Cold Front (Michigan U Hockey #1)
1. Eli
CHAPTER 1
ELI
I’d never been good at goodbyes. But standing in the cool Michigan air, my breath visible for a moment before it disappeared into the hazy afternoon, I was sure of one thing: I was ready to leave the past behind.
Crescent Hills U in L.A.? A distant memory. Chase? A name I refused to say out loud anymore.
I hadn’t planned to move across the country this late in the summer, but after everything that happened, I couldn’t stay in California any longer. The moment Michigan U approved my transfer, I booked my flight. The sooner I left, the better.
It wasn’t only about getting away—it was about finally stepping into the life I’d always known I wanted, but was too afraid to live. I’d known I was bisexual since I was twelve, but it was easier to date girls. I wasn’t ready to let anyone see I was attracted to guys, too. Then, during my freshman year at CHU, I met someone. Someone I let my guard down for. I thought it would be different, but look how that turned out—everything about that love turned toxic.
I rubbed my fingers over the strap of my backpack as I looked around the campus. The buildings here were a far cry from the palm trees and sun-soaked sidewalks of California. Brick exteriors, tall windows, and ivy that hadn’t quite turned color yet, but had started showing streaks of yellow. The air was different too—crisp and fresh, biting at my skin in a way I wasn’t used to. It felt like summer was holding on for dear life, but fall was just around the corner, ready to take over.
I checked my watch. It was already mid-afternoon. The flight from California had taken hours, but I hadn’t been able to sleep on the plane, so I was running on empty. Still, I couldn’t shake the nervous excitement that buzzed through me. A fresh start. Michigan U was a place where I could be myself, whoever that was. A place to figure out my future, and hell, maybe even learn how to live without constantly looking over my shoulder.
I followed the signs pointing to the student dorms, suitcase in tow. I’d booked a ride from the airport, and after a long, quiet drive through Michigan’s wide-open roads, I’d finally arrived in Summit Falls. The town felt small compared to L.A., but that was exactly what I needed. This was the place where I’d start over.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see a message from my sister.
Little Big Sis: You good?
I typed back quickly.
Me: Yeah, just got here. Gonna move into my apartment now. I’ll text you later.
I tucked the phone back into my pocket just as a chill crept up my spine. A gust of wind swept through the campus, colder than I expected. It made me realize how much warmer California had been, even this late in the summer. I stopped for a second, letting go of the suitcase long enough to wrap my arms around myself, trying to ward off the cool breeze.
I took a deep breath, pulled the strap of my suitcase back up, and kept moving. The on-campus apartments weren’t far, and I’d seen the floor plan online, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. From what I gathered, the apartments weren’t bad. Small, but enough for someone like me who wasn’t used to cramped spaces. Each unit had individual bedrooms, at least—thankfully. I was just hoping I wouldn’t be dealing with noisy roommates. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to the shared bathroom, kitchen, and living areas, though. Still, it’d do for now. A temporary home until graduation.
I reached the door to my unit, paused, and knocked twice. When no one answered, I hesitated for a moment before testing the handle. It clicked open, and I stepped inside, dragging my suitcase behind me. A guy with a short buzz cut was standing in the living room, leaning against the kitchen counter like he owned the place. Tall. Broad-shouldered. And… absolutely fucking gorgeous.
The shape of his jaw was sharp enough to catch my attention. He had these full lips, a little chapped, probably from being outside in the cold or playing a sport. Hockey, maybe? His eyes were almost too green to be real. He was probably six-foot-four, at least, and he was built like he could bench-press me and not break a sweat.
He glanced at me but didn’t move. Didn’t even say a word.
I paused, unsure whether to introduce myself. Was I supposed to?
“I’m Eli,” I said, trying to sound casual. “I’m your new roommate.”
He gave me a quick once-over, his gaze cold and distant, like I was the last person he wanted to talk to. “Niall,” he muttered.
I couldn’t help but chuckle under my breath. The guy was a total brick wall. But that wouldn’t stop me from trying to break through it.
“So, uh, junior here,” I said, trying to make small talk. “What about you?”
Niall didn’t answer immediately. After a moment, he grunted, and I could only assume that meant he was a senior. I pressed on. “What’s your major?”
“Business,” he muttered, his attention still on his phone.
“Business, huh? Same.” I scratched the back of my neck, trying to keep the conversation light. “Bet you play sports, huh?”
“Yeah.” His voice was flat, almost like the words didn’t even matter.
I raised an eyebrow, trying to guess. “Football? Hockey? Basketball?”
He flicked his eyes up, his gaze just long enough to make me feel like I was being judged. “Hockey.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Hockey?” I didn’t know much about the sport, but I figured I might as well make a guess. “Uh... point guard? Quarterback?”
He actually looked at me then, like I’d just said something idiotic. There was a mix of annoyance and a touch of humor. “Point guard’s basketball, quarterback’s football. I’m a center.”
I winced, not because his tone was harsh, but because I couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. I was definitely going to need to brush up on my sports knowledge if I was going to survive the year with this guy.
I snorted, trying to ease the tension and cover my embarrassment. “Right. Guess I don’t know much about hockey.”
“Clearly,” he said, but there was the smallest hint of a smile tugging at his lips before he wiped it away.
I leaned against the doorframe, trying not to act like a bumbling idiot. “So, uh, you’re... captain?”
Niall’s face turned cold again as he gave a nod, his voice flat. “Yeah. Captain.”
Lucky guess.
I took a step forward, desperate to fill the awkward silence. “So, where are you from?”
He shrugged. “Michigan.”
I tilted my head. “Michigan’s a big place.”
Niall paused for a beat, then said, “Couple hours from here.”
I nodded. “Gotcha. So, why live on campus instead of getting a place?”
“Hockey,” he said simply.
“Hockey?”
“Scholarship,” he clarified. “Practice schedule’s pretty intense. Easier to be close.”
That made sense. Probably helped to roll out of bed and head straight to practice instead of dealing with a commute.
“Cool. I’m from L.A.”
His brow furrowed slightly, like that piece of information mildly interested him. “Bit of a change, huh?”
“You could say that,” I said, glancing toward the window. “Less sunshine, more... whatever this is.”
There was a brief pause, and then Niall hummed in acknowledgment—not exactly engaging, but at least not outright ignoring me.
“Okay, well, guess I’ll unpack then,” I said, feeling my cheeks flush a little.
The guy didn’t even grunt a word.
I sighed and took a few more steps inside, letting my gaze sweep over the apartment. It was open-concept, with a small kitchen near the entrance and a modest living area further in, furnished with a basic couch and a TV mounted on the wall. The place had the generic, slightly worn feel of university housing—functional but not exactly homey.
Niall still didn’t move or say anything, so after a moment of awkward silence, I figured I’d have to find my room on my own. I spotted a door on the left. It wasn’t locked, and there were no signs of anyone else’s stuff, so I nudged it open.
“I guess this is my room?” I asked, turning to Niall, hoping for some kind of confirmation. But he didn’t even look up. Just gave me the silent treatment as if I were asking the most ridiculous question in the world.
I shook my head, muttering under my breath. Great. This was going to be an interesting start to my year.