Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
She fixes the strap of the gym bag slung over her shoulder matching my pace. “Shit. Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. But this is kind of a big deal for you. After obsessing over his mom for like… ever, how are you not as excited as I am about this? He talked to you. Preston sat next you.” She fans herself with her hand, a dreamy look falls over her face. “I would die if he even breathed in the same airspace as me.”
“Okay, that’s a bit dramatic, even for you. Don’t you think? He’s just a hockey player. Stop acting like a girl.”
“Must I remind you that I am a girl,” she counters. “And he’s the hottest guy on campus. Preston is taking you to meet his mom. Hello, that’s major. Wake up, Bex. You have a date with Preston Parker this weekend. I’m so jealous right now I almost hate you.”
I nudge her in the arm with my elbow and laugh. “You’re not allowed to hate me over boys. It’s in the roommate agreement.”
Dodging my second elbow, she snorts. “Roommate agreement?”
“Yeah, it’s like unspoken rules we both have to follow. No fighting over boys is one of them.”
I became friends with Taylor during freshman orientation. We were paired together, became fast friends, and even made the basketball team together.
“But he’s Preston Parker.”
“Will you stop saying his name like he’s a big deal?”
She gives me a perplexed look. “He is a big deal, silly. Did you fall down and bump your head? Just because you have more of a crush on his mom than him doesn’t make him any less yummy. Hey, if you don’t want him, I’ll be more than happy to be your substitute.”
On this campus, athletics reign supreme. Even my teammates and I are treated differently because of it. If anyone is deserving of god-like praise, it’s Preston Parker. There’s no debating that he’s the most athletically gifted player on the men’s ice hockey team. He’s broken most of the records set in previous years, putting other players to shame. My dad talks about him all the time. I never saw him so excited to coach a player until Preston.
“Does all your fangirling have a point?”
She scoffs. “Of course, it does. You have a shot with Preston. Take it, girl. This is your one chance. Girls like us don’t get these kinds of opportunities to date guys like him. They usually go for cheerleaders or sorority girls.”
“My dad has rules about his team. You know them well.”
“How can I forget? No talking to his players. No hanging out with his players. No dating his players.”
“Technically, I already broke one of them when I talked to Preston in the locker room.”
“Your dad broke his own rule by introducing you to his players. He shouldn’t have done that if he was going to be such a hard ass.”
She’s right. His team was always off-limits to me. And for good reason.
“It’s not just his rules,” I admit. “After what happened with Kellan, I had no interest in dating, let alone his players. I still don’t. Kellan left a lasting effect on my life, one I never want to repeat.”
She frowns. “Yeah. I still can’t believe you have to deal with everything that happened with him. It’s been four years.”
“Some mistakes can’t be undone.” I push back the tears that are fighting to escape.
I allowed Kellan to win for too long. He’s not allowed to keep controlling my life when he’s no longer in it.
She touches my shoulder to comfort me. “I’m sorry, babe.”
I sigh at the thought of the boy who ruined my life in high school. The piece of shit who still somehow manages to fuck everything up for me.
“Kellan was—”
“An ass,” Taylor finishes for me.
Once we reach the parking garage, I remove my dad’s spare set of keys from my bag and click the remote to open his car. He’d called me after my last class and asked me to bring his wallet to the rink across campus. He must have been in a rush because he left it in the center console, right where anyone could see it.
I retrieve his wallet and hold it up for her to see. “I have to run this over to my dad. It won’t take long. Do you want to tag along? We can grab something to eat from the cafeteria afterward.”
Her nose wrinkles in disgust. “No, to cafeteria food. A definite hell yeah to sneaking a peek at the men’s ice hockey practice.”
“Awesome.” I shut the door and lock the car. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to face the guys alone, especially not Preston.”
“Are you kidding me? As if you even had to ask.”
I chuckle. “Don’t act like this around the guys. Their egos are big enough.”
“Gotcha,” she says. “Don’t feed the players. Duly noted.”