Page 9

Chapter 9

The Zeta House

Bex

“W hat do you think, Lady M?” I ask my goldfish as I admire my reflection in the full-length mirror in Luke’s bedroom.

As if she heard me, my new friend swims to the surface of her brand new fishbowl and waves her tails, creating ripples of water against the walls.

“I’m glad you like your new home,” I smile at her, touching the sides of the bowl with my fingers. “Luke was very generous to us. You got a nice new home, and I got some new clothes.”

My brother took me to the mall this morning and insisted on buying me a little black dress in addition to some everyday items. Then he broke the news at brunch that his roommates were unanimously against letting me stay more than a couple of nights.

“Bexie-Boo,” there’s a knock on the door. “Are you presentable?”

“Come in,” I call out, smoothing the short skirt of my dress.

Luke looks handsome in a button-down shirt and dark jeans; his blond hair is swept to the side, his face clean shaven.

“I forgot how well you clean up.” I compliment him, getting up on the tips of my toes to kiss his cheek.

His eyes travel the length of my body to assess me. “You look beautiful, sis.”

I squeeze his hand. “Thanks to you. You didn’t have to buy me a dress.”

“I wanted to,” he says softly. “Besides, I had a little ulterior motive. I wanted you to look like a million bucks at tonight’s party.”

He invited me to a party thrown by Zeta Theta Beta, the most prestigious sorority on this campus. They’re returning the favor after attending yesterday’s party hosted by Gamma Delta Tau. The fraternity Luke—and most of the hockey team—belong to.

The two houses are linked here in Star Cove, like they are in Bridgeport. I considered rushing Zeta Theta Beta my freshman year, but Dad was against it. He considered the Greek organizations a distraction that his clients should avoid at all costs. He wanted our full focus to be on our academics and on our sports and artistic disciplines.

Back then, I was disappointed, but I thought he knew better. Now I have to think that he saw fraternities and sororities as obstacles to gaining full control of his clients’ lives.

“Are you worried about the Zetas judging you if your sister isn’t dressed to impress?” I tease him.

“I might have some ulterior motives for wanting the Zetas to like you.” He offers.

“Oh?”

Luke tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “The Zetas have a big house, and I’m wondering if Candace would let you stay for a few nights.”

I don’t want to burst his bubble, but I doubt it. “Why should they? I’m not a Zeta.”

He offers me his arm as he guides me out of the room. “I know. But Candace is very enthusiastic about the hockey team, and she might jump at the opportunity to have me owe her a favor.”

I read between the lines.

In other words, the Zeta president is a puck bunny.

“Hey Bex,” Shane is waiting for us in the living room. “You look stunning.”

He sounds sincere, but I giggle. “You have to say that, since I’m your boyfriend’s twin sister.”

“Nonsense.” He pulls me into a hug. “You would turn heads anywhere, even if you didn’t have Luke’s same gorgeous genes.”

I hug him back, touched by his kindness. “We both got our mom’s looks.”

It isn’t the first time that the thought that if our mom had been alive, Dad would have been a completely different person crosses my mind.

“ Meow! Maw! Maw! ”

The shrill sound makes me crawl out of my skin as the door behind me rattles furiously.

“ Meow !”

That must be Keene’s room. “Thank fuck Keene locked the door. I think Poonani is trying to slice her way out so she can finish the job she started yesterday.” I shudder. “That cat hates me.”

“Don’t take it personally.” Luke guides me out of the front door, away from the feline demon. “Poonani hates everyone.”

“So you keep saying,” I bite out. “But I didn’t see her trying to attack you yesterday.”

Luke shrugs. “She’s had a couple of months to get used to me. It takes her a minute to trust people. Keene found her during his last deployment. She was a stray. He went through hell to bring her home with him. They had to quarantine her and everything. He loves that cat more than anyone, I swear.”

That would earn Keene my respect, if he hadn’t been a total asshole to me. And while Luke said none of the guys agreed to let me move in, I’ll bet my last few dollars that Keene would have been the hardest to convince, anyway.

We climb into Shane’s Porsche SUV for the short drive to the Zeta house and anxiety takes hold of me; my palms are sweating and I take a couple of deep breaths in an attempt to calm down.

I’m not just anxious at the thought that my destiny is in the hand of a few sorority girls I’ve never met.

The thing that causes my pulse to quicken is that Jamie, Connor and Keene are going to be at the party.

I know it’s irrational to feel rejected and hurt because they don’t want me to live in their house. They’ve barely met me, so they don’t owe me anything.

And yet, I can’t help but feeling bitter and betrayed. Especially by Connor and Jamie.

I thought they liked me. I thought we hit it off at the fair the night I got here.

The truth is, though, I don’t know them. They seemed so nice.

Connor was handsome, kind, and a little sad; Jamie was sexy, charming, and flirty. Appearances can be deceiving, though. Their nice facade changed very quickly when those men grabbed me at the bar.

There’s a dangerous, violent side to them that shocked and scared me at the same time. Granted, they acted that way to protect me, but I can’t forget how quickly they turned.

Bex

The Zeta Theta Beta house is breathtaking.

From the outside, it was like the classic Greek Row building with white columns by the entrance. It blends in pretty seamlessly with the rest of the stately mansions that house the sororities and fraternities on campus.

Once inside, however, it’s clear that this is a modern, state-of-the-art house of the future.

“Luke, Shane!” A tall, skinny brunette in a pink chiffon dress air kisses my brother and his boyfriend. “It’s so nice to see you. And who did you bring with you?” her eyes land on me, eyeing me with curiosity.

“A twin sister?” Candace squeals after Luke introduces me. “Where did you hide her? She’s even prettier than you, if possible.”

Candace seems very sweet and offers me a brief tour of the house.

Everything seems to be controlled by a central software that’s set up to know and recognize everyone who lives here.

“There are sensors that recognize which sister enters a room at any given time. The fridge is set up with all our dietary needs and preferences,” she says, entering a spacious kitchen that would be the envy of any professional chef. “Every week, it automatically orders our groceries, replenishing only what’s been consumed or has reached its expiration date. We have a virtual bartender who knows all our favorite drinks.”

A black and chrome appliance that looks like an oversized version of those coffee makers that use pods lights up as soon as Candace stops in front of it.

“ Good evening Miss Candace, the usual for you tonight? ” a sexy male voice asks.

“A lemon drop martini would be awesome. Thank you, Giovanni. But tonight I have a guest. What would you like, Bex?”

I think about it for a second. “I would love a margarita, if it’s possible.”

“ Regular or spicy, Miss Bex ?”

I must be looking like a fish out of water, because Candace giggles. “Tell Giovanni how you would like your margarita. He makes perfect drinks.”

“Regular, please. Thank you, Giovanni.”

The sexy voice sounds pleased. If a robot could be pleased, that is. “ My pleasure, Miss Bex. Mixing both drinks now. ”

I watch with rapt fascination as a margarita and a martini glass appear from a slot that opens inside the countertop the drink maker is resting on.

Each glass is filled with the requested drink from two small cylindrical spouts positioned just above the glasses.

“ Enjoy your drinks, Miss Candace and Miss Bex .”

I thank Giovanni before trying a sip of my margarita. “This is delicious,” I gasp. “Giovanni even chilled the glass.”

Candace smiles proudly. “We owe all of this to our past president, Bay Woods. She built us this high-tech house after our old house burned down.”

Giovanni is only one of the many incredible amenities of the new Zeta house.

“Your house is awesome.” I gush once we conclude our mini tour back where we started it.

“Thank you, Bex. Even though it’s rare to have seniors rushing, it’s a shame you didn’t get here a couple of weeks ago. You would have definitely scored an invitation to pledge.”

I’m about to thank her, but Luke cuts in.

“She would have rushed Zeta Theta Beta without a doubt,” he says, wrapping one arm around my shoulders. “The thing is, Bex doesn’t exactly go to school here.”

That’s an interesting way to describe my situation.

“Oh?” Candace’s head is tilted to the side, her gaze evaluating me with renewed curiosity. “So you’re just visiting with Luke?”

Again, Luke speaks before I can put a word in edge-wise. “It’s complicated. Let’s just say that Bex is on an extended sabbatical from Bridgeport. She was engaged to someone,” he says someone as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth. “But once the wedding came around, things went south, so she’s trying to figure out what’s next for her.”

“That sounds intense. I hope you’re ok, Bex.” The Zeta president’s tone is sympathetic. “Do you have plans on how to move on?”

That must be the opening my brother was waiting for, because he literally pounces at the opportunity.

“Actually Candace,” he lowers his voice. “I was wondering if you could do me a huge favor.”

She perks up. “If I can, you know I’d do anything for a Cove Knight. What do you need?”

“I’m helping Bex find a place in town, but you know how hard it is to find accommodation in Star Cove once the fall semester begins. Our dorm isn’t ideal. No girl would want to live with four undomesticated bachelors.”

Candace giggles, slapping Luke’s forearm. “Oh, come on, Luke. You aren’t a bachelor. As for the others, I could think of worse potential roommates than Connor, Jamie, and Keene.”

Her eyes shine with something akin to envy as she looks at me with renewed interest. Luke did say that she’s a puck bunny, so living with four hockey players must be her dream come true.

If those hockey players hadn’t made it crystal clear that they don’t want you.

I take the last sip of my drink in the hope the cocktail will help me silence the obnoxious voice in my head.

“Like I said,” Luke squeezes me closer to his side, bringing my attention back to the conversation with the Zeta president. “Our living situation isn’t ideal for a girl.”

Candace looks at us from over the rim of her martini glass, as she finishes her own cocktail. “And how could I be of help to you?”

My brother goes in for the kill. “I was hoping you might have some room here, at the Zeta house. It would be just temporary until we can find something in town.”

I know Luke’s hopes are about to be crushed when Candace’s smile turns into a flat line.

“Bex,” she asks me, ignoring Luke for the first time since she welcomed us to the party. “Were you a Zeta in Bridgeport?”

I know where this is going. “No. I briefly thought about rushing, but I got sucked into the whirlwind of classes and I never got around to it.”

Her expression turns from unsure to apologetic. “Then I don’t think we can. You don’t go to school here and you don’t belong to a different chapter…”

Luke intervenes again. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but I was hoping you could do me a solid and let Bex stay for a month or two.”

Candace shakes her head. “A month or two? Luke, I could probably swing a couple of nights, but that’s highly irregular.”

Luke sighs. “I know. I’m sorry. Forget I asked. We’ll find another way.”

The Zeta president’s expression softens. “It would be different if Bex worked for our sorority. That could justify offering her a room in the house.”

“Yes,” Luke beams. “Bex is looking for a job, too. Do you have any position open?”

Candace sighs. “Not quite. Look, this is a long shot, but we’re opening a new independent art center for the students who want to express their creativity. You know, as a way to relieve the stress of busy and demanding course loads. It would be open to all students, but it would cater especially to those who don’t have creative majors. We’re going to need a few people to manage the place, assist users, keep art supplies stocked up and the different spaces organized. Stuff like that.”

Luke nods. “I’m sure Bex could do all that, right, sis?”

“I—I guess I could.” I stutter.

The truth is that I’ve never really had a job. My dad provided for me and demanded I keep my focus on academics and dance, especially after he founded Pure Shine .

Candace ignores my uncertainty. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The center won’t be solely sponsored by Zeta Theta Beta. It’s a Greek Council project. Each participating house can put forward one name to work at the center, so I can’t be the only one making this decision. I’ll have to have my sisters’ backing.”

Luke’s smile doesn’t falter. “Is Gamma Delta Tau involved? Maybe Bex could get two endorsements.”

The Zeta president giggles again. “Unfortunately not. You guys don’t seem very interested in sponsoring the arts. But your boyfriend is the Gamma treasurer. You should know you’re doing a Big Brother project to get kids involved in sports.”

Luke blushes, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry, I didn’t know. You know I didn’t run for any government seat. Being team captain can be a full-time job and Coach Harrison expects full commitment and a strong leadership. If one of the guys even looks like he’s thinking about stepping out of line, he wants me to know and to step in.”

Candace nods. “Yeah, Coach Harrison is a tough guy. The previous coach wasn’t that strict. He would let us visit the locker room after practice to bring treats and boost the team’s morale. Harrison runs a tight ship.”

“Yeah,” Luke agrees. “And after the problems he had with some of his players in the past couple of years, he watches us like a hawk. And I’m his eyes and ears in the locker room and in the Gamma house.”

The last statement comes out like a groan, but the Zeta president looks amused.

“I think it’s Karma, Luke. Before Shane made your brother an honest man, Luke was quite the party boy.” Candace’s tone is conspiratorial. “Coach must have named him captain because Luke has a lot of experience with a lot of the types of trouble hockey players like best.”

I see my brother under a different light.

Luke was always serious and quiet when he lived at home. Maybe it was the burden of hiding his true self from Dad. I have no experience with being in the closet, but I can only imagine how hard it must be. So it’s understandable that once he was free from Dad’s rules, he went a little wild.

The realization hits me that living with my father for the past three years meant conforming to all sorts of strict, sometimes crazy rules.

Pure Minds, Pure Souls, Pure Bodies.

Those three principles paved the way for the strict dietary regimens my father required all his clients to follow; the no touch rule; the many limitations to our social and academic lives.

Luke thinks I should go a little wild, too. Maybe find love on the way, like he did. That’s why he gave me that six, six, six rule.

“Anyway,” Candace smiles. “I would be more than happy to help you, Bex. But to have my sisters’ backing, they need to meet you. There’s no better time than a party, when everyone is relaxed and having fun. Follow me, I’ll make some introductions.”