Page 70 of Ice Cold Rival

I blinked up at Reece, then smiled faintly when his question processed. “Yeah, I’m fine. When do you guys have to go?” In the time I’d been sucked into the email, they’d gotten dressed and grabbed their gear.

“Basically now. I need to be there early for that meeting with Coach, remember?”

“Oh, right.” I definitely didn’t remember, but in my defense, I’d been focused on my own issues the last week.

“Let’s go,” Mase said around a mouthful of banana.

Reece framed my face and gave me a soft kiss. “Good luck at your presentation today. You’re going to kill it.”

I nodded and offered him a wobbly smile. “Thanks.”

The urge to hold onto his wrists and make him stay so I could spill everything clenched hard in my gut. Reece grinned at me and bolted for the door calling shotgun. Cole sprinted after him. On the way out, Mase caught my eyes and raised a brow.

I pressed my lips together at his clear message. Yesterday, I’d been worried Reece might go after Toby and get in trouble for fighting, but the letter today shifted the stakes. Suspension would mean none of us graduated.

If we had to go defend ourselves, Reece absolutely couldn’t be caught beating the crap out of Toby. My mind whirled with plans to protect him from any fallout related to my problems, and the point they all shared involved me creating distance between myself and the people I cared about.

I couldn’t tell Reece what was happening, and I couldn’t move in with him—no matter how much I wanted to.

My chest felt like it cracked in two, and I drew in a shaky breath past the panic and the pain. Reece wouldn’t like me pulling away, especially when I explained why, which meant I needed to wait to tell him. After the presentation for sure, maybe later. He’d understand eventually why I needed to handle this alone.

I had no idea what happened at a disciplinary hearing—so much for my good girl status—but I couldn’t obsess over it now. No matter what else happened, I needed to focus on my presentation in a few hours.

I’d make a final decision once my mind was clear.

24

Later that day, I pushed through the doors of the education building with a huge weight off my chest.

The only other useful group member and I gave the bulk of the talk and left the useless members to flail in the question-and-answer portion. My professor assured me after class my grade would only be based on the work I’d done.

I was proud of myself for taking the initiative to ask and for doing quality work. It wasn’t often I stood up for myself, at least, before this semester—and Reece—I hadn’t. Too bad the rest of campus didn’t care about my personal growth, only the lies Toby fed them.

Crossing campus to meet Reece was an exercise in selective hearing. Students I didn’t know whispered behind my back as I walked past.

Do you think he knows she’s a klepto?

He calls her little thief. He must know.

If he’s okay with that, what else is he okay with?

Did you know she was kicked out of Easton?

That’s why Tobias Kane had to transfer.

Poor guy.

I heard she’s crazy.

I heard she set her sorority house on fire.

I laughed under my breath at the last one because it had been a close call. If I’d known they’d escalate and try to pull Reece in, I might have let my destructive urges loose. I was already being persecuted for something I hadn’t done, might as well give them a reason to investigate me.

Reece leaned against his car waiting for me at our normal meeting spot near Wildcat Coffee. He’d wanted to walk me across campus too, but the timing wouldn’t work. We had similar schedules thanks to Toby. Most of the hockey guys chose classes around their practice schedule, and Toby had wanted me available when he was free.

What a jerk.

Itwasnice having classes at the same time as Reece though. He could drive me to and from campus without me feeling like he was being put out, and we got to spend the rest of the time together. I imagined that perk wouldn’t last much longer.

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