Chapter 2 Cold Snap Beau
Cold Snap
Beau
A few inches of snow blanketed the campus overnight, so I’m wandering the arboretum before our first practice of the season.
The house has felt too crowded since my sister started spending more time there.
I may have given them my blessing, but it’s still awkward seeing her with my best friend.
That protective edge of anger simmers when I see his hands on her.
The problem is I feel like I’m the one who doesn’t belong, even though it’s technically my place.
There’s nobody else exploring the barren gardens in the winter.
The muffled quiet that accompanies a fresh coat of snow has settled over the area.
It’s exactly what I need. There’s been so much noise in my life lately.
At the house, at games, on campus. It’s too much.
I’ve been taking these breaks away from the rest of the team to keep them from catching me when I get overwhelmed.
My phone vibrates against my thigh, and I pull it out. Coach. Interesting. My sigh is accompanied by a misty cloud in the cold air. Should definitely grab that.
“Coach.”
“Whitaker, we’ve got a meeting lined up after practice with the AD and PR teams. You’re expected to be there.”
My feet trace a tight path around a snow-covered fountain as if my body is mimicking the thoughts spinning circles in my head.
“What’s going on?”
“You’ll find out when you get there.” His words are abrupt, but I can hear the buzz of conversation in the background. He’s probably busy.
“It’s going to be fine. Nothing to worry about.” It’s like he could sense my anxiety rising, but that’s one of the worst things to say without giving further details.
“I’ll be there, Coach.” Of course I will.
Hopefully, I can keep it together today.
The calm peacefulness of the place has been shattered thanks to the unexpected break in my routine, so I may as well head to the arena.
We don’t start for another forty-five minutes, but I can entertain myself.
There’s a half-hour break between figure skating practice and the start of our ice time, so it should be nice and quiet there.
The snow falls faster as I pick up my pace to head across campus. Back on the main path, people are rushing back and forth. Everyone is buried in thick coats with hoods pulled low to protect them from the wind.
Well, most people. As I’m passing by the stone steps leading up to the library, I spot a girl who stands out.
Instead of a thick coat and mittens, she’s got on a thin red sweater, and her blonde hair is hanging loose over her shoulders.
She’s swiping away at it to keep the wind from whipping it in her face.
Her arm is stretched out, holding one of those ridiculous selfie sticks out as she talks to the camera. Her eyes light up when they land on me.
“Beau! Come here.”
I squint, trying to figure out how I know her. Then my eyes fall shut, and dread creeps in. Great.
“I’m heading to the arena, Vivian. I’m sure I’ll see you around.
” Probably not. One of the reasons I chose Lakeview, aside from the fantastic hockey program, was to give myself some distance from the kids I grew up with.
The ones I attended private school with.
The ones who are only interested in being my friend because of my family, my wealth, and the advantages they get from that.
Vivian is the one exception. The only one who somehow ended up here too. Her father’s company has a partnership with my father. She was at a party at my parent’s house over the holidays, but she was glued to her phone the entire time, filming for her socials.
“Just a quick shot.” She grabs my arm, dragging me in closer to her side until I’m in her frame. “Hey, guys. It’s Beau Whitaker. You got a glimpse of him from my holiday day in the life videos, and some of you were asking for more.”
I turn to her, confused, and then look at the camera. “Are you live?”
“Of course. I had to let everyone see how gorgeous campus looks with the recent snowfall.” She flips her hair over her shoulder, looking at me expectantly.
“And you had to do it with no coat?”
The shrill tone of her laugh sounds a little forced, and it grates on my eardrums.
“I’m good. Used to the cold. Tell everyone what you’re up to.”
My jaw aches from how tightly I’m clenching it, and my fingers are drumming a familiar pattern within my gloves.
“Heading to hockey practice. Don’t want to be late.” I give a salute and pull my arm out of her grasp.
She laughs again. “Oh well. He’s a busy man, but I’m sure I can snag him later for another video.”
Not likely. I hurry away; even more tense as I pick up my pace.
I swing around to the back of the arena, knowing I won’t run into anyone there unless some of my team shows up early. And I can deal with them.
Before heading in, I throw my arms against the concrete slab of a wall beside the door, dropping my head down to drag in a few deep breaths. I don’t like taking this disturbed energy through the door with me. Need to walk in with a clear head.
The back hall is empty, the clomping of my boots muted on the rubber-matted floor, and my feet automatically take me toward the ice. It’s too early to get dressed, and the one place guaranteed to give me some peace is an empty rink.
Except when I walk out into the tunnel, loud laughter accosts my ears and skate blades echo around the space.
I walk out to find hockey practice underway, and I panic for the barest of moments thinking I fucked something up. But that’s not it. These voices are female, so I make my way to a hidden spot in the bleachers to spot our female counterparts on the ice. It’s the women’s team.
Right. They moved some things around on the schedule, so they’ve got practice directly before ours now.
I haven’t been to any of their games, but I know they’ve been doing well this season, and I’ve heard their captain is a solid player.
Curiosity pulls me into a seat, and the action sucks me in.
They’re doing some shooting drills, and she’s nailed every shot, no matter the awkward angle it arrives to her at.
Wilder. That’s their captain, and it looks like the rumors are true.
She’s got skill and serious composure to match.
I glance at my phone to check the time and realize I’ve gotten so wrapped up in the action I’m cutting it real close on my pre-practice routine.
One of the ways I keep everything in check is by following a very specific routine.
Now I’m going to be rushing. This day is completely throwing me off.
I should have stayed at the house and driven in with the rest of the guys.
I could have hidden in my room to avoid catching sight of anything that makes me uncomfortable with my sister hanging around.
Lucy doesn’t seem like the type to be too into PDAs, but Cece and her exuberance seem to have rubbed off on him.
The chatter and laughter coming from the dressing room could almost be a competition with the ladies’ team I left behind.
“Bo Bo! I thought we were going to have to send a search party out for you.” JJ hurls himself at my feet, looking up at me from the mess of hair hanging in his eyes. Our goalie is seriously in need of a haircut. “You’re always the first one here.”
My eyes stray over to glance at Lucy, and he crosses his arms, shifting in his seat as if he knows the reason I left the house early. “Was watching the girls play.”
“The girls?” JJ’s face is scrunched up in confusion. Probably his most common expression.
“The women’s team has practice right before us now. New year, new schedule.”
He jumps up at the same time I’m trying to step over him, and I trip.
“JJ, fuck!”
“Sorry, Captain.”
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “It’s fine. Just settle down. We’re halfway through the season already. It’s time to focus.”
That weight is pressing on my chest again.
The winter break was hell without Cece there as a buffer.
My dad spent every single moment he had with me going over plans for the company.
Plans that I’m going to be directly involved in.
Because this is it. I’ve only got a few months left to enjoy the life I actually want.
Playing hockey has been the one good thing.
The one thing I love more than anything else.
I came back to school hoping to throw myself into the team.
But already it’s hard. It feels like the walls are closing in around me.
Pressing in closer and closer until I can’t breathe.
The lump in my throat makes it difficult to swallow.
“You okay, man?” Dev’s soft voice breaks through my reverie, and I turn to my best friend.
“I’m fine. I got this.”
He narrows his eyes, but lets it slide as I pull on my gear.
This day started out messy and just keeps spiraling.
Cole beats me out the door, and I have to restrain myself from telling him to walk back in so I can leave first. So my brain is already a mess as I’m walking down the tunnel to hit the ice.
I would have expected to run into the women as they’re clearing out, but they’re still on the ice. Irritation flares up at the further interruption to my routine. All that rushing and they can’t even vacate the ice on time? This had better not be a sign of what’s to come this year.
I’m annoyed, but I can be professional about it.
They’re not used to this schedule either.
They’ve probably lost track of time. But then I catch sight of what they’re doing, and it’s not drills or even a rundown.
Nope. They’re brushing each other’s hair and shooting a video.
Their captain seems to be in charge of the operation.
She’s directing them and resetting the camera.
“They must be filming a video for Luna’s social media account.
She has like a million followers. Maybe they’ll let me be in it.
” JJ skates off to join the nonsense. He’s been working on his own accounts, but the difference is he does it on his own time.
And if he tried to derail practice for it, I would have strong words with him.
Especially if he was cutting into someone else’s ice time. That’s just rude.
All my admiration of her play seeps away. Another influencer. That’s all I need in my life. I wouldn’t be surprised if she asks me to be in one of her videos too. And I’ve spent enough of my life under the media microscope as the Whitaker heir to want nothing to do with that.
She has the audacity to tell me she needs more time to finish up, and then JJ gets involved, trying to join them.
The irritation is now full-blown anger. I hate losing control of a situation.
This day started out a mess, and it’s only gotten worse.
My breath is coming faster, and I’m afraid I’m about to lose it.
Which I can’t afford to do in front of my team.
She finally gets her team together, sending me targeted glares as she skates by.
She’s got her helmet tucked under her arm, long hair falling around her shoulders in waves.
It’s blonde near the roots, fading to a golden-brown color that reeks of an expensive salon job.
Maybe I should have worded it a little better, but she’s the one in the wrong here, not me.
“Wilder!”
Her hair flies out around her as she whips around to look at me. “What?”
“Aren’t you cleaning up after yourself?” I gesture to the cones her team was using for drills. Things are already off-kilter. I can’t start practice with a mess on the ice.
“Are you serious?” She’s squinting at me through narrowed eyes.
“Yes.”
I ignore her muttering under her breath as she picks up the cones, dumping them with a clatter near the other equipment. My hand twitches, but I wait until she’s cleared out before I skate over to straighten them out.
“Sorry, Captain.” I have to wave JJ off when he slides over to help me out. Everything has its place.
“It’s fine. But you better get your skates moving because you’re doing an extra twenty laps.”
“Okay.” He ducks his head, skates swishing as he launches himself off.
Practice is a disaster.
Coach ends up pushing JJ so hard he pukes on the ice.
Grant takes a fall and hurts his wrist. He’s not one to complain, so it’s a bad sign when he agrees to let the medic look at it.
And then, when we’re wrapping up the pathetic excuse for a practice, Coach calls me over to remind me about the meeting we have with the AD and PR team.
All I want to do is get home, take a hot shower, and try to move on from the day, but now I’m stuck here for a while longer. Nothing else can go wrong today, right?
The familiar stench of sweaty equipment surrounds me as I’m pulling my jersey over my head. I turn to Lucy. “I’ve got to stay for a meeting, so I can’t give you a ride home unless you want to hang around for a while. Not sure how long I’ll be.”
His eyes drop to his hands. “I’m good.”
My knee taps in overdrive. “Cece?”
“Yeah.”
Of course. “Okay. I’m hitting the shower. I’ll see you later.”
“Later.”
The shower does nothing to clear my mind. Instead, I rehash every single thing that went wrong today, and I’m still off balance as I’m leaving the dressing room.
“Hey, Captain.” JJ doesn’t seem to be able to recognize my stay-away vibes. Or maybe he doesn’t give a fuck.
“What is it, Jenson?”
My irritation doesn’t faze him. “I just wanted to apologize for trying to join in with the girls. I got excited. It would give a massive boost to my account if I did a collaboration with Luna. She’s huge.”
“Great. Just do it on your own time. Some people may have time built into their hockey practice for making inane videos, but we don’t. Not if we’re going to win the championship this year.” We need to win. I need it.
“I know. She’s an amazing player, though, and it’s good because she’s getting more girls into hockey.”
“By posting vapid videos of her and her team? If she were serious about it, she wouldn’t have time for that shit. They were brushing their hair and putting on makeup on the ice, JJ.”