Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

CHASE

“ L ook at how neat this room is! And it doesn’t even smell like running shoes!” Mom says with genuine pride. She elbows Dad in the side. “Don’t you agree? Doesn’t it smell nice in here?”

“Yup. Smells great,” Dad agrees.

They showed up a good half an hour before anyone else. I took them for coffee in the cafeteria before I brought them up to see my room so Brody had time to shower and get his own shit together.

“Are you boys having fun being roommates?” Mom asks Brody.

“It’s been great,” Brody replies. “Couldn’t ask for a better roommate.”

Three nights ago, he wasn’t singing that tune when he came back from the library earlier than expected and I was pounding Cammie into my mattress instead of hers. She was mortified and highly apologetic. He reminded me that we had a door hanger for such purposes and maybe I should use it next time, or just have sex in my girlfriend’s room, since she doesn’t have a roommate.

It was a fair point .

I did not throw my girlfriend under the bus by telling him it was her fault for seducing me with peeks at her new, pretty lingerie. That I took off with my teeth. I just owned that shit like a good boyfriend does.

“Knock, knock, family incoming!” a deep voice booms from the hall.

We all turn to find Brody’s dad’s broad frame occupying the doorway. Behind him are Brody’s older brothers. Based on the shrieking in the hall, someone has already recognized Tristan.

“Hey, Maxine and Cornel! I was hoping we’d see you today!” Brody’s dad shakes my dad’s hand, and my mom hugs him.

Our parents spent a lot of time together in arenas, trading off driving us to practices, and taking us to out-of-town tournaments over the years.

Brody’s middle brother, Nate, slides into the room.

“Can’t take that guy anywhere.” Nate thumbs over his shoulder and rolls his eyes.

“I love this room! And it doesn’t even smell like dirty socks!” A very pretty brunette slides between Nate and Brody’s dad and holds a Tupperware container out to Brody.

Brody’s eyes go wide. “Please tell me these are what I think they are.”

Rix grins. “Oh, yes.”

He sets it on his bed and folds her into a hug. “You’re the best, Rix.”

She smiles up at him. “I have a few premade meals for you, too. Tristan has them.”

Brody introduces her to everyone since Tristan is still out in the hall getting accosted by fans. I’ve seen Rix a couple of times in passing on campus, and she drops off food for Brody every couple of weeks.

Tristan finally steps into the room and pulls the door closed behind him. “Thanks for the save, guys.” He glances around. “Wow. I forgot how small these rooms are. ”

“Especially when there are three hockey players taking up ninety percent of the space.” Rix pats his chest.

He gives her a look.

She arches a brow.

The temperature in the room increases by three degrees.

“Can you two stop?” Nate grumbles.

“So when do we get to meet your girlfriend, honey?” Mom asks, apparently oblivious to the weird sexual tension happening between Tristan and his fiancée.

“Girlfriend?” Nate’s brows rise. “Locking in early, huh?”

Tristan elbows him in the side and slings his arm around Rix. “Nothing wrong with that.”

“She’s probably in her room with her parents?” It comes out as more of a question.

“Well, let’s go say hi!” Mom grabs my arm and throws open the door.

And of course, because I’m the luckiest fucker in the world, Cammie and her mom and dad and sister—based on how similar they look—are walking down the hall toward my room.

Cammie’s eyes flare when she sees me. And mine flare just as wide when I see her. Her sister’s arm is linked with hers. She’s a few inches taller, and where Cammie is edgy and dark, her sister looks like she stepped out of some fancy influencer account.

“That’s her.” I pray to the God of Smoothness that I don’t embarrass myself and that my parents also don’t embarrass me. I raise my hand. “Hi.”

Her family stops just outside the door to my room, which is full of people.

A flurry of introductions follows.

“You are just adorable!” Mom says to Cammie. “Chase can’t stop talking about how wonderful you are.”

“Mom, please.” So much for not embarrassing me.

“You’re a handsome one, aren’t you!” Cammie’s mom smiles up at me.

Cammie looks horrified .

At least we’re both equally embarrassed by our parents.

“Oh my God!” Rix shrieks as she manages to worm her way into the hall and throws her arm around Cammie’s older sister, Essie. “Brody, I didn’t realize your roommate is dating my best friend’s sister!”

Brody shrugs. “It’s a small world, I guess, eh?”

“So small. I love that all my favorite people are connected to each other.” She squeezes Essie’s arm.

“Hey, Nate.” Essie pulls gloss out of her pocket with her free hand and applies it to her lips.

“Hey, Ess.” Nate’s ears turn red and he ducks his head and rubs the back of his neck.

More introductions happen.

“Should we head down to the lobby?” I eventually suggest because we’re totally clogging up the hall and there is literally nowhere to turn in our room without bumping into someone unless we stand on the beds.

“I don’t know what everyone’s lunch plans are, but I booked us the private room at The Breakfast Bar downtown. They have a killer buffet. You’re all welcome to join us if you want,” Tristan offers.

“Oh, that is so kind of you! We don’t want to intrude, though,” my mom says.

“You’re not. The more the merrier,” Rix assures her. “Plus, I want to catch up with Cammie. I can’t believe we haven’t run into each other on campus yet.”

I look to Brody. He nods.

I turn to Cammie. She shrugs.

“Okay. Sounds good. Let’s roll out.”

Everyone files out of our room. I pull the door closed behind me.

We divide into two groups and we still fill both elevators.

In the lobby, we pick up Gage and his family.

Barbie and Annabelle almost lose their minds when they realize Tristan Stiles is with us. He signs a few hats and shirts while Rix acts like his tiny bodyguard. Brody and Nate look bored.

Essie keeps stealing peeks in Nate’s direction.

Cammie slides her arm through mine. When I look down at her, she crooks her finger and I bend until my ear is at her lips. “Have you noticed how huge Tristan’s hands are?”

I glance in his direction. Until now, I hadn’t noticed. But now that she’s pointed them out… “They’re like baseball mitts.”

“Right? Like dinner plates even.” Her nose wrinkles. “Also, my sister is being weird, but we can talk about that later.” She squeezes my arm. “Your parents are cute.”

I smile down at her. “Your parents are also cute.”

“My mom approves,” Cammie assures me.

Rix and Essie step in and move our group along so we’re not stuck here until tomorrow afternoon.

I kiss Cammie on the cheek and join my parents in their car.

Fingers crossed lunch with the parents isn’t an embarrassment fest.