Page 9 of Ice Cold Rival

“Tobias said she might have anger issues, and I can see it. Why else would she dump him?”

I quietly rested my temple against the doorframe, debating if I should stop the torture by strolling out with my chin high or keep hiding until they left. The napkins crumpled in my hand as tears pricked my eyes.

“I mean, I heard he was with GraceandHeather that night…” Kiki trailed off, and I felt a quick burst of relief at the half-assed defense.

“Please,” Amanda scoffed, and I could hear the eye roll. “Everyone knew they had an open relationship. If she couldn’t handle it, she shouldn’t have been dating a hockey player.”

Everyone didnotknow we had an open relationship—I didn’t know. And I’d learned my lesson. Hockey players were right out. If a guy I’d known and trusted my whole life could turn on me, I had no interest in rolling the dice again with the same variety.

“As if she could get another hockey player,” Kiki added, abandoning any semblance of compassion.

Amanda laughed. “As if she’d even know what to do if a guy paid any attention to her. She’d probably run away and hide in her room until he left.”

I straightened from my position hiding in the dim pantry, the irony not lost on me. They were wrong. I wasn’t some meek doormat. Fiery determination heated my blood as I fixed a pleasant smile on my face before sliding the pocket door open.

“Ladies,” I greeted them, waving the napkins in their direction as I sauntered past.

They both wore the requisite pink dresses and pearls, but Amanda had paired hers with mile-high stilettos, perfect blonde curls, and a slit. Kiki looked like a knock-off version of Amanda, with darker curls and the same toe-crushing shoes.

Instead of mortification at my appearance, as I’d hoped, Amanda looked downright jubilant.

A knowing smile crossed her face. “We didn’t see you there, Kenzie. Everything okay?”

The question was so sweetly fake I nearly winced, but I didn’t stop moving back to the main party. Unfortunately for me, they followed.

“I’m fine. Just doing my duty as hostess.” I hoped the reminder we were there representing our organization would be enough to get them to back off, but they hunted me like sharks.

Kiki took the napkins from me and patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry. I can handle this if you want to head back to your room.”

I genuinely didn’t know if she was mocking me or trying to help. Why would I need someone to do napkin duty for me? We rounded the corner, and the answer stopped me in my tracks. Toby stood by the refreshment table talking to yet another girl I didn’t know with gorgeous red curls. A couple of big guys— teammates I hadn’t met probably—flanked him like confused backup dancers.

Amanda hooked her arm through mine, and her voice came from right next to me. “I’m sure she’s fine here. After all,shebroke up withhim. If anything, we should warn Tobias. He’s going to be devastated to see her.”

Somehow, I hadn’t realized how much he’d insinuated himself into my sorority. This was supposed to be my space, but so far, nothing at TU had been mine.

My breath left in a whoosh, and Amanda shook against my shoulder with quiet laughter.

“Maybe youshouldleave. You know, in case you have the urge to make another scene.”

Kiki made a humming noise I took as agreement, but before I could come up with a retort, Amanda stiffened.

“What’shedoing here?” She turned slightly toward the front door, and I tried to follow her line of sight. Anything to distract me from my ex and his newest conquest.

A generic crowd of people milled around talking and drinking, dotted with flashes of pink from my sisters. I couldn’t name a single person in the room who didn’t live with me or used to date me.

Kiki leaned closer and sucked in a breath. “I heard he swore off parties this year until the season was over, but maybe he made an exception for us.”

Amanda smoothed her hair behind her ear and fluffed the bottom curls. “The last time we talked he said he’d see me later. That was before practices officially started though. He must have been busy with the team or he would’ve come sooner.”

The shock from seeing Toby started to fade, only to be replaced by a weird buzz in my chest, like I’d had one too many glasses of wine despite not drinking tonight. TU was a Division 1 school, which meant there were plenty of teams she could have been talking about, but Amanda and Kiki were closeted puck bunnies. Whatever hockey player they were lusting after must have shown up to our open house.

Not Toby, since clearly he’d been expected.

I finally pinpointed the person they were discussing. He stood with his back to me, and I had to admit it was a nice back. Broad, clearly muscled… my eyes trailed down to his butt encased in jeans and my brows rose. A nice everything apparently, but hockey players as a whole tended to be in great shape.

The buzz traveled to my head as I studied his tousled dark blond hair. Déjà vu hit me hard, but for the life of me, I couldn’t name a single hockey player other than Toby. I certainly didn’t know any of them.

Amanda preened for a second longer, then slid her arm free from me so she could face Kiki. “Look check.”

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