Defending Donovan (Face-Off Legacy/Campus Kings 6)

I’ve forced her to tell me the story at least ten times since she came home last night. It still doesn’t seem real. Well, it wasn’t a date, per se. Her dad was at the pizza shop with them. So were a few of Preston’s teammates—Drake included. Ugh, I still can’t stand the thought of that dickwad and the way he spoke to me in the cafeteria.

Drake had some nerve dissing Jackie like that after sending those pictures to her. In his defense, she was begging him for them. Obviously, I can see why. Drake’s dick should have its own postal code or at least a P.O. Box to send some fan mail. Jeez, it really is impressive. Still, what kind of douche makes a habit of sending dirty pics to every girl on campus who wants them? Even though he’s hot as puck, he’s fucking nasty.

Like Drake, Preston is a mega-talented hockey player and the son of a famous hockey player. Both Preston and Drake are the kind of guys every girl on campus drools over. The only difference is Drake is a major asshole, and Preston at least seems decent. And Bex has a shot with him.

“I still can’t believe you had dinner with Preston Parker.” My voice reaches a higher octave, my excitement getting the best of me, accidentally catching the attention of the people passing by us. “My ovaries would have exploded sitting next to him.”

“Would you keep it down?” She lowers her voice, power walking past the crowd on the sidewalk with us. “I don’t think everyone heard you across campus, big mouth.”

Bex isn’t allowed to date her father’s players. He has strict rules about her doing as little as talking to the guys on the men’s ice hockey team. After three years as the assistant coach, her dad was upgraded to the head coach of the varsity team this year. She’s afraid to mess anything up for him, and dating his favorite player definitely will cause some friction between them.

Fixing the strap of the gym bag over my shoulder, I sidestep a few people and catch up to Bex, matching her pace. “Shit. Sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” I say to calm her down. “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 to you.” I fan myself with my hand, still in awe that Bex has an actual date with Preston lined up for this weekend. “I would die if he even breathed in the same airspace as me.”

Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, even for me. But what really excites both of us is the meeting she’ll get with his mom. Holy shit! Known by everyone in the sports world, Charlotte ‘Coach’ Coachman—now Parker—is the top sports agent in the country. She was the first woman to land huge deals for clients. Dante West, the best basketball player who ever played the game, was one of Coach’s clients before he retired.

Bex and I are major fans of his, and over the years, we’d gossip about how cool it is to see a woman standing alongside a player like Dante as he held up the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, not once, but seven times during his NBA career.

I started playing basketball when I was five years old, same as Bex. We instantly bonded over our favorite sport during our first year at Strickland University, and now we’re in our final season together. The chance to meet Coach is huge for Bex, considering she wants to become a sports agent after graduation.

“He’s just a hockey player,” Bex deadpans. “Stop acting like a girl.”

“Must I remind you that I am a girl?” I counter with a hint of laughter in my tone. “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 hate to admit aloud that I’m a tiny bit jealous of Bex. She gets to meet Coach. That’s huge. I would kill to be in her shoes right now.

She nudges me in the arm with her elbow and laughs. “You’re not allowed to hate me over boys. It’s in the roommate agreement.”

Dodging her second attempt to elbow me, I snort. “Roommate agreement?”

“Yeah, it’s like unspoken rules we both have to follow. No fighting over boys is one of them.”

“But he’s Preston Parker,” I point out.

“Will you stop saying his name like he’s a big deal?”

I narrow my eyes at her. She’s lost her damn mind. “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.”