Page 51 of The Bro-code

“Unfortunately I can’t get rid of Topher,” I murmur, kissing the top of her head. “But I’ll be there, ok? If anything, I’ll be a buffer between you and your ex.”

She lifts those big blue eyes to meet my gaze. “You have your own life, Cole. I can’t expect you to spend your senior year babysitting me.”

I would spend my life looking after her. Just one of her smiles is worth everything. I don’t tell her that. “You can. This is what best friends do and you’d do the same thing for me, right?”

Bay nods. “In a heartbeat.”

I tuck a strand of silky blonde hair behind her ear. “Remember two years ago when you helped me get rid of a clingy bunny?”

“Ha. Yeah, that girl couldn’t take a hint that the sleepover was over. What was her name? Alba?”

I shrug. “Beats me. Fortunately she was a senior and she graduated. She kept showing up everywhere I went.”

“I had to tell her that your old captain, Jason Teller, had a crush on her.” Bay giggles.

“The poor guy never got rid of her. I’ve never seen anyone so happy to graduate. So I owe you one, ok? Trust me, you’ll be fine and being in the same house we’ll have more time to hang out.”

That seems to lift her spirits. “Thank you, Cole. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

After Bianca and Kylie leave, Bay and the rest of her Zeta sisters decide to go to the mall to get some emergency supplies. “Make sure to keep all our receipts, so we can make an insurance claim.”

I’m glad when she says that she doesn’t need me to tag along. I have some work to do to make sure her stay starts on the right foot.

I pull up the house chat thread and shoot out a message.

Me: house meeting in twenty minutes, it’s important.

I know most of the guys will be home on a Sunday afternoon, so I’m not surprised to see that our living room is full when I walk into the house.

“Yo Marshall,” Tucker hands me a beer and I accept it with a nod. “So, what’s up?”

“I just wanted to touch base with everyone, since we’re going to have a lady living here for the foreseeable future.”

The scowls on some of the guys’ faces tell me that they already know.

“I’m not trying to be the resident asshole here,” Corey starts. “But this is a fraternity house. I’m not sure this is the place for a Zeta.”

Once those words are out, there are a few murmurs of assent around the living room.

“I just wish this had been put to a vote, rather than confronting us with the decision,” David, the D-man I’m mentoring to take my starting spot next year chimes in.

I don’t disagree with him and I’m about to say that, when Topher intervenes.

“There was no time to vote on it. The Dean called expecting a decision on the spot. You’ve all seen the Zeta house burn to a crisp, what did you expect me to say? As part of the Greek system, we’re supposed to show solidarity to the other houses. As your president, I made an executive decision. A decision that will buy us the Dean’s favor.”

Yeah, no.

Topher doesn’t fool me, not even for a nanosecond. Our president isn’t as charitable as he wants to portray. He didn’t buy that kissing booth’s golden chip last night because he wanted to make a large donation to the Zetas’ chosen charity, he isn’t so amenable to welcoming Bay here just to show solidarity. I would bet my left nut, he thinks having her live here will give him the chance to try to win her back.

I open my mouth to confront him about it, but again one of my brothers speaks first.

“To be honest, I agree with David and Corey. And no offense, Topher, but I think you might have ulterior motives for wanting your ex to move into our house.” Madden, our new starting left winger says.

“Ulterior motives? Me?” Topher’s wide eyed reaction would be funny if it wasn’t so fucking ridiculous. “You guys should know I’m always ready to help, especially a damsel in distress.”

“Sure, Mother Theresa.” Tucker snickers. “You’re always ready to help as long as the damsel has a pair of perfect tits and an ass that won’t quit.”

I grind my teeth at the way he expresses his appreciation of Bay’s beauty. It’s not that I disagree with his opinion, but I hate that kind of language; the same kind of language the guys use in the locker room when they talk about their nights with a hot bunny.

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