10. The Frat House
CHAPTER 10
THE FRAT HOUSE
COLE
B ay and her Zeta sisters file out of the administration building in silence.
She might not be saying anything, but I can feel the tension radiating from her perfect body and I hate that there’s nothing I can do to make things better for her.
Or maybe I’m wrong. I can make sure that her stay in the Gamma house is as pleasant as possible, given the circumstances. Ideally I’d lock Topher in the basement until graduation, but short of that, there are some things I can do. Topher might be Gamma president, but as the Cove Knights team captain, I have a lot of influence on most of the brothers.
“Hey,” I say, taking her hand and pulling her closer. “Things won’t be as bad as they look right now, I promise.”
She’s still tense, her eyes downcast. “But they will be, Cole. Unless the part where I have to move into the Gamma house was a bad dream. Or maybe Topher has decided to join an expedition to Antarctica and the Dean forgot to tell us?”
I wrap my arms around her. Her soft body feels so perfect against my hard one, as if she was made for my arms. But I can’t indulge in these kinds of feelings. Bay has never seen me like dating material and indulging in my stupid fantasies will only hurt me and our friendship in the long run.
“Unfortunately I can’t get rid of Topher,” I murmur, kissing the top of her head. “But I’ll be there, ok? If anything, I’ll be a buffer between you and your ex.”
She lifts those big blue eyes to meet my gaze. “You have your own life, Cole. I can’t expect you to spend your senior year babysitting me.”
I would spend my life looking after her. Just one of her smiles is worth everything. I don’t tell her that. “You can. This is what best friends do and you’d do the same thing for me, right?”
Bay nods. “In a heartbeat.”
I tuck a strand of silky blonde hair behind her ear. “Remember two years ago when you helped me get rid of a clingy bunny?”
“Ha. Yeah, that girl couldn’t take a hint that the sleepover was over. What was her name? Alba?”
I shrug. “Beats me. Fortunately she was a senior and she graduated. She kept showing up everywhere I went.”
“I had to tell her that your old captain, Jason Teller, had a crush on her.” Bay giggles.
“The poor guy never got rid of her. I’ve never seen anyone so happy to graduate. So I owe you one, ok? Trust me, you’ll be fine and being in the same house we’ll have more time to hang out.”
That seems to lift her spirits. “Thank you, Cole. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
After Bianca and Kylie leave, Bay and the rest of her Zeta sisters decide to go to the mall to get some emergency supplies. “Make sure to keep all our receipts, so we can make an insurance claim.”
I’m glad when she says that she doesn’t need me to tag along. I have some work to do to make sure her stay starts on the right foot .
I pull up the house chat thread and shoot out a message.
Me: house meeting in twenty minutes, it’s important.
I know most of the guys will be home on a Sunday afternoon, so I’m not surprised to see that our living room is full when I walk into the house.
“Yo Marshall,” Tucker hands me a beer and I accept it with a nod. “So, what’s up?”
“I just wanted to touch base with everyone, since we’re going to have a lady living here for the foreseeable future.”
The scowls on some of the guys’ faces tell me that they already know.
“I’m not trying to be the resident asshole here,” Corey starts. “But this is a fraternity house. I’m not sure this is the place for a Zeta.”
Once those words are out, there are a few murmurs of assent around the living room.
“I just wish this had been put to a vote, rather than confronting us with the decision,” David, the D-man I’m mentoring to take my starting spot next year chimes in.
I don’t disagree with him and I’m about to say that, when Topher intervenes.
“There was no time to vote on it. The Dean called expecting a decision on the spot. You’ve all seen the Zeta house burn to a crisp, what did you expect me to say? As part of the Greek system, we’re supposed to show solidarity to the other houses. As your president, I made an executive decision. A decision that will buy us the Dean’s favor.”
Yeah, no.
Topher doesn’t fool me, not even for a nanosecond. Our president isn’t as charitable as he wants to portray. He didn’t buy that kissing booth’s golden chip last night because he wanted to make a large donation to the Zetas’ chosen charity, he isn’t so amenable to welcoming Bay here just to show solidarity. I would bet my left nut, he thinks having her live here will give him the chance to try to win her back.
I open my mouth to confront him about it, but again one of my brothers speaks first.
“To be honest, I agree with David and Corey. And no offense, Topher, but I think you might have ulterior motives for wanting your ex to move into our house.” Madden, our new starting left winger says.
“Ulterior motives? Me?” Topher’s wide eyed reaction would be funny if it wasn’t so fucking ridiculous. “You guys should know I’m always ready to help, especially a damsel in distress.”
“Sure, Mother Theresa.” Tucker snickers. “You’re always ready to help as long as the damsel has a pair of perfect tits and an ass that won’t quit.”
I grind my teeth at the way he expresses his appreciation of Bay’s beauty. It’s not that I disagree with his opinion, but I hate that kind of language; the same kind of language the guys use in the locker room when they talk about their nights with a hot bunny.
Bay is no puck bunny and I need to make that clear right now.
“That,” I bite out, pointing a finger at Tucker. “That is exactly the type of shit that isn’t gonna fly. The second Bay sets foot in here, this is her home as much as it is ours. She needs to feel comfortable and safe here and that won’t happen with that kind of attitude.”
To my surprise and chagrin, Topher agrees with me.
“I agree with Cole,” he says with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Bay is objectively gorgeous, but you guys need to act like fucking gentlemen and not like a bunch of horny Neanderthals.”
That might be a problem.
Looking around the room at my frat brothers and teammates, I must admit that we’re a rowdy and horny bunch at the best of times.
“That was exactly my point,” Corey takes a long sip from his beer. “We’d have to spend the entire year walking on eggshells and we’d probably still make Bay feel uncomfortable.”
“Then be on your fucking best behavior,” Topher scolds him. “You of all people shouldn’t have a problem with this. You’re still a sophomore and the only reason you were allowed to move in is that we lost three of our seniors to the NHL. That’s why you and David got a room in the house. And may I remind you that as president, I could have vetoed it? So now do me a solid and don’t be a pain in the ass about letting Bay move in. It’s done anyway, I can’t go back on my word to the Dean.”
That shuts Corey and David up, but not Tucker.
“That’s all the new guy’s fault. If Moore had been a decent brother and moved into the house, with the rest of the team, we’d be at capacity. He’s lucky that Bay is hot, or I’d be pissed.”
I glare at our goalie and he throws his hands up in apology.
“Ok, ok, I fucking get it. No comments on Bay’s hotness in front of her. I’m getting it out of my system before she moves in. Cut me some fucking slack, dude.”
I roll my eyes but nod in Tucker’s direction. He isn’t a bad guy, just a bit too rowdy and immature and that’s what makes him fall prey to Topher’s shenanigans more often than not.
“So I’m glad it’s settled then,” Topher looks around the room. “Bay will move into Cash Hanbury’s old room and we’re all going to make her feel welcome?—”
“About that,” I interrupt him. “I don’t think Cash’s old room will do for Bay. I’m sure we can all agree that it would be much easier if Bay didn’t have to share a bathroom with any of us. One of the en-suite rooms would be more comfortable for her.”
Topher doesn’t realize my intention and falls right into my trap. “I agree with you, but my hands are tied. The only room that has an en-suite bathroom is Luca’s old room and after the discussion we just had, I doubt that Corey will agree to move.” He shrugs. “You should have moved rooms when I offered it to you, since you’re the team captain and a senior. Now you could be Bay’s knight in shining armor and give up your room to her.”
Hook, line and sinker.
A slow smile spreads onto my lips when I realize that I have Topher right where I wanted him. “Yeah, I think it would be harsh to ask Corey to move. But his room isn’t the only one with an en-suite bathroom.”
I don’t even have to say the words, Topher immediately catches my drift. “No, absolutely not. The presidential suite is the best room of the house for a reason. It’s for the fucking president. It’s unheard of for a president not to occupy his rightful quarters?—”
This is so much fun. “But you just said it. If you gave Bay your room, you’d be her knight in shining armor. God knows you need all the brownie points you can get after what you did in the spring.”
Topher is shaking his head. “No, no, no. That room was my father’s when he attended here and was Gamma president and my grandfather’s before him. It’s a Mumford tradition.”
I look around the room.
“Maybe we should put this to a vote.”
Unexpected help comes from Jagger, who’s been silently drinking his beer in the armchair opposite Topher’s. “I second that. I think Bay should have her own bathroom and it would be nice of us to give her the biggest room. We all know that chicks tend to have a ton of things. ”
I don’t point out that this isn’t the case for Bay right now, since all her stuff was lost in the fire, but I’m sure Bay will replace most of it pretty quickly. “Ok, so all the brothers in favor of Bay Woods moving into the presidential suite, say aye.”
“NAY!” Topher’s loud vote is drowned by the otherwise unanimous “aye” of the rest of us.
“Then it’s settled,” I grin, echoing Topher’s earlier words just to piss him off. “Bay and some of her Zeta sisters went to the mall to shop for immediate necessities, I think we could use that time to help our president move out of his room.”
“Let’s do it,” Tucker slaps his hands together, getting up and starting toward the stairs.
“Wait,” Topher objects. “If that’s the case, I think I should take Luca’s old room.”
I shake my head. “You said it yourself, that Corey wouldn’t move. Come on dude, three brothers to each bathroom isn’t so bad since we have a weekly cleaning service. You must have had it worse freshman year in the dorms.”
Topher narrows his eyes, probably aware of how much I’m enjoying this. “No, I had my own apartment before I got elected president sophomore year and I was allowed to move into the house. That suite has been my room for three years, I?—”
I slap him on the back—way harder than needed. “Let’s go, Bay just texted me that they’re on their way back to campus.”
When everyone else starts filing upstairs to help us move everything, Topher knows he’s lost this battle.
I made a promise to Bay that living here would be ok and I’ll do everything in my power to make good on that promise.
Getting her the best room in the house is an excellent start.
BAY
Moving night goes better than I expected.
I’m surprised when I’m moved into the presidential suite, rather than a regular room.
The guys order pizza for everyone and it’s… nice.
It’s almost like a movie night with my Zeta sisters, these men just eat a lot more and have different taste in movies. We’re watching an action flick full of car chases and explosions instead of a quirky rom-com and there’s beer rather than wine or a fruity cocktail, but I could definitely get used to a night in with the hockey team.
The only blemish on an otherwise nice night is the presence of Topher and Ryker.
“Hey,” I scowl at Ryker when we both reach for the last slice of pepperoni and spicy sausage. “I was here first.”
He has that permanent cocky smile on his annoyingly perfect face. “We grabbed it at the same time.” He argues. “Maybe we could share it?”
I narrow my eyes, ignoring the scatter of goosebumps that spreads up my entire arm when our fingers brush against each other’s. “The same way we shared that cinnamon roll at the airport? No, thank you. I was here first and last I checked, you don’t even live here.”
His smile widens, his ice blue eyes looking almost translucent under the neon lights of the kitchen. “All the more reason to be nice to a guest.”
Fat chance. “But are you really a guest? What’s your deal anyway? Aren’t you a Gamma brother? I thought all the upperclassmen lived in the house.”
“Are you asking me to move in together, Cinnamon?” he chuckles.
“Fuck no,” I snap, snatching the pizza while he’s distracted by the irresistible urge to provoke me. “I was just curious because you strike me as the frat boy type. ”
He rears back as if I had slapped him. “You know nothing about me, Cinnamon, and you couldn’t be more wrong about me if you tried. I pledged Gamma Delta Tau because it was expected of me as a legacy. But it was obvious pretty quickly that this isn’t my scene. I became an inactive member after freshman year. Normally, I wouldn’t be seen dead at Greek fundraisers or in the frat house. But since the entire hockey team are brothers and I’m new here, I’m gonna accept their invitations to hang out. We’ll play better together if we get to know one another.”
That’s surprisingly sensible for a douche like Ryker. “Fine by me. Just stay away from my food and we’ll have no problem.” I say, biting into my delicious loot.
Rather than being annoyed by the way I’m obviously taunting him about having lost the last slice of pizza, Ryker smiles.
Another one of those cocky ones that seem to be his trademark. “What a shame,” he tuts, shaking his head. “You must have been an only child since you never learned how to share.”
“Ha,” I chide triumphantly. “You know nothing about me either, Ryker. Joke’s on you now. I have a twin sister.”
He tilts his head, letting those striking blue eyes roam over me, like he’s evaluating me. “A twin? It’s crazy that nature would take something so pretty and make a copy.”
The pizza slides off my hand onto the paper plate I’m holding. Did Ryker Moore just call me pretty?
“Besides,” he continues, taking a step forward and lowering his head to whisper into my ear. “I know enough about you. How you slightly move your lips when you’re asleep, as if you were about to whisper all your secrets. How wet you were for me in that toilet before you got cold feet because I play hockey.”
This fucking man.
How dare he talk to me like that? Heat rises to my face and not for the first time since we met, I’m unsure if I want to slap him across the face for being an asshole or drag him into the bathroom to finish what we started on the flight over to Star Cove.
“Stop being a douche,” I provoke him. “You don’t even like me.”
His fingers close around my wrist. “We aren’t all like your ex?—”
Ryker’s warm breath fans over my ear and down my neck and I’m fighting the urge to shudder.
“Hey Bay, Cole wanted to know if you wanted—is everything ok, here?” Jagger stops a couple of feet away from us.
“Everything’s fine,” Ryker grins, letting go of my wrist and grabbing the paper plate from my hand in one fell swoop. “Bay was being nice by sharing the last slice of pepperoni and sausage with me.” He takes a gigantic bite, wolfing down half the slice of pizza in one go.
I look as he walks away with my pizza with my mouth agape.
I can’t with this guy, I swear. Where’s a hockey stick and a puck when I need one?
“Are you sure everything is fine?” Jagger asks, looking confused.
“Peachy,” I bite out still shooting daggers at Ryker’s back.
“Did you and Ryker know each other?” his tone isn’t prying, just genuinely curious.
“No,” I shake my head. “Why?”
Jagger’s smile is relaxed, easygoing as amusement dances in his hazel eyes. “I don’t know, I could have sworn you did. You were bickering like an old couple.”
“Ha,” I snicker. “He wishes. No, I don’t know Ryker Moore. I’m just glad he didn’t move into the Gamma house though because he just took the last slice of my favorite pizza.”
Jagger’s smile widens and I can’t help but notice how his eyes look more green rather than golden under the kitchen lights. “I never noticed what kind of pizza you liked, but now that I know, I’ll make sure we order more of that next time.”
My eyes track the way his lips curve into that attractive smile. I suppress a shudder at the memory of those same lips against mine a mere twenty-four hours ago.
It was the best kiss I’ve ever had.
The thought strikes me as I find myself smiling back at him but I force my gaze away from Jagger’s mouth.
It doesn’t matter how his kiss made my entire body come alive, how soft his lips were and how playful and yet dominant. It doesn’t matter how good he smelled and tasted, how strong and ripped his body felt against mine. It doesn’t matter that my clothes felt like an unwanted barrier between me and said perfect body.
I came back to Star Cove with one goal.
Finish my degree and get the hell out of dodge. No hesitation, no doubts, no distractions. And most of all, no hockey players.
Destiny might have a sick sense of humor by making me move into a house full of hockey players within a day of coming back to campus, but that’s just a small inconvenience.
It doesn’t matter that one of these hockey players broke my heart into tiny, sharp shards that seem to bleed all over again every time I see him.
It doesn’t matter that my ex was right all along during his numerous fits of jealousy and that I do have feelings for my best friend.
It doesn’t matter that a guy who I’ve only ever known superficially turned out to be the best kisser on the planet.
Or that I almost had sex with another sexy—yet unbearable—hockey player. I’m dying to know if Ryker is as good a kisser as Jagger, when I’m not thinking about killing him, that is.
None of that matters because last year turned out to be a dumpster fire and my heart is too delicate to be taking any risks.
It’s actually good that Cole sees me purely as a friend.
It’s good that Jagger kissed me on some kind of dare and he’ll be back to his puck bunnies in no time.
It’s good that most of the time, I want to kick Ryker’s ass.
This girl has no emotional bandwidth for relationships this year. My heavy course load, my influencer empire and rebuilding the Zeta house will be enough to keep me busy and to protect my heart.
“Bay?” Jagger calls out. “Did you hear what I said? Cole got your favorite ice cream. He wanted to know if you wanted it plain or if you wanted to make sundaes.”
“No, thanks. Do you mind telling Cole that I’m going to call it a night? The last twenty-four hours have been intense and I got no sleep last night. I think I’m gonna turn in early, my first class is quite early tomorrow morning.”
Jagger nods. “Sure, I can. I’m also gonna make sure that the guys don’t eat your pint of rocky road.”
I smile gratefully. “That’s very thoughtful of you, Jagger. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. You’re one of us now and we always have each other’s backs.”
For a second his words give me pause. Is this how Jagger sees me? Like one of the guys? Judging from last night’s kiss, I would have thought—No.
I scold myself mentally for even going there. Bad, bad Bay.
It doesn’t matter how Jagger sees me. It doesn’t matter that his eyes look golden again whenever he lowers his head to meet my gaze.
His low, slightly gravelly voice isn’t causing a slight buzz all over my skin, as if the one beer I had could be enough to make me tipsy .
Even if Jagger wasn’t a known player, even if he hadn’t just said that I’m one of the brothers, I’m not interested.
I keep repeating that to myself like a mantra as I wish Jagger a good night and climb up the two flights of stairs headed to the top floor and to the presidential suite.
I exhale slowly as I close the door behind me, feeling my way to the light switch.
It’s kind of ironic that this is the room I’m most familiar with in the entire Gamma house, for obvious reasons.
The only difference now is the pink and white bedding I bought at the mall to replace Topher’s.
“What the fuck?” I yelp when the light is finally on and my eyes land on the object of my last thought. “Topher, what the hell are you doing in my room?” I glare at my ex’s form sitting on my bed.
“Well technically,” he smirks. “This is my room, since we’re in the presidential suite and I’m the president.”
I guess hoping that Topher would stay out of my way and give me a wide berth would be wishful thinking. “ Technically ,” I argue. “The Dean assigned me to live here and since you decided to put me in this room, this is no longer your room. So, get out.”
His smile fades, replaced by a frown. “Believe me, it wasn’t my choice. But Cole thought you should have your own bathroom and he convinced the others to vote me into Cash’s old room.”
I can’t help the snort that escapes me at his words. “I should have known that I couldn’t expect a gentlemanly gesture from you.”
Topher stands up, stalking toward me like a predator with his prey. “Oh and you think your BFF is a fucking gentleman? Please.”
My pulse quickens, my fight or flight instinct unsure which option is preferable right now. “Cole is a good guy. I know the concept is very hard to grasp for you. ”
My ex takes another step toward me and I retreat until my back hits the door, leaving me nowhere to go.
“Bay, don’t be naive. Cole is the biggest player in this house. A fuckboy who has fucked more girls than the entire hockey team combined. How is he a good guy when he fucks a different girl every weekend—sometimes two at a time—and I’m the devil for one single indiscretion?”
Oh, no. He didn’t just say that. “Because,” I jab my finger at his chest, punctuating every word. “Cole isn’t cheating on his girlfriend. Those girls know what’s at stake there, he doesn’t make promises he doesn’t intend to fulfill.”
To my surprise, Topher hangs his head. “I know I fucked up, Bay. If you had bothered listening to the million voice messages I sent you, or reading the dozens of DMs I wrote to you, you’d know how sorry I am. I was having a very rough time and I acted out. If I could take that afternoon back, I swear I would. I love you, Bay. Please can we work this out?”
His chest is pressed against mine, his fingers tracing the edge of my jaw, trying to coax me closer.
When he surges forward, crashing his lips on mine, I’m too stunned to react.
His mouth is hard, unyielding. His tongue tries pushing its way past my lips but I can’t, I won’t go there.
“Get away from me,” I snap, shoving him away. “You fucked one of my sisters in my own bed, how do you expect me to forgive that? But even if I could get past that, I can’t forgive all the other things you did.”
There’s hurt in Topher’s eyes.
Good. It’s unfair that I should be the only hurt party in this fucked up situation.
“Bay, please. That’s a misunderstanding. I meant no harm toward Lake, you must know that. It was just a game, I just wanted to push her to choose. I?—”
“You’re unbelievable,” I snarl. “You’re so full of shit, that you don’t even know when you’ve crossed the line. I don’t believe you, Toph. But even if I did, what you did to Lake and the blackmail to keep me from finding out isn’t even what I’m talking about.”
He looks genuinely confused. “Then what are you talking about? What could I possibly have done that we can’t get past?”
Tears well in my eyes and I inhale sharply to swallow them back. “I heard you. You and your dad, at Christmas. How men like you don’t marry women like me, you just fuck us and then you find a suitable match. Someone with the background and the pedigree I so obviously lack.”
I hate the way my pitch goes up at the end, I’m too upset to control it.
Shock flashes in Topher’s dark brown eyes. “You heard that?”
I nod, struggling to keep my voice from trembling. “Every word.”
“But Bay,” his voice softens, gentle and yet insistent. “If you heard us, you must know what I told my dad. You must know that I don’t see you the way he and my mom do. I’ve been in a fight with them since last Christmas, I haven’t even gone home this summer because of it. I told him that I love you, or did you not hear that part?”
It’s true.
He did say that. And yet… “If that was true, then why didn’t you propose? I heard that you wanted to ask me to marry you at midnight on New Year’s Eve. If you really meant what you said to your dad, why didn’t I have an engagement ring to throw at you and Bianca?”
I know I hit the mark when he lowers his gaze. “I—you have to understand, Bay. I’m going to start working with my father after graduation, while I go to Yale law school. He isn’t only my dad, my entire professional life is tied to my family. I didn’t want to propose without their approval. I wanted to wait and find a way to change his mind. I knew, I know , that if they got to know you, they would love you just as much as I do. They would see that you’re perfect for me, even if?—”
Bile rises to my throat. “Even if my parents are just two teachers who live paycheck to paycheck?”
Topher nods. “Yeah.”
“Can you even hear yourself?” I shake my head. “You agree with your father.”
My ex shrugs, clearly not seeing the point. “That we come from different social classes is a fact. What my parents are wrong about is that it should be an obstacle to us being together long term. If they got to know you, they’d see how driven you are, how far you’ll go?—”
“No, thank you.” I stop him. “Even if your elitist views weren’t despicable, I still can’t forgive you for cheating and for how you treated my sister. We’re done, Topher. Now please, get the fuck out of my room.”