Page 1 of Campus Fake

ONE

There were worse ways to spend a Friday night than being surrounded by hot hockey players.

Of course most of these guys were in deeply committed relationships, but still.

The dining room at the hockey house was packed with enough food to feed a small army, surrounded by people who had quickly become my family. The table had never been meant to hold this many bodies, but we’d made it work by cramming mismatched chairs around the table and threatening bodily harm to anyone who complained about elbow room.

“Pass the potatoes,” Drew said, already reaching over Liam’s plate like the concept of personal space was a suggestion rather than a rule.

“Dude.” Liam shoved his arm away. “Use your words like a civilized human.”

“I did use words. I said, ‘pass the potatoes.’”

“You said it while already grabbing—you know what, never mind.” Liam handed over the bowl with an exaggerated eye roll. “You’re lucky Rory’s adorable, or we’d have voted you off the island by now.”

Harper snorted from her spot beside Drew, baby Rory nestled against her shoulder like a tiny, sleeping burrito. “Don’t threaten him with a good time. He’d love the drama of a tribal council.”

“I would absolutely give an iconic exit speech,” Drew agreed, completely shameless.

God, I loved these guys. The chaotic energy of living in the hockey house had reminded me so much of what it had been like growing up as the only girl with three brothers. That thought brought a stormy cloud that I quickly forced away.

Not today.

Today was a good day.

Today I was surrounded by people who loved me.

Family dinners had become a thing after Foster and Abby got together. What started as an excuse to get everyone in one room had morphed into something that felt a lot like tradition. Like family. The word still felt foreign on my tongue, but sitting here, watching Foster try to steal a roll off Abby’s plate while she swatted his hand away with a smile, watching Harper sway gently to keep Rory asleep while Drew looked at her like she hung the moon—this was the family I’d chosen.

The one that let me be just Sam—no history, no baggage, no questions I didn’t want to answer.

“Okay, but real talk,” Liam said, pointing his fork at me. “Sam, you have to settle this. Who makes better mashed potatoes—me or Gordy?”

I made a show of taking a thoughtful bite, chewing slowly while Liam watched with the intensity of a man whose honor was on the line. Across the table, Harry—I refused to call a man as attractive as Harrison Gordon “Gordy”—didn’t even look up from his plate, completely unbothered by the competition.

“Harry,” I said finally. “And it’s not even close.”

Liam clutched his chest like I’d stabbed him. “Betrayal. After everything we’ve been through.”

“You asked for honesty, Li. I gave you honesty.” I grinned and reached for my wine. “Maybe if you stopped trying to sneak protein powder into everything, you’d have a shot.”

“That was one time and it was Drew’s fault.”

“What the hell, man. Don’t even lie. It was your idea!” Drew argued.

The table erupted into laughter, and I let myself sink into it. This was what I’d been missing for so long—the easy warmth of people who actually liked each other, who showed up not because they had to but because they wanted to.

I’d originally chosen Montana as a fresh start. I’d had no idea the family I’d become a part of while here.

“So what’s everyone doing for break?” Abby asked, steering the conversation like the organized angel she was.

“Harper and I are staying local,” Drew said. “We’re not ready for a Dumontier-Tinsley holiday circus yet, and if we go back to Meadowbrook, both sets of parents will demand we stay with them. We’ll spend Christmas Eve with her family and Christmas Day with mine but otherwise, we’ll be here in Dunridge. We’d rather not add fuel to the fire that’s just finally started to settle down.”

Harper’s lips twitched. “That’s probably a generous way to describe it. Really our families are still looking for any reason to start the feud back up and we want no part of it.”

“Ah, don’t worry about your folks. They’ll still have a son around for Christmas,” Liam said with a grin. “They like me better anyway.”

Drew glared at Liam. “That might’ve been true before you were dating their daughter. Now, you’re on just as thin ice as I am.”