Page 9 of Furious (The Six Six Six Rule #2)
A Dangerous Game
ZARA
Star Cove College Ice Arena
“ I sn’t this exciting?” Heather squeals, squeezing my hand. “We’re sitting so close to the action that if we weren’t behind the boards, we could literally be hit by the players’ sweat.”
“Gross.” I laugh, squeezing her hand back to steady my nerves.
Diane Pullin, Heather’s mom, scolds us. “Yes, gross. Girls, I get your excitement about having the best seats in the arena,” she says with an expression that looks everything but excited.
“But we’re here to represent the mayor since he’s still away on his honeymoon.
Let’s behave accordingly and keep the talk about bodily fluids to a minimum. ”
“But Mom,” Heather objects. “You don’t understand. Zara’s boyfriend might get to play tonight. She’s a WAG now. Isn’t that exciting?”
I repeat what Lev and Chance have been telling me all week. “Lev is a freshman. He doesn’t think he’s gonna get any ice time. He and Chance are on the third line and the Cove Knights’ roster has never been so good.”
Mrs. Pullin ignores my statement about the team’s roster, choosing to focus on another tidbit of information. “Lev? You’re dating Lev Reilly?” she looks surprised.
“I am. We’re still pretty new, but Lev is awesome.”
It feels a little strange to call Lev my boyfriend in public—especially since he isn’t the only guy I’m seeing—but the guys agreed that it’s a good idea to date Lev publicly as a decoy.
If our parents think I’m with Lev, there’s going to be way less attention on how close I am to my stepbrothers.
“Well done, Zara.” Heather’s mom gushes. “Lev is a lovely young man. He comes from one of the most prestigious families in Star Cove. Ted and I have known his parents since we were all in college. Did you give the good news to your parents? I bet Scott and Kelly will be delighted.”
I open my mouth to tell her that I haven’t had the chance to talk to Mom and Scott, but Heather intervenes before I can say anything.
“Mom, Lev and Zara have just started dating. It’s ok to be excited for her, but give them at least until college graduation before you start planning their wedding.”
I’m about to agree with Heather that it’s definitely still early days, but Diane Pullin fires back at her daughter.
“It’s never too early to get serious once you find the one.
I knew I would marry your father since we got introduced at a Zeta mixer our freshman year.
So Zara could have met her future husband, and he’s an extremely eligible prospect.
You should follow her example. That’s why I encouraged you to pledge.
The Zetas know how to surround themselves with the most eligible bachelors on campus. ”
“Mom,” Heather crosses her arms over her chest, her voice breaking as if she was struggling not to cry. “I’m not looking for a boyfriend. I’m not ready.”
Rather than comforting her daughter, Mrs. Pullin scolds her again. “It’s been two years. You can’t hold on to a ghost forever, Heather. Atlas wouldn’t want you to be alone.”
“You have no idea what Atlas would have wanted!” Heather snaps. “Besides, Atlas is just as eligible as Lev, but you never approved when he and I were together.”
I’m caught in the back and forth between my friend and her mother, watching them like a tennis match.
“You know your father and I liked Atlas. Our families have been close since before you two were born. Scott’s first wife was one of my best friends. Our problem wasn’t with your choice of boyfriend. We were just cautious because you two started dating too young.”
Heather isn’t appeased by her mom’s explanation. “Love doesn’t care about age.”
Her mother fires back. “It does when your daughter starts dating a boy at fourteen. Your father and I didn’t disapprove of Atlas. But he was two years older than you and it was our duty to protect you. To keep you from growing up too fast.”
“Too fast?” my friend argues. “I’ve known Atlas since before I can even remember.”
“When I was fourteen, I was still collecting Barbie dolls.” Her mother says. “But you can’t honestly say that your father and I stopped you from dating Atlas now, can you?”
Heather’s tone is laced with bitterness. “Yeah, but you had a million rules. Strict curfews, not hanging out if there were no adults in the house, separate rooms if we went on a trip together.”
“That’s normal. You were a minor. It was our job as parents to protect you.” Diane turns to look at me. “Didn’t Kelly have a curfew and similar rules for you, Zara?”
I’m caught between a rock and a hard place, but there would be no point in lying. “She did.”
“Zara!” Heather groans. “Whose side are you on?”
“Babe,” I apologize. “My mom was super strict.”
Mrs. Pullin’s tone is triumphant. “See? Regardless, Heather. Going back to our original conversation, you’re nineteen.
Don’t let your college years pass you by grieving a relationship that’s gone forever.
As your mother, I’m worried that I haven’t seen you date anyone since Atlas.
I want you to promise me that you won’t close your heart if someone good comes along.
You’re going to the Gamma party tonight, right?
It’s tradition to party at the Gamma house after the first home game of the season. ”
“Yeah, Zara and I are going. But it’s gonna be a rager, mom. People aren’t looking for love or a relationship on a night like tonight. A hookup maybe, but that’s happens when everyone is wasted.”
That doesn’t go down well with Mrs. Pullin. “Wasted? Do I have to remind you girls that you’re still underage? What would people think if the sheriff’s daughter was drinking illegally?”
Yeah. When it comes to illegal stuff, I think a little booze should be the least of the sheriff’s worries.
The race the Gamma president and my ex-boyfriend have planned for one a.m. is not only totally illegal because of the motorcycle ban; money is going to be exchanged, speed limits are going to be ignored and someone could get hurt.
The butterflies in the pit of my stomach feel like they’re made of lead as they flutter the wings at my plan to sneak out of the party and go to the race.
Chance and Lev don’t know that I know. I have no idea how they’re going to sneak out with a house full of people, but I’m going to keep my eyes peeled on them.
“The line at the concession stand is endless.” The Sheriff comes back with popcorn and sodas for all of us. “I’m glad I didn’t miss puck drop.”
“Kirk,” his wife accepts a bucket of popcorn from him and passes it to me. “You could have pulled rank and skip to the front of the line.”
The Sheriff shakes his head. “I’m not here on duty, Diane. Power is a privilege, not something to be used to get ahead.”
His wife’s reply is covered by the music announcing the teams coming out of the tunnel.
I immediately spot Lev and Chance looking handsome in their blue and silver Cove Knights jerseys.
“Don’t the guys look much taller on skates?” Heather says.
“They do,” I chuckle. “Not that they aren’t already a foot taller than me, even without. Anyway, I thought you wouldn’t be sitting here with us tonight. Aren’t there any cheerleaders here?”
Heather sighs. “I wish. Very few of us know how to ice skate. The only other way would be to have a raised platform on the ice for the cheerleaders, like some of the NHL teams do. But it would be so cool if the cheer team recruited a special squad of ice skaters. I would love to perform here.”
“You ice skate?”
She rolls her eyes. “Duh. Scott always took us here to skate off season. I learned at the same time as the boys.”
“I’ve never tried, but it looks fun. Maybe you could teach me?”
“Or maybe you could ask your boyfriend to teach you.” Diane Pullin says. “It would make for some really romantic dates.”
Heather snorts at her mom’s dreamy expression. “You watch too many rom-coms, Mom. Learning how to ice skate isn’t very romantic. There’s a lot of falling, and a lot of bruises.”
She twists her lips, less than enthused by the sound of that. “Maybe then Zara is right. You don’t want to look uncoordinated in front of your boyfriend. And look, Heather.” She points at a blond guy on the ice who’s skating alongside Chance. “There are so many handsome guys on the team.”
Heather pinches the bridge of her nose, unable to hide her frustration. “Mom, that’s Corey Collins. He’s dating Candace, my sorority president. You don’t want me to try to steal her boyfriend, right?”
Mrs. Pullin’s eyes widen. “Of course not, sweetie. Sisters before misters, especially when it’s your sorority sisters. That was just an example. You don’t have to take everything I say so literally.”
That seems to finally appease Heather. “Like I said, I’m not looking for a boyfriend. But if I was, I guess the new Gamma president is kind of cute.” She says, pointing out Dave Fox on the ice.
“Ooh,” her mother coos. “You’re right. Dark and handsome. Do we know where his family is from and what they do?”
I need to warn Heather to stay away from the Gamma president.
I don’t want my friend to get involved with him.
Judging Dave based on his brother’s behavior wouldn’t be fair if he hadn’t helped Cal organize that illegal race later tonight.
But I can’t say anything now in front of the sheriff.
Besides, I’m not supposed to know that Cal is Dave’s older brother.
I need to think about what I can say. Maybe if Dave hooked up with someone else tonight, I could convince her that he wasn’t boyfriend material.
Or even better, I could suggest someone better for her.
Someone nicer, like the Cove Knights goalie Tucker Prescott.
The referee calls the two teams for the first face off and our attention is turned to the action on the ice.
The Cove Knights win the first face off. Luke Harper, our team captain, passes the puck to a tall winger, wearing the number six on his jersey.