Page 53 of Campus Crush
“Don’t look now,” she whispered, eyes wide. “Actually, do look. Hockey boys at three o’clock.”
I turned my head just in time to see him—Foster—walking alongside two other guys in Clark Fork hockey T-shirts.
My stomach flipped.
Nearly three weeks. No texts. NoStardew. No Bear.
But now here he was. Heading right toward me and already looking at me.
He stared at me like I was water in the desert—a mirage that he couldn’t believe was real. His jaw was scruffy in a way it hadn’t been before, and somehow it made him even more stupidly attractive.
As they got closer, I noticed the apprehension in his gaze and my chest ached. I didn’t want him to look at me like that. I wanted him to look at me the way he had on the ice when he’d caught me before I could fall.
The two guys next to him were watching us with twin expressions of interest by the time we crossed paths.
“Hey, Abby.”
“Hey, Foster.”
The guy beside him with sandy-brown hair grinned. “Ah, so you’re the girl that’s got our boy here all broody.”
My already small smile faltered. “What?”
Foster groaned and slapped the guy in the stomach, causing him to bend over with an “oof.” “Ignore Drew. He’s an idiot.”
The one next to Drew nodded solemnly. “Confirmed.”
Foster glanced back at me. “This is Drew and Liam—my roommates and teammates. Guys, this is Abby.”
I waved to both. “This is Sam, my roommate and best friend,” I said, gesturing to her beside me.
She was already giving her flirty smile to Liam. “Were you guys heading into the poetry jam?” she asked them.
“Oh no, just carb loading. Then we gotta study before getting up at the butt crack of dawn for practice again,” Drew said.
Sam tilted her head. “Why is it always so early?”
“Because the rink’s open to the public during normal hours,” Foster explained. “We get whatever slots are left—early mornings, late nights. That’s the life.”
Liam added, “It’s not as intense as NCAA schedules, though. Those guys are in full-on grind mode for a whole two months longer than we are.”
I glanced at Sam and saw her looking between me and Foster. Panic started to hit me. I knew that look—those diabolical best friend eyes that screamedbrace yourself, this is for your own good.
And sure enough, the next words out of her mouth confirmed my fears.
“You know, if you guys aren’t busy this weekend, Abby and I were thinking of going to karaoke at a local bar—The Old Pine. They’re having an inaugural karaoke night Saturday at seven, and we thought it would be loads of fun. You should totally join us.”
My stomach dropped. “I’m sure they’re busy?—”
Foster was still looking right at me, but this time he was smiling. Those damn butterflies that had been still for the last three weeks took flight in my stomach. “Actually, that sounds fun and we don’t have any games this weekend, so we’re free.”
Sam beamed. “Great! We’ll see you guys there.”
I glared at her. She ignored me.
As we walked away, I whispered, “Are you insane?”
“What? You like him. He likes you. Let’s quit pretending otherwise. And as much as I love you, sometimes you need a little push to go after what you want. This is your chance.”
