Page 60 of The Breakaway

"Totally." I wedged the phone between my ear and shoulder, stretching the cord so I could plop down on the couch. “You’re getting close to leaving the country.” I braced myself, waiting for him to break down and tell me he didn’t make it. Was I a terrible girlfriend for hoping he would get cut? I didn’t want him to fail, but I wanted things to go back to how they were. Where Logan and I were joined at the hip. When I looked forward to him coming home every day like it was Christmas morning. Where I didn’t get annoyed with him when he surprised me by showing up in the house. Where I didn’t think about Rob Thompson . . .

"Three days." Pride and excitement crept into his voice. "It's unreal. I can't wait to get out there and show what I can do."

So. Not coming home, then. "You're going to be amazing.”

"Thanks, babe." He paused. "How are your exams going? You must be swamped."

I made a face, zipping up my jacket. "Ugh, don't remind me. I have two papers and a test this week. It's brutal."

"That sucks." Logan actually sounded sympathetic for once. "I'm really lucky—most of my profs postponed my finals until I get back in January. I don't even have to take one of them."

Of course he didn't.The bitter thought flashed through my mind before I could stop it. Logan Kemp. Gets whatever he wants.

Immediately, I felt awful. He worked incredibly hard. He deserved the accommodations and opportunities coming his way. What the hell was my problem? "So, tell me about your week.”

I settled back as Logan happily dove into every play, every moment he had on the ice. Just like when we did this at home, my mind wandered.

A year ago, Logan and I got together at the invitational. We’d been crossing paths all semester, but I didn’t think he was interested in me. Not until we were talking, all bundled up at the bonfire, and he handed me a mix tape.

Unbeknownst to me, he’d been paying attention. When we were at parties with the Outlaws, he noticed my favorite songs. Almost all of them were ballads. Love songs. I got the message loud and clear.

“Mhmm.” I validated at all the right spots in his story, closing my eyes and letting his voice wash through me.

Wine for Axel.

Jersey for Rob.

I pursed my lips at the flash of nervous energy down my spine. It was just laundry.

“Mm, and what happened then?”

Chapter

Twenty-One

I didn’t talkto Crystal or Maddie for the next four days. All of us holed up and studied, working late hours in the library where the internet was faster.

Surprisingly, that was when the festive spirit of Calgary finally started seeping into my stressed-out bones. Wandering between home and the buildings on campus, I couldn't help but smile at the twinkling lights and garlands strung along the brick and wrapped around lamp posts.

Through it all, I barely saw Rob, both of us buried in term papers and exam prep. I fought the part of me that wanted to find excuses to sit out in the living area. To accidentally cross paths when it wasn’t necessary.

Then finally, we arrived at Thursday. The first day of the invitational. Finals were over, the weight of academic stress lifted like a helium balloon released into the sky. Which I would never do because: sea turtles. But still. An overwhelming contentment settled against my bones as I made my way to the huge student hall for the invitational pancake breakfast.

The aroma of sizzling sausage and pancakes wafted through the air, making my stomach rumble. Long tables covered withcheckered cloths stretched across the vast room, outfitted with plates of butter and bottles of maple syrup. Athletes and friends milled about in their team colours, an excited energy buzzing through the hall.

I loved that we did this. Other universities probably had their own traditions, but I doubted they were as over the top as Douglas. The lore was that the invitational started because the coach of the Outlaws back in the eighties was in love with the mom of a hockey player at some school in British Columbia. He started the tournament and pulled out all the stops to make the teams, and especially her, feel welcome. Supposedly they were engaged a few weeks later. The traditions still stood thanks to generous donors and the invitational was a bigger event than any other on campus.

All teams were invited to participate, and against all odds, there hadn’t been any incidents with visiting teams. Part of that could have been that the teams who had reputations simply weren’t invited. Plus, getting free food tended to make people grateful.

I spotted Maddie and Crystal already seated with the Outlaws, waving me over. Weaving through the jostling bodies, I slid into a chair between them. I pretended not to notice Rob next to Rory. Or at least not notice him more or less than anyone else.

"Well well, look who decided to grace us with her presence," Axel drawled.

I sighed. "What can I say? Some of us actually value our education."

Crystal snorted. "You do know who you’re talking to?" She elbowed the hulking defenseman next to her.

Bear sat down, his plate piled high with a leaning tower of pancakes. “It’s not that we don’t care. We just know our limitations.”

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