Page 103 of Ice Me Out
She’s just as agile, however, and just steps out of his way. “Knock it off, Tucker.”
“That’s it.” Jamie clenches his fists. “This stopped being funny when I told you to cut it out the first time.”
He laughs and dodges Jamie. “Ha, sucker. Catch me if you can.”
“Great.” Luke groans. “Now we gotta chase him before he gets hurt or causes more trouble. Let’s go.”
As we run out of the art center, I feel relieved that I wasn’t the one who caused a drunken scene. If this really is a sign from the universe that I should cool it on the drinking, I’m going to be smart enough to listen to it.
Bex
The party is over shortly after Jamie, Luke, and Connor leave to go after Tucker.
Coach Harrison left before they did, and I have to wonder if that’s a good thing or not. He either left before he saw too much and had to intervene, or he did because he thought he saw enough and he's planning some serious retaliation.
My father didn’t allow me to attend Star Cove’s games in person, because he wanted to prevent me from seeing Luke. But I’ve always kept up with every possible piece of news about the Cove Knights. Coach Harrison is known all over the NCAA hockey circuit for being extremely strict. So I hope Tucker and the team won’t get into too much trouble.
Despite the things he said, I’m not mad at Tucker.
I know he didn’t mean any harm. He was more sloppy than violent, so I wasn’t scared of him. Especially with Luke, Jamie, and Connor by my side.
Candace and Fiona have stayed to help me take down all the decorations.
“Hey Bex,” the Zeta president says. “That box of tools should go into the storage room in the back. Do you mind putting it away and locking up?”
“No problem.” I nod.
She looks at her phone, blushing as she taps on the screen. “I asked Fiona to give you a ride. Is it ok? She should be outside with her boyfriend. Corey is waiting for me and he asked me if I want to go to the bar on campus for a nightcap. I don’t want to get too excited about it, but it feels like a date.”
“I’ll go with Fiona. You have fun. Corey seems like a nice guy.” I smile.
Candace’s cheeks get one shade darker. “He is, isn’t he? We hooked up a couple of weeks ago at that party Luke brought you to. I thought nothing of it at first, but he has been texting me almost every day since then.”
Her interest in the team’s second line center is obvious. “That’s a good sign.” I comment.
She beams. “I know, right? I had a crush on one guy on the team but he ended up falling for my predecessor, the past Zeta president. I probably should have stayed away from the hockey team after that. But I think hockey players are hot. Can you blame me?”
“I can’t blame you, obviously.” I smile.
“I guess you could say that I have a type. I ended up hooking up with a few guys on the team last year and I got a puck bunny reputation. I thought none of the guys would ever look at me as girlfriend material.”
I shake my head, balancing the box with the tools on one hip and touching Candace’s bicep with my other hand. “That’s ridiculous. This puck bunny thing is so sexist. I don’t hear any derogatory nicknames for the guys on the team who like to hook up.”
She considers my words. “It’s complicated. I agree with you that things should be equal between genders. But we all know it rarely works that way. Some girls want to be called puck bunnies and see that name as a badge of honor. Most of them have the end goal of a relationship with a hockey player for the wrong reasons. They want the popularity and the lifestyle if their guys make it to the NHL. They don’t even care about who they end up with in the end. While I don’t judge someone just for enjoying their college life and going a little wild, the whole gold digging thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”
I don’t disagree with her. “So, do you think Corey wants more than just a few hookups?”
She looks hopeful. “That’s the way it looks. If he wanted to hook up, he would just hang out with me at parties. He wouldn’t need to text me every morning and every night, right?”
“You’re right.” I smile.
“I just hope we end up like you and Jamie. If you can make Jamie Hart a relationship guy, I think there’s some hope for me, too.”
All I can offer Candace is a sheepish smile. This is exactly what Jamie needs. But while on one hand it’s good that people believe that our relationship is real, I feel like I’m lying to everyone. It isn’t the best way to start a potential friendship.
I find the storage room at the back of the building. The art center is located in an old building that’s been refurbished and everything looks clean and new. Everything except the storage area, where the floors are raw concrete and the doors are made of heavy metal.
If I see a spider, I swear I’m going to pass out.
