Page 43 of One More Chance
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AS THEY DROVE INTOtown. Charlotte put her sunglasses on, tilted her head back, and basked in the sunlight that streamed in through the windshield. The fresh snow had given Chance Rapids a bright, albeit temporary, facelift from the muddy spring streets.
“Oh, before I forget, I have something for you.”
Logan raised his eyebrows, “For me?”
“Well, not technically for you, for your team.” Charlotte reached into her handbag and pulled out an envelope.
“What is it?” Logan asked.
Charlotte placed the envelope in Logan’s hand. “It’s a donation to the league. Last night the announcer said that the league needed funding so that the team could participate in the playoffs.”
“Charlotte, you don’t have to do this.” Logan tried to hand the envelope back to her.
“I don’t have to. I want to,” she replied, shoving his hand away. “And don’t think I’m not getting a tax break – it’s a charitable donation, I need more of those. It’s actually helping me.”
“Well, thank you, Charlotte. I know that every little bit helps.” Logan smiled and tucked the envelope into his coat pocket.
“Do you have practice today?” she asked, studying his profile as he drove. His gold-rimmed aviator sunglasses glinted in the sunlight and highlighted the couple of grays she noticed yesterday in his stubble.
“It’s my day off,” he smiled.
God, his teeth were perfect.
“I had a lot of fun last night,” he said.
“Me too.” It was true. Charlotte went to networking events and dinner parties, but the exhilaration of being whisked around the skating rink by the best-looking man she’d ever known was by far one of the highlights of her life.
“Tabitha is adorable,” Logan said, as he stopped at the only set of stoplights in town.
“Yes, she’s a good kid. She’s a little taken with you actually.” Charlotte remembered the shy smile on her niece’s face as Logan skated her around the ice. “We’re leaving town?” she asked as they turned left at the light and headed towards the only highway that led into the small town.
“We’re not going too far - Windswan.”
“Windswan? Are we going to the tulip farm?” Charlotte couldn’t think of anything else that Windswan had to offer. Unlike Chance Rapids, Windswan was in an economic decline. Most of their main street shops had closed during the last recession and never recovered.
Logan laughed. “No, although that would’ve saved me a half an hour visit to the G-Spot this morning. Muriel wouldn’t let me leave without a breakfast sandwich.” He pointed to the foil-wrapped package on the dashboard. “Hungry?”
“I’m good thanks. I had a smoothie.”
He turned down the blasting heat, he realized that they were both mildly shouting over the loud fan. “Is Tabitha’s dad involved in her life at all?” he asked.
“Tabitha’s dad isn’t in the picture. At all.”
“That’s too bad,” Logan frowned without taking his eyes off the road.
“Truthfully, I don’t know who he is and it’s pretty unlikely that he knows she exists.”
“What?” Logan practically spit out his coffee. “How does that happen?”
“She had a one-night stand with a guy from one of the private lodges and never got his last name. You’re going to have to ask Lauren for any more details than that.” Charlotte rubbed her hands on her jeans. She didn’t like to talk about other people’s business, especially Lauren’s. “How’s your hockey team doing?” Charlotte asked, trying to steer the conversation away from Lauren and her illegitimate child.
“We are fighting to get into the playoffs,” he replied. “When I first started, I didn’t think the boys had a fighting chance, but they’ve been working their asses off, hustling hard, and I think all of their hard work is going to pay off.”
“Wow, I should’ve had a microphone in my hand for that canned sports star answer,” Charlotte said. “You guys always say the same thing, hustle hard, don’t give up, blah, blah, blah.”
“It might sound cheesy to you, but I believe it. Don’t you?”
