4. BFFs And Roses
CHAPTER 4
BFFS AND ROSES
COLE
T he anticipation is killing me.
I haven’t seen Bay since the end of last year’s season and I’m beyond excited as I wait for her by the arrivals at the airport.
I wish Bay hadn’t run away to Europe after finding Topher in bed with a puck bunny.
By the time I came out of the locker room after winning the Frozen Four finals, Bay was already on a private jet to Montebello and all I was left with was a tearful voicemail.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to Luca for helping Bay in her time of need, but I wish I could have been the one to do that.
My summer was spent training with the Hartford Heroes, the team that drafted me straight after our championship win. I wouldn’t have hesitated to ask Bay to come with me; it actually would have been nice to have someone to come home to after a long day on the ice and in the gym. Bay would have found a way to entertain herself during my training hours. My best friend is incredibly independent, it’s one of the things I love about her.
Love .
That’s one word I use plenty of times with her, but not the way I’d like to.
The truth is that I’m madly, desperately, hopelessly in love with Bay Woods.
If anyone had ever told me that I would fall in love at first sight, I would have laughed, and yet, here I am.
She can never know though, because… yeah, I’m not getting into that right now.
I spot her the second she comes out pushing a cart laden with bags and I take advantage of the fact that she hasn’t seen me yet to look my fill.
Damn, she’s the most beautiful woman in the world.
It isn’t just her perfect body, her long blonde hair, those big blue eyes that seem to always see deep into my fucking soul.
It isn’t the perfection of her lips, the way she moves, her warm, sexy voice.
All of those things would make me want her, sure. It’s her personality though that makes me love her the way I do.
Bay is smart, funny, kind, compassionate, driven. She’s everything I never knew I wanted until I got to know her.
“Cole!”
The way she smiles when she sees me makes my heart beat faster. Faster than after a stretch on the ice.
“Baby,” I open my arms and shamelessly inhale the subtle floral scent of her shampoo. “You look incredible, that tan suits you.”
She giggles, pulling slightly back in my arms so that she can look at me. “Why thank you, you don’t look bad yourself. Look at those muscles, have they gotten bigger while I was away?”
Heat rises to my face, under her scrutiny.
This is the thing, my relationship with Bay might be purely platonic, but we flirt constantly. It’s the way we’ve always been with each other .
“Maybe,” I wink. “If I thought college coaches were hard on us, NHL training taught me that I was wrong. At the end of the first day I discovered muscles I never knew I had because they hurt like hell.”
Bay places a soft, lingering kiss on my cheek. “I’m just glad you’re here, Cole. I missed you.”
“Why wouldn’t I be here?” I ask, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Her smile fades, her expression suddenly serious. “I was afraid that you would be asked to play in an exhibition game or something like that. Training is one thing, but even a promotional game with a pro team would have made you ineligible for NCAA hockey. I was worried that you wouldn’t come back.”
I would have come back, just for you.
I don’t say the words that tingle on the tip of my tongue. Bay doesn’t need to know that I was given the option to stay with the team or to play another year of college hockey.
The fact that this year will be the last year for one of their main D-men was definitely a factor that influenced my decision to wait. I’ll have a better chance of getting real ice time next year, with Terrell off the roster.
But I would be lying if I said that Bay wasn’t a huge factor in my decision. I missed her way more than I had any business to this summer. I knew that after what happened between her and Topher, she’d need me in her corner. Especially with Lakyn gone, three whole hours away in Bridgeport.
“Nah,” I smile, keeping all that shit buried in the recesses of my heart. “The team wants me to get more experience at the collegiate level, but the good news is that they offered me a contract. So I know I’m going to Hartford next year, no farm team but directly on the team’s roster.”
Bay beams at me. “Cole! That’s amazing. I’m so happy for you. Does it make me a bad friend that I’m also happy that you didn’t stay because I’d miss you too much?”
God, this woman is the best and the worst thing for my heart. “No, it just makes you the best friend I’ve ever had.”
And the only woman I’ve ever been in love with.
She surrounds my waist with her arms, squeezing me tight. “I love you, Cole.”
I wish she loved me , but things aren’t like that between us. “I love you too, baby. Are you ready to come home?”
Her smile fades, doubt clouding her blue eyes. “I thought spending the whole summer licking my wounds would prepare me for coming back, but I was obviously fooling myself. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, let’s put it that way.”
I release her after one final squeeze. “I’ve got you, Bay. Let’s go home.”
She walks ahead of me, insisting that she can push the luggage cart.
“Ehm, Bay?” I call out, rushing behind her and grabbing the metal bar she’s pushing, effectively trapping her between the cart and my body.
She turns her head to look at me. Our noses are almost touching, her fresh breath warms my lips.
I’m momentarily distracted by the fact that it would take the smallest of movements to touch my lips to hers.
“What’s up?” she whispers, her soft voice making my heart respond in earnest.
I don’t know how to tell her, so I just push out the words. “Your skirt is tucked inside your panties.”
She blinks, obviously confused. “Come again?”
I clear my throat. “Your skirt. It’s hiked up. You’ve been flashing the whole airport.”
BAY
I see the roses the second Cole pulls in front of the Zeta house. Dozens of red roses everywhere, all over the porch, the front steps, the driveway. They look almost more dramatic under the street lamps than if it was daylight.
“Are they shooting an episode of The Bachelorette and forgot to tell us?” I joke after a silent ride to campus. I mean, thank goodness Cole and I are pretty comfortable with each other and he understood I needed time to recover from the panties incident.
I must have come out of the bathroom like that, after my encounter with Ryker.
I push the memory of my hot, infuriating, travel companion out of my mind and focus on the spectacle in front of me.
“Seriously, what’s going on?” I ask, climbing out of Cole’s truck.
I take a few steps toward the front door and realize what this is about one second too late.
“That motherfucker,” Cole seethes from right behind me.
The sentiment is spot on, because my ex comes out from behind one of the white pillars at the entrance, his face partially hidden by the most ridiculous, obnoxiously gigantic bouquet of roses on this side of the country.
“Topher,” I bark, walking faster in the hope to intimidate him. “Get lost.”
Of course I’m SOL, he doesn’t move out of my way.
I swear to God, I should have listened to the signs the universe has been throwing me left and right and stayed on Luca’s yacht.
“Bay, sexy girl,” he begs. “Please hear me out. We need to talk.”
Topher doesn’t have the slightest idea of what I need, or he wouldn’t be here. He would have moved to a different school. Possibly to a different planet.
“I’m not interested, Topher. What I need is for you to clean up this ridiculous mess before we get fined for it.”
My tough tone doesn’t have the intended effect.
Rather than cowering, intimidated by my scowl, Topher offers me his cockiest smile.
“Don’t worry about that, sexy. I have connections on campus and campus police will look the other way. I told the cops on duty that I needed to impress my girl.”
“You’re such a douche,” I snort. “Did you really think that covering the house with roses would be enough to impress me?”
He doesn’t miss a beat. “I sure hoped so,” his smile widens.
“Then you’re more delusional than I thought,” I glare, crossing my arms over my chest. “The roses would be an appropriate expression of regret if you had forgotten our anniversary. If you had ruined my favorite dress while doing laundry. Fucking a puck bunny in my bed is one of those things you can’t come back from.”
He acts as if he hadn’t heard a word of what I just said. “That meant nothing, Bay. It was just a slip up, I promise.”
“A slip up?” I glare at him. “What, did you trip on something and you ended up inside Bianca dick first?”
That seems to at least slow his roll.
“I know I fucked up, Bay. Please forgive me. I love you, I’ve been miserable without you.”
That’s comforting news. I’m glad he was miserable, he deserves it. “Get used to it, Toph. Because I promise you, we’re never getting back together.”
His determination was one of the things that made me fall for him. “I’m not giving up, Bay. Bianca meant nothing. I love you.”
I want to be done with this conversation once and for all, so I set the record straight. “I don’t think that’s possible. It wouldn’t be even if cheating was the only thing you did. I’m sorry, but I deserve better than someone who steps out on me. But you did way more than that. I know you were behind that disgusting dare to choose the team captain. I know you blackmailed my sister and your frat brothers to keep quiet. You’re a bully and an asshole and I’m done with you.”
Fury flashes in Topher’s brown eyes.
“I’m still the Gamma president. We still have to work together, so I’m still gonna see you. I’ll win you back.”
He’s either batshit crazy, or he has chosen not to listen to a word of what I just said. “I accepted that I’m not gonna have the privilege to avoid seeing you ever again, at least until graduation. But our relationship will be limited to Greek related activities. Other than that, you’re dead to me, Topher. Now, get out of my way.”
I don’t look at him as I unlock the door and enter the Zeta house, followed by Cole.
“Bay! Yay, you’re back!” Liv must have been waiting by the door and she immediately pulls me into a sisterly hug.
“Bay!” Viv comes to hug me from the other side. “We’ve missed you. You look fantastic. That tan is perfect and did you lose weight? Not that you needed to.”
My clothes do feel a little looser than usual. Isn’t it crazy that I spent months eating five course meals every night and I lost weight? Michelin star dining for you, I swear. I bet that’s how all the celebrities stay in shape. Amazing food doesn’t make you gain weight.
“How are you, girls? Did you have a nice summer? You two look gorgeous as usual.” I compliment them, and I mean it.
“Is that you, Bay?” Tami comes out from the living room. “It’s so nice to be back. Let’s celebrate, I’m gonna make margaritas.”
Topher aside, it’s nice to be back. The Zeta house has felt like home since I rushed the sorority freshman year and the girls? Most of them feel like sisters to me.
I hug Tami. “A drink would be amazing, babe. I knew seeing Topher again wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t expect all… that.” I gesture toward the front door.
A look passes between my sisters.
“Sorry Bay,” Liv sighs. “He tried to come inside, he wanted to arrange the roses all over the living room and up the stairs and into your room. We stood our ground.”
Viv and Tami nod in agreement. “When we saw what he was doing, we called campus police, but they didn’t do anything about it. They just left after talking to him for a few minutes.”
“He must have paid them,” Tami suggests and I think that’s probably what happened.
“I wish I didn’t have to see him at Greek government meetings and whenever we organize mixers with the Gammas, but the alternative would be to resign from president and I don’t want to.”
My sisters huddle around me in support.
“I’m glad you aren’t thinking about resigning,” Liv says. “Topher doesn’t deserve to be given that much impact on your life. He’s self-important enough.”
Viv squeezes my hand. “You have us by your side anyway. If he gives you any problems, we’re going to make him regret the day he was born.”
Viv is one of the most happy go lucky, gentle creatures I’ve ever met, unless you piss her off. I wouldn’t want to be in Topher’s shoes if he ever happens to cross her.
“Thanks girls,” I say, swallowing the lump that has suddenly formed in my throat. “I’m so sorry for the way I disappeared. I know just an email isn’t much of a warning, but?—”
“Are you kidding?” Tami wraps one arm around my shoulders in support. “We don’t blame you at all. You had to do what was best for you. In a situation like that, I don’t know what I would have done. Murder would have definitely been on the table. I told Nick that if he ever does anything like that to me, he can kiss his own wiener goodbye, because I’ll cut it off and make him eat it.”
I giggle at the gruesome image Tami’s words paint. Maybe I should have gone apeshit on Topher.
“Hey, can you girls keep it down? People are trying to sleep here.”
I can’t believe my eyes.
What the fuck is Bianca Williams doing on the stairs in the tiniest silk PJs I’ve ever seen and with her auburn hair wrapped in two giant rollers pinned on her head?
The look on my face must say it all, because I see the panic on my sisters’ faces.
Liv and Viv flank me, while Tami runs up to the midway step Bianca stopped on.
“Bianca, we told you to stay in your room. Come on, this isn’t the time to have any kind of discussion with our president.”
As Tami practically pushes Bianca up the stairs, Liv and Viv drag me into the living room. Cole follows us as a backup of some kind.
“What the fuck is she doing here?”
My sisters flinch at my tone. “We were going to tell you over a margarita,” Liv begins.
“Sorry you had to find out like this, we know this isn’t ideal.”
Please, tell me this isn’t happening.
“You can’t mean that she moved in?”
The question slips out almost involuntarily, but I figure out the answer when Viv sighs.
“She applied to live in the Zeta house. As a junior, she can. Of course we were going to deny her application on account of what she did to you but… ”
“Her father got involved.” I finish for her.
“Yeah,” Viv confirms. “In theory we could still reject her, but we didn’t think it was wise to antagonize the Dean.”
I don’t blame them at all.
First off, they had to make a decision in my absence and they did the best they could. And besides, they’re absolutely right. If crossed, Dean Williams could make our life on campus extremely difficult.
That doesn’t change the fact that now I have to live with the girl who was screwing my boyfriend in my own bed.
“Don’t worry, Bay,” Liv reassures me. “When we say that we got your back, we mean it. She can get her daddy to strong arm us into letting her move in, but not even the Dean can force us to be her friend.”
Viv nods. “And we couldn’t be further from being her friends. I don’t judge her for sleeping around, or for liking hockey players a little too much. Who doesn’t, right?”
Right.
I mean, I’m done with dating hockey players. The only one who could ever change that decision is Cole; but he likes bunnies way too much to become monogamous any time soon.
“What I judge her for,” Viv continues. “Is sleeping with a guy who had a girlfriend.”
“A girlfriend who happened to be a sister,” Liv points out. “That’s the ultimate betrayal. There’s girl code and then there’s the Zetas sisterhood code.”
I exhale a shuddering breath.
“Thanks girls, I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Cole intervenes, pulling me into his arms. “You also have me, baby. You know I’m always going to be here for you, no matter what. Ride or die, right?”
I don’t know if it’s the feeling of his solid chest under my cheek. His heartbeat, steady and strong, gives me comfort .
Or maybe it’s his familiar, clean scent of cotton and soap.
All I know is that tears well in my eyes. I’m stressed, overwhelmed and grateful all the same time.
“Let me take your bags inside, ok?” Cole whispers, placing a kiss on the top of my head. “I’ll make sure that motherfucker is gone too.”
I know I’m safe with Cole and my Zeta sisters.
But it wasn’t until I came back that I realized how hard this year is really going to be.