According to Tucker, Jemma got pregnant the first time she had sex with Trent. I couldn’t imagine what I would do if that had happened to me. My life is hard enough. I already have one child to support—my father.
“Okay,” Bex says. “Let me know.” Her eyes shift toward the ice, and when she zones in on Preston, her face illuminates.
Her father is the head coach of the men’s ice hockey team. Preston and Bex started dating behind his back at the beginning of the season, right before Tucker contacted me about tutoring him. It doesn’t seem like five months have passed since Tucker messaged me on Strick Net. I wasted so much time in the beginning in an attempt to avoid him, but the universe kept pulling us together.
I still haven’t found the courage to tell him about my involvement with The Queen. Every day, I debate how to approach the conversation, and each day I chicken out. I don’t want to ruin what we have. Not with how fast my feelings are growing for him. But, at some point, I have to confess.
“Yes,” Bex yells, smacking her hands together, rising from the bench as the goal horn sounds throughout the rink. “That’s my man.”
This is my first hockey game. I know nothing about the sport. Following suit of those around me, I stand, helping Jemma up to her feet. The crowd claps and cheers for the Senators, and I feel an immense amount of pride when Bex says that Tucker’s assist was the reason for Preston’s goal.
That’s my man, I think, still wondering how we made it this far.
After the game, we meet the guys at Gio’s, a pizzeria on campus. Apart from Broad Street Beans, it’s one of the top hangouts for Strick U students. We occupy two tables at the back of the restaurant. At least ten different kinds of pizzas are in the center of the table, the trays elevated on metal stands.
I have serious imposter syndrome when I’m around Tucker’s friends. When it’s just us, I can forget his father is a famous hockey player and that his trust fund could buy every house in my neighborhood. It’s hard not to feel like an outsider in this crowd. Bex is a scholarship kid, but she’s one of them through and through. She fits in with them as does Taylor and Jemma.
My guilt and shame over what The Queen has done to all of them keeps me at a distance. I’m a horrible person for helping her. They would hate me instantly if they knew the truth. Instead, they’re kind and considerate.
I was so wrong about these guys.
So is The Queen.
She had me convinced they were horrible, spoiled brats when they’re no different from me. The only difference is their entitlement and money.
Preston passes a plate down the table for me. He’s like the dad of the group, always taking care of everyone. Jamie helps him add slices to plates and slides them down the table.
They operate as a unit like a family. The dynamic between this group is somewhat fascinating. I’ve never been part of a real family, at least not for as long as I can remember. You can feel the love they have for each other. They’re brothers even though they don’t share an ounce of blood.
Now that I know the truth about them, I want to redeem them. But how? I have no idea how to get past The Queen without the threat of her wrath. Even Jamie hasn’t been able to track her down. I don’t even know her first name. If only I knew where to begin, I could make things right.
“You’re quiet.” Tucker hooks his arm around my back. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” I flash a quick smile. “I’m good. Just tired. I was up late writing an article for the paper.”
He dips his head down to kiss my forehead, his lips creating a fire that dances along my skin. “I hate that you have to work so much.”
“I don’t have a choice, Tuck.” I lift my pizza, folding the slice in half to allow the grease to drip onto the plate. “Some people have to work for a living.” I shove the pizza in my mouth and take a huge bite, chewing so I don’t have to talk about how much I work.
Tucker mentions the amount of time I spend working quite often. He wouldn’t like it if I told him not to practice or to skip a game. I don’t expect him to understand my life. He saw firsthand that my dad is an ass and knows that I prefer to live in a fictional world where Jim doesn’t exist.
Tucker holds my hand under the table against his thigh, stroking my skin with his thumb. I love how he finds the simplest ways to touch me. And the crazy part is I think I am in love with him. He found his way into my heart and hasn’t let go. His grip has strengthened along with our bond, but the secrets I’ve been keeping from him are holding us back. We can’t move forward until he knows the truth.