Page 70 of Wicked Minds
The grin that lights up his face is enough to loosen the anxiety holding my chest in a vise.
“It’s not campus coffee,” he says, handing me one of the cups in the tray. “I stopped at a cafe on the way over so it would still be warm.”
Bringing it to my nose, I inhale. It smells just as good as the coffee on campus, and I thank him before we start down the street, side by side.
“Not that I’m not happy to see you,” I begin, cringing at the way the words come out. “But, what are you doing here?”
“I thought it was obvious. Bringing you coffee and walking with you to campus,” he responds with a wry glance.
“You know what I mean, Logan. After last night… After everything you found out… Why are youhere?”
His brows have pulled down while I talked until his features are pinched in a severe frown, and he pulls me to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk. “Do you really think that finding out you have a daughter would make me change my mind about you? About us?”
“It should,” I counter. “Have you thought about how a relationship between us would even work with a kid in the mix? You wouldn’t just be dating me—you’d also be a prominent figure in her life. She doesn’t live with me right now, but once I’ve graduated and got a job, I plan on changing that. By then, she’ll be in school, and you’ll have your hockey career. I won’t be able to fly out to your away games ‘cause I’ll have to stay home with her. I won’t be there to support you at every game the way other players will have their partners and girlfriends. I won’t be able to go to parties afterward ‘cause I’ll have to get home to relieve the babysitter. She willalwayscome first for me, Logan, and I’m not sure if that’s something you can handle. If it’s something you’ve even considered.”
He’s silent for a long moment. So long that any thin shreds of hope I’d been clinging to turn to dust and slip through my fingers.
“That was some speech, Shortcake. I’ll give you that. Points for really trying to push me away.” Stepping closer, his palm slides around the back of my neck, fingers slipping through my hair until he cradles the back of my head. “But you’re not saying anything I haven’t already considered. I’ve spent all night thinking about this—about you, her, us—and I get it. I would never ask you to make me a priority above her. I don’t need you at every single game if I know I’ll be coming home to you afterward. To our family.”
“What about when you’re a big shot for the Puffins or Pigeons… I forget the name. It begins with a P.”
“The Pacific Penguins,” he says with a humorous smile, “And I’m not going to be a big shot for the Penguins.”
I scoff. “You will be,” I tell him confidently. “That offer is coming. Just keep playing the way you have been.”
His smile turns warm and genuine as his thumb glides back and forth up the back of my head. “I love your faith in me,” he murmurs softly. “I already got an offer from the Penguins… and I turned it down.”
My initial joy for him turns to confusion. “You turned down your dream job from your dream team? Logan, what the hell?! Why would you do that?”
He gives a nonchalant shrug of his shoulder. “The Penguins are no longer my dream team.”
“But, it’s an NHL offer. What if you don’t get another one? What if?—”
“I’ll get another one,” he states confidently.
“I… don’t understand.”
He flashes me his white teeth. “My agent is in talks with the Springview Timberwolves.”
“The Springview… as in less than two hours from here, Springview Timberwolves?”
“That’s the one.”
“But… are they a good team? I thought the Penguins were the best. If they’re not as good, then you won’t make as much money or have the same sort of prospects or career advancement?—”
“They’re good enough,” Logan interjects. “And even if they weren’t, I’d still say yes to whatever they offer me.” He squeezes the back of my neck, ensuring he has my full attention. “If it means being close to you.”
My lips part but no sound comes out as I stare up at him.
“I can play for the Timberwolves while you finish college, and after that, we can see what we want to do. If Aurora is settled in school here, we can stay here, and if we want to move somewhere else, I’ll make sure I get placed with a team nearby.”
“You make it all sound so simple,” I mutter, shell-shocked.
“’Cause it is simple, Shortcake.”
“I haven’t even forgiven you yet.”
He only grins as he drapes his arm over my shoulder and tugs me back into motion. “Good thing I’ll now have an extra three years to earn it.”
