Most Desirable Player (Face-Off Legacy/Campus Kings 7)

I haven’t talked to Bex Bryant since I broke up with Julian. She’s the ice hockey coach’s daughter and pretty down-to-earth from what I remember. We sat next to each at some of the home games.

“So, are you two a thing again?” Bex says with genuine curiosity on her face.

Just get right to it, why don’t you? This girl doesn’t waste time.

“No, I’m just fulfilling my end of the obligation.”

“You make it sound like dating Julian is a bad thing,” Shannon says.

“It is,” I admit. “Been there, done that. Got that T-shirt and want to send it back.”

Shannon laughs.

“So, what happened at the auction?” Bex leans over to look down the row at me. “What did I miss? How did you end up with Julian if you hate him so much?”

“Well, I accidentally won a date with him. I dropped my paddle, and my friend picked it up. The auctioneer thought she was bidding on him for me. That’s why I’m here tonight. This is part of our date.”

“How romantic? Way to go, Julian.” Sam chuckles. “You stay classy, San Diego.”

I laugh at her reference to the movie Anchorman. Bex and Shannon miss the reference, which makes it even funnier. After working with Sam for the last year, we just click. We’ve always gotten each oth

er.

“Are you coming to the house after the game?” Bex asks.

“You totally should,” Shannon says. “I made vodka shooters with strawberries in them. Jamie flipped out when he tasted them and so did the rest of the guys.”

“Sounds good. I’ll have to try one. And yeah, I promised Julian I would come to the party. If I have to go through with this date, I might as well commit to it, right?”

Bex gives me a weird look, one I can’t place. She has no idea what to make of me. Most of the girls on campus would kill to be sitting in my seat right now. But she’s not the type to chase after hockey players, so I’m surprised the look is coming from her. Whatever. The girlfriends of Julian’s teammates can judge me all they want.

When I glance over my shoulder and into the stands, I spot a few girls already looking at me, burning a hole through my back with their intense stares. The girls are way overdressed for a hockey game, with full faces of makeup and clothes fit for a frat party.

“What’s their problem?” I ask Shannon.

Sam answers. “They’re the hockey hookers, or puck bunnies, whatever you want to call them. They want our men, so naturally, they’re the enemy.”

Unlike the girls behind us, I opted for a black and white flannel shirt rolled up to my elbows, with a white tank underneath paired with boyfriend jeans with intentional rips in the knees. I picked them up at a second-hand store on my way home from work. When I put the jeans on, they spoke to me. I had to spend the whopping fifteen dollars for them, even though I technically can’t afford them. But they’re like an extension of my pajama pants and so comfortable I could sleep in them.

“They come to all of the home games knowing the guys are already taken?”

“Not all of them are,” Shannon says. “I mean, Drake’s still single.”

“No, he’s not,” Bex shoots back so fast it shocks me. “Taylor would cut a bitch if they even looked at him.”

“Okay,” I say under my breath, not sure if I should laugh or cringe at her comment. “So, how many of the guys are still single?”

“Not many,” Shannon says. “I’m with Jamie. Sam is with Tuck. Jemma’s preggers with Trent’s baby.”

“Is she running late?”

“No, she’s not coming. Morning sickness is kicking her ass. She’s sitting this one out.”

“Bex is with Preston,” she finishes. “I guess Drake and Taylor are a legit thing now. I thought they were just messing around. My bad.” She says it rolling her eyes. “Killian Kade is with Jade now. So, I guess that leaves Julian Rivers, Cole Harker, Damon Knox, and Ryan Nash.”

“There are only ten players on their team?”

“No, there’s more, but I only listed the ones anyone cares about. They’re the best players on the team, or at least the ones I know, anyway.”