“Poonani hates everyone.” Luke cuts him off.
“Especially your sister.” Keene smirks. “This morning she had her claws stuck into Bex’s shirt. I had to literally pull her off of her and restrain her so she wouldn’t attack her again.”
Now Luke looks really offended. “Why do you look so pleased when you say that? Bex is the sweetest girl on Earth. She doesn’t deserve what happened to her.”
“Whatever,” Keene shrugs. “Last time I helped a girl in need, it didn’t end well for me. And anywhere I turn, I see women lying, cheating and scheming to get their way without any regard for who they hurt. Connor can back me up on this. Right, bud?”
Connor looks like the proverbial deer caught in front of headlights. “Uh, I—yeah, I guess.”
“See?” Keene gloats, his tone triumphant. “Sorry, but no. Besides, like I was trying to say before, we don’t have an extra room. Our house is no place for a chick. What if I walked into the kitchen in the middle of the night, buck naked, looking for a midnight snack, while she’s sleeping on the couch?”
Luke’s eyes narrow into slits as he snorts at Keene. “I’ve lived with you for almost three months, and I’ve never seen you naked. Not even in the locker room since the showers have partitions, and you keep a towel around your waist when you change your underwear.”
Keene doesn’t skip a beat. “But what if I wanted to have a snack in the middle of the night in my fucking birthday suit? There’s no room for a fifth roommate.”
Our captain looks hopeful again. “We do. I would give her my room. I can stay with Shane until I find something more permanent for Bex.”
“Fuck that,” Keene argues. “If I knew this was the deal, I wouldn’t have moved in. Sorry, but I vote no.”
Luke now looks positively distraught. “What about you two?” he turns to look at me and Connor. “You got to spend some time with Bex last night. You’ve seen how nice she is. Are you seriously going to let Keene tell you what to do? If anything, we should put it to a vote.”
I’m conflicted.
On the one hand, I like Bex. She’s hot and funny and I would like to get to know her better.
On the other hand, I would like to get to know her better. And that’s a recipe for disaster. Luke is one of my best friends, my team captain. I already feel guilty about the way I was picturing his sister on her knees in front of me instead of that puck bunny earlier on. If she lived in the room next to mine, how long would it be before I betrayed my friendship with Luke?
I’m not boyfriend material and I’m pretty sure that I would end up hurting her. I would inevitably convince myself she’s the love of my life and then I’d get bored with her.
“So? Connor, Jamie, what’s your vote?”
I’m fucked. I wish I didn’t feel attracted to Bex. It would be easier to say yes. I open my mouth, unsure about what I’m gonna say, but Connor saves me by the skin of my teeth.
“Look, dude, I’d love to say yes. Even with my horrible track record with women lately, I don’t think Bex is like my ex. Sorry Keene.” He says when he receives a glare from our new teammate. “If we were staying off campus, I would have no problem siding with you. We’ve been playing hockey together since freshman year, and I consider you more than a just a teammate or my captain. I consider you a friend. But our condo belongs to the athletic department. It’s technically a dorm. What would happen if someone reported us for living with someone who doesn’t even go to school here?”
Luke frowns. “I know I’m asking for a lot. But I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t have my back against the wall. If there’s any problem with Bex staying, I’m gonna take full responsibility. You’re right that we’re way more than just teammates. Do you think I would ever let you go down for helping me?”
Connor’s hand lands on Luke’s shoulder. “I know you wouldn’t let us take the fall for you,” his tone is low, full of compassion. “But we both know it doesn’t work like that. We would all get in trouble for letting someone who isn’t enrolled here live in a dorm accommodation. We could get expelled, and we would definitely get kicked off the team if anyone reported us. None of us can afford that. If we’re all hoping to go pro next year, we can’t afford any trouble.”
That pretty much nails it.
Relief and guilt war in my chest as I agree with Connor. “Sorry, Luke.” I can’t look him in the eye. “I want to have your back, and I think Bex is a terrific girl. But you can’t deny that if it came out that someone who doesn’t go to school here is living in the dorms with us, our hockey careers would be over.”
I’m a hypocrite. Because my hockey career is only one of the reasons why I’m not backing Luke on this. The truth is, I can’t trust myself around someone as hot as Bex.
“So this is it?” Luke’s tone is bitter. “You’re all voting no?”
We all nod silently.
“Fuck.” Luke runs a hand over his hair. “I must admit, I expected this from Keene, but not from you two. I thought we were more than teammates. I thought we were friends.”
Keene crosses his arms over his chest. “That’s unfair, Luke. It’s probably none of my business, because I’ve only been a Star Cove Knight for a couple of months. But if you consider Connor and Jamie real friends, you can’t ask them to risk their dreams for a girl they’ve barely met. You’re calling them shitty friends, but the way I see it, it’s the pot calling the kettle whatever color is politically correct these days.”
I almost snort at the way Keene rolls his eyes. Coach Harrison made us attend a mandatory media course during summer training and there was a ridiculous module about all the things that we can no longer say to the press or post on social media. Anything that could be perceived as racially insensitive was firmly on the list. So sheep and kettles can no longer be called black in a negative connotation. Even if they’re old sayings, like Keene argued with the sociologist who was tasked with making us politically correct.
Luke, however, doesn’t accept our new teammate’s criticism. “She’s my sister, dude. My twin sister. And you’re asking me to kick her to the curb. Forgive me for not feeling like we could bend the rules for someone who really needs our help. And I know I’m asking you to take a risk and that you don’t have to, but I’m the one who’s risking the most anyway here.”
“What do you mean?” Connor frowns.
