Face Offs & Cheap Shots (CU Hockey 2)

“Technically, he’s not wrong,” Cohen says.

“One win each, then?” Jacobs asks.

Cohen nods.

“This is bullshit,” I protest.

“Now, now, Beck. A captain can’t be a sore loser.” Jacobs turns to Cohen. “What’s next?”

The evil glint in Cohen’s eyes lets me know exactly what’s next. And now I can’t afford to let Jacobs win another one.

“You’ll find out tomorrow night.”

Streaking it is.

5

Jacobs

I’m used to going hard during the season, but the first six days of this training camp have kicked my ass. It hasn’t been all on the ice. We’ve had to run the kids through gym training and nutrition, supervise meals, and run drills at night. Which means way too much time with Beck.

Thankfully, I’ve figured out a way to split us up. While he works with the goalies and defense kids, I deal with the forwards. It hasn’t stopped him from getting under my skin, but it has given me the space I need to keep pretending like his shit isn’t getting to me.

Beating cocky Beck at getting peoples’ numbers was the highlight of my week. Any asshole can down some beer, but I more than doubled him with numbers, and I know that hit him hard. Fuck him and that virgin comment.

I don’t flaunt my hookups like he does or have anywhere near as many, but that doesn’t mean I’m inexperienced.

I’ve been with plenty of chicks.

I just don’t see what all the fuss is about.

Some of the guys on our team are way too graphic about what they get up to at night, and yeah, I play their game to an extent, but I’m not about to pony up details. It’s bad enough that I feel pressured to hook up with people when casual isn’t my style, but I’m sick of the shit they give me for not sleeping my way through the puck bunnies on campus.

When I get back to my dorm after camp activities for the day, I shower and mentally prepare myself for whatever bullshit Cohen has planned for tonight. Apparently we’re meeting in the quad at ten thirty which doesn’t fill me with a whole lot of confidence. Still, if I can win whatever crap they have planned, I’ll be one up. Then I only need to take out one of the next two wins to shut Beck up for good.

It by no means guarantees getting captain, but it’ll be a good start.

I’ve sent Cohen to supervise dinner because I figure I need to get payback in advance for whatever’s coming, if the knowing look he gave me at the end of practice was any indication.

I’m way too antsy to wait it out though, so by the time it hits ten I head down. Surprisingly, I’m not the first one there.

Rossi and Cohen are chatting with Beck, who’s sitting against a metal water fountain.

“Why do I feel like I’m walking into a trap?”

The look Cohen and Rossi share sinks lead into my gut.

Beck looks completely unruffled as usual, and if I’m honest, out of the two of us, he looks primed for leadership. Perfectly styled blond hair, steady stare, lips that always seem to be smiling. After getting out of the shower, I barely ran my hand through my hair, and now it’s dried however the hell it wanted.

He might have the look, but I have the brains.

I’m not gonna give up now. “All right, we’re here, let’s do this.”

“Not yet, Topher,” Rossi says.

I grit my teeth. “That’s really caught on, huh?” I try to keep my voice light because no way am I letting Beck see the way his shit gets to me. But the fact he’s got the team started on it is yet more evidence of his influence over them.

“It reminds me of gopher,” Cohen says. Him having my back makes it slightly less annoying. “But, yeah, no starting yet. Still more people to come.”

“More people” turns out to be the entire team that is here for the summer. I’m told to sit with Beck, so I take the farthest spot on the fountain seat possible and cross my arms while I wait.

This isn’t going to be good.

“Thanks, assholes, for coming,” Cohen says. “I know everyone is keen as hell to see what these two idiots will be doing.”

I look over at Beck at the same time as he turns to me, and I scowl at him before I catch myself. His entire face lights up. Fucker. He loves pissing me off, and I’ve been doing so well at not giving him the satisfaction, but he refuses to leave me alone and it’s getting harder by the minute.

The confident bastard raises his eyebrows at me. He clearly thinks he’s going to win this one.

“So tonight, our two bitches—ah, captains—are going to go for a little run.”

I force my attention away from Beck and back to Cohen, sure there’s got to be more.