that the game is a little harder.
My decision is final. There isn’t going to be a redo of the game.
The announcement of the winners will be the grand finale of our President Gala, and what’s done is done.
Come to see me with your new guesses, or if no one is correct by the night of the Gala, we’ll auction the prize at the end of the year alumni mixer.
Now, the meeting is officially adjourned.
The freshman sisters are going to make some popcorn and I'll see you all in the den in twenty minutes to watch the Cove Knights game.”
I’m glad tonight’s game is going to be televised, but nothing beats watching a hockey game in person. I hadn’t realized how much I missed it after Dad kicked Luke out of the house and banned me from going to any hockey games in fear that I would bump into my twin brother.
Bex
“Hey Bex,” Candace lowers herself next to me on the couch. “By the way, you’re the only one who hasn’t entered a guess yet.” She whispers, accepting a bowl of popcorn and a huge glass of bubbly wine from Heather.
I take the one that’s offered to me with a giggle. “The wine is delicious, but are we supposed to be drinking it or swimming in it? These glasses are huge.”
“Those are the Texas size margarita glasses. We use those during games so we don’t have to get up to get refills in case we miss something.
Even when the action is paused, there’s too many of us, and whoever is on duty refreshing drinks always ends up taking longer, and it isn’t fair. ” Candace explains.
“Ah, good thinking.” I say, stuffing my mouth with a huge handful of popcorn.
My diversion tactic, however, fails because Candace insists.
“So? You really have no idea who could have been the mystery man behind mask number six?”
I swear, Candace and Luke are cut from the same cloth. As in, they’re both enjoying torturing me about this mystery kiss.
“All I know for sure is that it isn’t Jamie.” I say.
I don’t tell her that after kissing Connor several times, I can’t really reasonably say that it’s him either.
“I’m at a disadvantage here compared to the other Zetas, since I didn’t know the guys almost at all when we played the game. Are you sure you don’t want to give me a little hint?”
Candace considers it, but shakes her head. “Nope. That’s why we dimmed the lights and put all the guys in the same hoodie and joggers. That evens out the playing field. The fact that everyone’s first guesses were wrong is proof that the game was fair.”
Another thing I don’t tell her is that Luke let it slip that it was one of his teammates. One of my roommates.
Is it possible that my brother pranked me and gave me a wrong lead on purpose?
Luke has never lied to me, but if he told me the truth, there’s a huge chance that my mystery kiss was Keene.