Page 68 of Campus Fake

The third period was a grind with both teams throwing hits and blocking shots. Drew scored another goal, putting us in the lead, and the arena erupted. Harper held Rory’s little hands and clapped them together while Rory kicked her feet happily, and even she seemed entertained by the chaos.

We held on for the win. 3-2. The guys celebrated on the ice, mobbing Harry in the crease because right at the end he’d blocked an attempt that could’ve forced them into overtime.

The game ended and the girls and I made our way to the spot outside the locker rooms where we usually waited for the guys. But a weird anxiety was thrumming through me, vibrating under my skin like a live wire. The girls were talking next to me—something about dinner plans, about whether we should order in or let Harry cook—but I couldn’t pay attention to it. My entire focus was narrowed to that door.

Players started filing out. A couple of freshmen I didn’t know well. Then Liam, who gave Ava a wink and a “Ladies” as he passed us to sweep her up in his arms. Drew emerged and went straight to Harper and Rory, pressing a kiss to the baby’s forehead.

Then the door opened again, and Harry came out.

I knew immediately by the look on his face that my instincts had been right. His jaw was set, and his gray eyes found mine with a worry and a warning at the same time.

And sure enough, right behind him was my little brother.

I stared at Eric with shock. He was now wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, a gear bag slung over one shoulder, and his blond hair damp.

“You transferred to CFU?”

He shrugged and gripped the back of his neck. “Yeah, I was going to tell you, but you left Seattle before I could.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but I was at a total loss for words. He glanced around at all the people staring at us and then stepped closer and dropped his voice. “Um, can I talk to you for a second in private?”

I nodded and he immediately grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the group. I glanced at Harry who was watching me with eyes that saw too much and told me if I needed him to step in, I only had to say the word.

Eric pulled me to a quiet little alcove near the vending machines where the noise from the hall faded to a murmur.

“Look, I’m going to cut straight to the point because I think our family’s done enough dancing around each other for a lifetime. I’ve already lost one brother.” His voice cracked on the last word and he cleared his throat, but he didn’t look away from me. “I won’t lose you too. I love you. I know I didn’t say it that night at the rink, and that moment has haunted me on repeat. I should’ve spoken up and stood up for you.”

He pressed his lips together, and I could see the effort it was taking him not to let his emotions get the better of him. “Mom is wrong. And Jordan and I are in full agreement on this. We get that she’s grieving, but we’re grieving too, and we don’t want to lose you.”

He took a breath, steadying himself. “I already knew I was planning to transfer here. I was afraid to say something to you because I thought you would try to tell me to stop. But home doesn’t really feel like home anymore, and I want to know you again. Plus CFU’s got a great hockey program.”

I couldn’t find words as I stared at him. This was the little brother who used to stickhandle a tennis ball through the kitchen. He’d always been the peacekeeper, and now he was standing in front of me telling me…

“Are you saying you transferred to CFU specifically to be close to me?”

He nodded. “Basically, yeah. It’s time someone in our family came to you and showed you that you matter.”

I stared at him in complete disbelief. And then, without thinking too hard about it, I launched into his arms, hugging him tight. He gripped me back, his arms solid around me in a way that reminded me painfully of Bryce. Of the way Bryce used to hug me after competitions, lifting me clean off the ground.

Eric didn’t lift me off the ground. But he held on like he was afraid I might disappear again.

“Thanks, Eric.”

I didn’t realize how important it had been to me to have someone in my family on my side. But it meant the world.

Later that night, Harry and I were in his bed watching a movie on his laptop that I was struggling to pay attention to. I was tucked into his side with my head on his chest, his fingers trailing absently up and down my arm while I replayed Eric’s words on a loop. I was still trying to absorb the fact that my little brother had uprooted his entire life to be near me when my phone rang.

I reached for my phone on the nightstand, and my stomach dropped when I saw the name on the screen.

Mom.

She never called me. Not once in the last five years had she ever picked up the phone to call me, let alone answer the few calls I’d made to her. And now, the same night Eric revealed he’d transferred to CFU, she was calling me at eleven o’clock at night.

I sat up and Harry’s hand stilled on my arm. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, intending to take this in my room down the hall where no one else could hear it.

He sat up too. “Sam?”

“It’s my mom. I should probably take this.” I was about to stand when he placed his hand on my arm.