What Are The Odds?: A college hockey romance. (Phil-U Book 1)

Grace.

“I hate you,” Stella stated simply as she greeted me outside.

Shutting the Uber door behind me, I gaped at her.

“Why?”

“Because you’re dressed like that and you still look good.”

I scoffed. That was being generous. I’d come straight from practice. Coach had booked me extra pool time for a one-on-one session. I was dressed in grey track pants, my brother’s grey hoodie, an oversized grey jacket, and long white socks with white sneakers. I was literally fifty-shades of grey. I hadn’t thought my outfit through when I stuffed it in my bag this morning. I’d left my dorm before the sun rose. Now it had well and truly set, and I was nowhere close to being able to go home. I tucked my damp hair over my shoulder. Ava was dressed in tight jeans and a fitted knit, with knee high boots. I’d clearly missed the memo.

“I thought this was a sports bar.”

“A sports bar filled with hockey and football players,” she retorted. “There was no way I was letting an opportunity like this go.”

“Wait, what do you mean the bar is filled with players?”

“Both your boys showed up with their teams.”

“They’re not my–”

“Save it, Grace. It’s a pissing contest in there. You can’t kiss the captain of the football team then sleep with the captain of the hockey team and not expect them to swing their dicks around.”

“I haven’t slept with Levi.”

“Yet.”

I didn’t have a counter argument. I wasn’t sure where Levi and I stood. I’d been at a loss when my brothers asked me yesterday, and again when I spoke to them today. Not to mention Levi was confusing as hell. I was okay with the notion he didn’t do girlfriends. But I didn’t expect two people who weren’t dating to kiss publicly before class.

“Can we go inside now?” I asked.

Stella led the way. Lastlings was filled with college students. Every table was occupied and there was a long line at the bar. On the largest screen on the wall of TVs was a sport I recognised well. Levi’s teammate had come through.

“Hughesy, over here.”

Tripp waved me over to his table. It was directly in front of the screens.

“I’ll meet you over there,” Stella shouted. “I’m going to find Ava.”

I shouldered my way through the crowd until I reached the hockey table. Tripp jumped up, draping a heavy arm around me in a one-armed hug. The hockey boys were all dressed in their hockey jackets. They’d had training this afternoon too. They’d been leaving when I arrived.

“You need a drink?” Tripp asked.

“Um–”

“I’ll get you one. Be right back.”

I guess I was drinking tonight. I stood on my tippytoes to scan the bar. Ryker had text earlier to say he was here. I could see a swarm of football jackets on the far side of the room. He must be over–

“Looking for me?”

Ryker’s familiar voice came from behind me. Turning, I looked up at him.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” he smiled. “Perfect timing. The game has just started.”

I slipped off my jacket and draped it over my arm. With this many bodies, it was incredibly hot in here. Though without it I looked like I ought to be climbing into bed, not gearing up for a night at a bar. I should have taken Ryker up on his offer and just gone to his house tomorrow. I doubt we’d even be able to pay much attention to the game here. Most people seemed like they were gearing up to party. Not study. A table opened up between the hockey and football boys. Ryker gestured to it.

“Did you want to sit down?”

I nodded. He placed his hand on my lower back as he guided me to the free table. Sitting down was heavenly. I’d been on the go all day.

“Sorry about yesterday,” I said as Ryker pushed in my chair.

He was very chivalrous. Ryker’s team had their first loss of the season. He’d told me when I messaged him with the change of plans.

“We’ll bounce back. How was class?”

“You didn’t miss much.”

Rather than sit in the seat opposite me, Ryker sat beside me.

His leg brushed against mine as he leaned in and asked, “Who are we going for?”

I hadn’t taken a second to check who was even playing. Fremantle and Hawthorn. I didn’t overly care for either team. But, hello. Nat Fyfe.

“Freo,” I answered.

“The purple team?”

I nodded.

“Freo it is. Where are they from?”

“Western Australia.”

“And where are you from?”

“South Australia. We’re neighbours.”

Ryker edged his chair closer, craning to hear me. It was so loud in here.

“How do you score in this game?” he asked.

I gave him the abridged version of AFL. I’d learnt last week it was easier to explain as the game went on rather than try and sum it up. To his credit, Ryker listened patiently, asking questions to make sure he understood properly. With my hair now mostly dry, I combed my fingers through it before securing it messily atop my head. I had no idea what it looked like. Truth be told, I didn’t care either.

“What happened to you on Saturday night?” Ryker asked during an ad break. “Holloway told me you wouldn’t be back.”

“I got thrown up on,” I told him, grimacing at the memory.

“Shit. Holloway left the puke part out.”

I wondered what other parts Levi had left out. Hopefully the part where I was upstairs, in his bed. I felt guilty that I’d started the night with Ryker, kissed him part way through, yet ended it with Levi’s hand between my thighs. Heat returned to my cheeks just thinking about it. It sure as hell was a whirlwind. Being thrown up on was the least dramatic part.

“I’ve got to ask.” A curious expression overtook Ryker’s features. “Are you and Holloway a thing?”

A great question indeed. If someone could tell me, it would be much appreciated.

“We’re hanging out,” I said lamely.

Ryker bumped his leg into mine. “I hope that doesn’t mean we can’t hang out.”

I smiled. “We’re hanging out right now.”

Ryker smiled back. “I’m glad.”

“Here you are, Hughesy,” came Tripp’s voice as he reappeared and set a drink in my hand. “Did you find Cap? He was looking for you.”

“Nope.”

“I saw him earlier at the bar with Summer Spritz,” Ryker said.

Tripp glowered, his forehead pinching. I’d bite. She sounded fancy.

“Who’s Summer?”

“Head cheerleader,” Ryker answered. “She used to date Holloway.”

That piece of information wasn’t surprising at all. I remembered Summer very well from the media day. You couldn’t forget girls like her.

“They didn’t date,” Tripp said.

Ryker snickered. “That’s right. Holloway doesn’t do girlfriends.”

The game restarted. It was obviously a replay. If it was night-time here, it’d be partway through tomorrow back home. Not to mention the AFL season was over. Nothing about Philadelphia and home aligned. The time. The seasons. Not even the sport. The divide in the bar was obvious. The guys in football jackets kept to one side, and the guys in hockey jackets kept to the other. Whilst sporting rivalry was normal, I’d always seen it between teams rather than differing sports. Back home, states preferred different sports. Like Queensland and New South Wales frothed rugby, whereas in Victoria and South Australia it was all about football. But we didn’t hate the other. Except soccer. And no one really hated it. They just didn’t like it being called football. A guy walking past our table stopped to chat to Ryker. A moment later, someone else stopped to talk to Tripp. They were popular on campus. I looked around for Levi. It was already partway through the first quarter, and I hadn’t seen him once. Weird considering it had been his idea to watch the game here. Maybe he was in the process of picking up Summer. I’d hooked up with Levi knowing his reputation. At the time I hadn’t thought whether there were also other girls he was hooking up with. But I was naïve to think there wasn’t. When the half-time siren called, I excused myself to use the bathroom. By the time I waited in line then made my way back, Levi was at the table. It was just him and Ryker now. He was wearing his hockey jacket with a pair of black jeans and a backwards black cap. I’d never brought into the guys in backwards caps trend. Until now. When he spotted me across the crowded room and smiled, I felt it in my entire body. There should be cautions about being on the receiving end of one of Levi Holloway’s smiles. I faltered slightly when Summer slipped into the seat beside him. I’d seen her plenty of times in the Athlete’s Centre since the media day. She was always in crop tops and booty shorts. I didn’t blame her. If I had a body like hers, I would dress like that too. Right now, she was all leather, with leather pants, leather boots and even a fitted leather crop. I instantly hated her, which told me one thing. This girl was hot. A hand clamping over my arm startled me. Ava squeezed through the gap between two football players, Stella right behind her.

“There you are,” she squealed.

Their faces were flushed from alcohol. I kind of envied they had the energy to party. Lastlings had a cool vibe. Any other night, I’d be in my element.

“Where have you been?” I asked.

“Dancing. We’re thinking of heading out soon. You keen?”

I shook my head. “I’m going to head back to the dorm once the game ends.”

Stella pouted. “You’ll be good to get back on your own?”

“I’ll be fine.”

I hugged them both goodbye before reluctantly returning to our table. I smiled at Summer as I sat down.

“Hey. I’m Grace.”

“Hi,” she returned, her glossy lips upturning slightly.

Okay. I guess she was the type of girl who assumed you knew who she was.

“Hey, Holloway,” I nodded.

Levi frowned in response. I discreetly shrugged back. I didn’t know how to act around him anymore. Hugging him felt too forward. Saying hi seemed cold. I sure as hell wasn’t kissing him like he had kissed me before class the other day. Particularly not with Summer’s hand resting on his bicep. Besides, I didn’t even know if he would want me to. That was a step above casual in my eyes. The rules were too complicated. I was in way over my head. I wasn’t equipped to handle a guy like Levi. I turned my back on Summer and Levi, giving the game my full attention. The familiarity of the Australian commentators was nice. The accent and lingo were a comfort. I hadn’t realised how many things were Australian until moving here. I’d had to explain to Stella once after telling her I was eating brekky, and I’d tried to order capsicum at Subway and received nothing but a dumfounded expression from the sandwich artist.

“Jesus,” Ryker yelped, when a Fremantle player shepherded a Hawthorn player. “I can’t believe these guys have no safety gear.”

“I know right,” Levi agreed. “Wild, huh. Some of them don’t even wear mouth guards.”

Had the world ended? Levi and Ryker had just agreed on something. That was a first. They gasped unanimously when a player was tackled. They seemed even more surprised when he got up without complaint and kept running.

“This game is rough as guts,” Ryker said.

“Best sport in the world,” I quipped.

Summer pursed her lips. “Where are the cheerleaders?”

“Cheerleading isn’t really a thing back home,” I answered.

For some reason, saying that felt really good.

Summer rolled her eyes dramatically. “No surprise there. My cousin did an exchange in Australia. She said they were so behind the times. Like, they don’t even celebrate Halloween.”

Ryker bumped his leg against mine. “What? No Halloween?”

I shrugged. “It’s not that big.”

Definitely not like it was here. For weeks the shops had been decked with Halloween decorations. Even half the lecture halls were kitted out with fake cobwebs and jack-o-lanterns.

“The football team is throwing a massive Halloween party this year,” Ryker said close to my ear. “You better be there.”

“Sounds fun,” I absentmindedly murmured.

My eyes had fallen to Summer’s fingers that were now gliding up and down Levi’s arm. Levi reached for his drink, causing her hand to fall. A moment later a foot brushed mine beneath the table. Based on the fact Levi was trying to catch my gaze, I figured it was him. I subtly snatched my foot back. He ought to be doing that to the girl beside him. He might be outspoken about never being tied down, but I didn’t feel comfortable playing footsies when he was entertaining another girl. A uniform gasp travelled through the whole bar when a player took a Specky. I kept my focus on the TV for the remainder of the game, only stopping to answer Ryker’s questions. Though there were four of us at this table, there was a clear divide. Summer and Levi. Ryker and me. It was like the world’s most awkward double date. Summer’s voice was hard to drown out. Every second word that came out of her mouth was like or babe. Though plenty of boys passing by had slowed to ogle her, Levi seemed to be the one who held her attention tonight. The second the final siren rang, I slipped out of my chair and began pulling on my jacket. Ryker stood up. Levi stood too.

“You okay, Hughesy?”

I nodded, forcing one last smile. “It’s been a long day. I’m going to call it a night.”

“Come on,” Ryker said, touching my elbow. “I’ll drive you to your dorm.”

“I can drive you, Hughesy,” Levi offered, reaching for his keys.

“No,” Summer whined, yanking on his forearm. “Stay.”

Ryker placed his hand on the curve of my back. “It’s fine, Holloway. I can get Grace home safely. You and Summer have fun.”

I was too tired to weigh in. Whichever lift would get me home quickest was the one I was going with. As Ryker ushered me towards the exit, I turned over my shoulder to say goodbye to Levi, but the crowded bar made it impossible to see him.