Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

CHASE

“ I need to talk to you guys about something important.” I nab an extra chair and plunk myself down across from Gage, Brody, and Mac.

Gage mumbles something around a massive bite of burger.

“You look stressed,” Mac observes.

“Everything okay?” Brody’s already on alert.

“Yeah. No. I don’t know.” I tell them what happened with Barbiebelle.

“Why are you surprised by this? Those girls are assholes to everyone.” Gage shovels a forkful of mashed potatoes covered in gravy into his mouth.

“You’re probably going to regret this meal when we’re on the ice in an hour,” I say, then look to Brody and Mac for…I don’t know what. Advice on how to handle this.

“Good for her for standing up to them.” Mac is never a fan of the mean-girl nonsense.

“She dealt with them, then?” Brody confirms.

“Yeah, but like…they called her a loser and she was just…apathetic about it?” I run a hand through my hair. “Like she expected as much. Do you think that’s why she hasn’t wanted to come to one of my games until now?” She always has an assignment to w ork on. Which is legit, I never don’t have homework of some kind.

Mac crosses his arms and leans back in his chair until he’s balanced on two legs.

Brody and Gage exchange a look. “What was that? What was that look?” I motion between them.

Gage wipes his mouth with a napkin and sets it on the table. “What was your high school experience like, Chase?”

“I don’t know, typical? Why does that matter?”

“What does ‘typical’ mean to you?” Gage presses.

“I played hockey, did well in some classes, did not so well in a few where the teachers didn’t think hockey should be my number one. I went to parties, had friends in most groups.”

“So high school was a fun ride for you, yeah?” Gage sips his chocolate milk. The guy fucking loves chocolate milk.

“Sure. Yes. That’s what high school is supposed to be. Where are you going with this?”

“Do you think Brody’s and my high school experiences were the same or similar?”

“I know Brody’s was. We hung out all the time.” We lived in different parts of the city and went to different high schools, but we played on the same hockey team outside of school and went to a lot of the same parties.

“And me.” Gage points to his massive chest. “Do you think high school was fun for a good-looking fucker like myself?”

I roll my eyes. “I’m sure it was.”

Gage points to Mac. “And what about this guy?”

“I studied a lot,” Mac supplies. “But high school was still fun for me.”

“And in the same vein, do you think Barbiebelle had a pleasant high school experience?” Gage stabs a grape on my fruit plate.

“Probably at the expense of a lot of other people’s happiness,” I grumble.

“Probably.” He stares at me .

I stare at him. The dots connect. “You think Cammie’s used to this because she was bullied in high school?”

“Makes sense, don’t you think?” Gage slurps his chocolate milk and looks to Brody and Mac to back him up.

“She’s beautiful in an unconventional way and she’s different. She doesn’t play by the rules, and she acts like she doesn’t give a shit. And girls like Barbie and Annabelle are so caught up in being cool, and having the right friends, and being at the top, that anyone who doesn’t fall into line with them is automatically the enemy,” Brody says. “You remember Tina, don’t you?”

“That girl tried to hump your leg every chance she got.” She was at every party. Thankfully she went to school somewhere on the East Coast.

“Don’t remind me.” He rolls his head on his shoulder, neck cracking. “Think about all the shit she used to pull in the name of getting attention. There will always be girls like that, and they’ll bounce around from group to group, spreading their toxicity.” He sighs and hangs his head. “And for a while they were a nice buffer from the bullshit, but I feel like it’s my fault they’re still around all the time.”

“I never told them to fuck off, either,” Gage says.

“I mostly ignored them.” I rub my bottom lip. “I can’t have girls like that fucking with my girlfriend all the time.”

“She dealt with them, though,” Gage reminds me.

“Yeah, but there are always more girls like that out there. What if she can’t handle it?” And what is this horrible tight feeling in my chest?

Brody raises a hand. “Take a breath. We’re freshmen.”

“Yeah, but what if…” I hold up a hand. “I know it’s a long shot, but what if I get called up? If I go pro, this will only get harder, won’t it?”

Gage stares at me like I’ve sprouted horns.

“I know it’s a long shot,” I say defensively.

“It’s not actually. We’re a few months in and it’s already pretty fucking clear you and Brody will skate circles around the rest of us,” Gage replies. “I just didn’t realize you were already head over ass in love with her. She must have a magic pussy.”

I grab him by the front of his shirt and lean in. “You do not talk about Cammie’s precious.”

Gage’s eyebrows pull down while Brody’s shoot up.

“Her precious ?” Gage snickers.

“Fuck you, shut up. Don’t talk about my girlfriend’s body or I will knock your fucking teeth out.”

Mac pries us apart. “Stop pushing his buttons, dickhead, and calm the fuck down, Chase.”

I take a seat, and Gage smooths out his shirt.

“Everything’s fine. Go about your business,” Brody calls out.

Mac drops back into his chair, looking smug.

Brody’s face is beet red. “Look, Chase, we’re freshmen. We have a long way to go before we get to the end of this ride. Which means Cammie has a lot of time to get used to being your girlfriend and all the good and the bad that comes with it. Yeah, she’ll have to deal with the Barbies and Annabelles of this world. And they will suck, a lot. There will be puck bunnies, there will definitely be temptation, but if she’s your person and you’re hers, then you will overcome the obstacles. Give her a chance to grow with you.”

“Beautifully said.” Mac pats him on the back. “Like a true future team captain.”

“Thanks, man.” Brody’s face remains a shocking shade of red.

“I just don’t want her to have to deal with all the bullshit.” I want her to enjoy coming to my games. It’s special to have her there, knowing she cares and wants to see me play.

“So introduce her to the other partners the next time you invite her out. Talk to Flint and Jason. I’m sure their girlfriends will welcome her into their group. And Tally is good people. I don’t know her well, but my brother’s fiancée has only nice things to say about her, and Rix is literally one of the kindest, biggest-hearted, most patient people on the planet. I can say that with confidence because she’s marrying Tristan, and he can be a well-intentioned but prickly fucker.”

“Prickly?”

“He has too many feelings and he doesn’t know what to do with them. At least that’s what Rix says when he gets all moody.” Brody waves the comment away. “Anyway, not the point. Cammie will be one of the WAGs by the end of the year. Give her time and stop panicking about what might happen in four years. Get through freshman year. And buy her some flowers and chocolate or something. Just show her that you have her back, and that you’re proud of her for standing up to those girls.”

“I am proud of her. I told her that.”

“Good. Keep telling her. And still get her flowers.”

“Real ones, though. From an actual store.” Gage points his fork at me.

“Not the ones from the garden behind res,” Mac adds.

“I only did that once.”

They arch a brow at me in tandem.

“Okay. Twice. Got it. Flowers. Praise.” I feel like I’ve just gotten a crash course in being a boyfriend from three of the unlikeliest people.