Chapter 22
Damon
The campus is large, with five schools under the university. As we follow the tour guide, I stay in the back with my dad and watch Jackson. If I do decide to go here, I’ll be back with the others for a tour, so I can ignore the interesting tidbits about the campus.
I can’t say it surprised me that Jackson is here. He’s been one of the guys to watch since we were kids.
I am surprised he didn’t go off to the USHL honestly. But maybe something here held him back. Maybe someone like Evan would have been enough to hold him back from chasing his dreams.
But even that doesn’t make sense.
He was interested in her two years ago, and he only found her now?
We live in a decent-sized city, but it wouldn’t have been impossible to track her down.
Fuck, he knew her name, which isn’t common, and that she was interested in acting.
All he had to do was look at high school plays if he was that obsessed.
If I wanted to find Evan, I would know how to go about it. I wouldn’t just let her ghost me. So why did he really stay behind, and why did he all of a sudden redevelop an interest in Evan?
I clue in to the tour when my dad mentions something. I nod at how the law library is one of the biggest in the US. We continue through the campus. When the tour finishes, the parents are ready to leave.
“I’ll see you in a week.” Dad and I stand outside the rink.
I nod and give him a look. “Are you going to move Evan while I’m gone?”
Dad shakes his head and pinches the bridge of his nose like I’m giving him a headache. “What would be the point? If I thought it would stop you two, I might.”
“It wouldn’t stop me.” I shrug because he has a point.
“I don’t know how Heather feels about it, but I can see that being with EvanAnn makes you less angry. And before I caught you, EvanAnn looked happy at dinners. So no, I won’t make any changes until after you come home and we have a chance to all talk together.”
I nod and something loosens in my chest. “Thank you.”
“If EvanAnn asks to be moved though...” He lets it hang there, but she won’t.
“Make sure she’s okay.” I clutch my phone, feeling like it’s a lifeline between me and her.
Dad studies me and almost seems to want to ask something, but instead he grabs my shoulder. “I will. It’s only a week, Damon.”
Even as I watch my dad’s car pull away, I know it’s going to be a long week. I turn and head into the rink to get ready to show them what I’m made of.
It’s after dinner when I follow Ivan down the stairs to the living room. Ivan walks over to Axel, who’s talking to Riordan, and clasps his hand.
“Axeman!” Ivan hangs off Axel’s shoulder and looks back at me. “Pretty sure my pre-frosh is going to bed lonely tonight. He’s got a chick.”
Axel shakes his head at Ivan. He’s as tall as me, a little more filled out. He and Ivan have an interesting relationship on and off the ice. “Ignore Ivan. He’s got a number to hit this year. I’d rather have quality than quantity any day, so keep your girl.”
I smirk but notice Jackson watching me warily.
Axel nods to Jackson. “You two are from the same area, right?”
Jackson steps up. “Damon and I go way back. Played on the peewee league together.”
His tone isn’t great, but I don’t like the guy anyway. It must show on my face.
Ivan laughs. “Keep the competition to the ice, boys.”
Today was a bunch of drills. Putting us through the paces to see what we’re made of. It was intense, but not competitive. Yet. Coach would mention corrections and show us new techniques to see if we could take instruction.
I’m sure tomorrow he’ll have us run the same drills but watch us to see if we retained the training.
Axel looks between Jackson and me. “Just remember Coach is looking for guys who get along. So if you got beef with each other, get over it if you both want to play here.”
“You two are hot shit, so don’t be surprised to get offers.” Ivan walks backwards toward the door. “Let’s head out. The others will be along eventually. We can’t stay out late tonight anyway. I need time before Wilder and his crew take all the girls.”
“Sure.” Axel leads the way, opening the door for us.
It’s after dinner, so the sun has set. I glance over at Jackson, but he’s checking out the buildings.
Is he really considering this as an option?
If so, can I get over our beef? Not if he’s trying to intimidate or come after Evan.
But I guess I can wait for him to be proven guilty before trying to ruin the guy’s life.
“We got curfew most nights as freshmen,” Ivan says. “Once you get past freshman year, they figure you’ve got your shit together, but the team will hold you accountable.”
“Curfew on a Saturday night?” Jackson chuckles. “Do you have to be in bed by a certain time?”
Axel glances at him. “We’re here to learn and to skate.
If you have a problem with rules, this program ain’t going to work for you.
The rules are meant to help transition you from living at home.
Too many freshmen blow it by going wild.
Tanking their grades by partying too much. If your grades drop, you can’t play.”
“Any of your freshmen starting this year?” I fall into step with Axel. Ivan’s fine, but not as serious as Axel.
“Wilder Bishop’s starting this year. He came from Sherman High School.
Him, Spencer, and Zane will be coming along with the others.
They’re already a tight crew.” Axel rubs the back of his neck.
“Even though Coach will let anyone move up, some of the seniors have been making life rough for Wilder. Once the old guard is out though, I think Coach Mitchell’s leadership will make the team better. ”
“How long before the old guard is out? Three years?” I glance behind me at Ivan and Jackson. They’re talking about girls. Maybe I can find out more about who Jackson knows this week. See if I can find the connection. But it’s not like we’re going to be best buds all of a sudden.
Especially if the fucker thinks he can take my girl.
“I think the juniors and sophomores this year will get with the new program. At least the sophomores will. They’ve got three more years, and Coach is willing to let them try for first string out the gate.” Axel glances at me out of the corner of his eye. “You know Riordan?”
“We played on the same team as kids. He’s in the same league now, so we play against his school.” I don’t need to spill all the dirt. Every moment is an interview. I’m sure these guys will sit down with Coach after this week to help him make his final decision.
Axel glances back again and gives me a piercing look. “You like him?”
“Not particularly, but I don’t have to like a guy to play hockey with him.” What I want to say is he’s terrorizing my girl, but I don’t have proof of that. What if we’re focusing on the wrong guy? It can’t help that none of us like the guy.
All I know is Evan’s scared of him. That’s all I need to keep him away from her.
I ask about the training program to shift topics. Axel tells me about the state of the art gym we’ll work out in tomorrow.
As we hit frat row, the houses are lit up, and people have spilled onto the lawns. Bass pounds loud down the street, and every now and then some girl’s shriek fills the air. This is exactly the type of place Cam would love.
“You sure you don’t want a puck bunny, Damon?” Ivan wraps his arm around my shoulders. “What your girl doesn’t know won’t hurt her?”
“I’m good to just hang out this weekend.” Even though I know my girl will probably get some tonight. At least she’s not alone. “I don’t cheat.”
“How ‘bout you, Jackson? Fancy a puck bunny or two?” Ivan turns to walk backwards as Jackson catches up with Axel and me. “Or do you have a missus to answer to at home too?”
Jackson chuckles. “Not anyone yet. I’ve got my eye on a girl though.”
I narrow my eyes on him, but don’t make it obvious. It’s possible he means Mia, but he hasn’t really reached out to her after getting her number. That we know of.
“Don’t do it, man.” Ivan walks in front of Jackson. “You come here, you’ll be in pussy heaven. No girl is worth giving up that for.”
“Again, you don’t have to be friends to be on the team.” Axel shakes his head at Ivan.
Ivan grins. “You love me, Axeman!”
Axel looks at me. “Just stick with me tonight. Ivan’s going to get a piece of someone, but I’ll make sure you get back to the house.”
Ivan’s already making his way through the crowd. Greeting people and flirting with girls. Once again, he reminds me of Cam, the life of the party. Or who Cam was before we fell for Evan. He may party occasionally now, but he’s willing to work for his future with her.
As we walk into the frat house, the music is loud and a little overwhelming, but we follow Axel and find a spot to stand near some guys Axel knows playing pool.
A few girls are checking us out across the room. I make sure not to make eye contact. After the Olivia fiasco, I have no desire to even make another girl think I’m interested in her.
I could be in bed with Evan right now. I’m tempted to sext her, but I don’t need to get a hard-on at a party. I’m not even sure she’d play. She’s never responded to my Snapchat flirting before. And definitely not with Jackson hanging out beside me where he could see what we’re typing.
I only send her dirty messages when I can watch her blush and roll her eyes at what I send. Or even better, watch her eyes darken. Fuck, I need to stop thinking about Evan.
I’m here to get to know the guys on the team. I need to focus on my objective. Though it’s loud, and the only one currently near me is Jackson. I should get to know him, but I don’t really want to.
“So you’ve got a girl?” Jackson asks when he notices my attention on him.
It’s the first thing he said to me in the past twenty minutes. “Yeah.”
He nods with the music. “Think she’ll follow you to school here?”
Do I think he’ll follow her if we don’t deal with his ass this year? “We’ve talked about it.”