Page 146 of Wicked Minds
Children are laughing and playing, bundled up in layers of clothing as they chase one another on the ice, while others are sitting in the stands, their parents helping them into their skates. Peals of laughter ring out around the otherwise empty stadium, and with wide eyes, I spin to look at Logan, finding him staring out over the rink with a softness in his eyes I’ve only ever seen when he looks at me.
“What is this?” I ask, my voice low so it doesn’t carry.
Tearing his gaze from our surroundings, he looks down at me with that same softness. “Hot Shot Huskies,” he states proudly.
Brows furrowed, my eyes bounce over his face, then out over the rink. “You teach hockey to kids?” I ask, unable to believe what my eyes are seeing.
“Wouldn’t be fair of me to keep all this talent to myself,” he says cockily.
I laugh, the sound loud enough to draw the attention of some of the kids nearby.
“Logan!” one little boy yells, wobbling in his skates as he moves to the side of the rink. He looks as if he can’t be more than eight or nine, and casting my eyes over some of the others, I notice there’s quite a variation in ages. A couple of kids look like they’re the same age as Aurora, while most appear to be the same age as the child currently looking at Logan like he hung the moon. Still, a couple seem older—ten or eleven, perhaps.
“Hey, J, my man,” Logan greets. “You been practicing your crossovers?”
“You know it! Wait til you see, I’ll be as fast as the Flash,” he says with all the arrogance of a child.
Logan chuckles, and spotting me for the first time, the kid shifts his attention my way, head tilting slightly. I give him a self-conscious wave.
“Who’s that?” he bluntly asks.
Throwing his arm over my shoulder, Logan pulls me into his side before proudly stating, “This is my girlfriend, Riley.”
Everything inside me melts at those words, and I momentarily forget about the cute little dark-haired kid watching us with a look of distaste as my eyes snap to Logan’s. Unfazed, he grins down at me, knowing damn well the effect his admission will have had.
The stadium falls away around us as I stare into his chestnut hues, shining with pride and warmth and all sorts of soft emotions that I’ve never felt directed at me before.
“Eww,” the kid interrupts, causing Logan and I to snap out of our trance. “Girls have cooties.”
I chuckle, and Logan grins knowingly. “I’ll remind you of that in five years, bud. You ready to show me these mad skills of yours?”
The kid nods, and it’s only when he pushes away from the side of the rink, spinning in his skates, that I notice he’s wearing aHot Shot Huskiesjersey, complete with a husky puppy and the nameFurlongprinted across the back.
Well, fuck, if that isn’t the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!
“Sorry we’re late,” a familiar voice calls behind me, and I turn in time to see Ava and Isabella running toward us.
“Don’t worry,” Logan reassures. “I still need to put my skates on too. Do you need help getting Izzy booted up?”
Ava shakes her head. “I think I’ve gotten the hang of it now.”
“Cool,” Logan says before switching his focus to Izzy. “What are we thinking tonight, Izzy? Think we can skateandhold the stick?”
Isabella’s head bounces up and down with determination. “Yup.”
Logan’s face lights up. “That’s what I wanna hear. Alright, I gotta get my skates on. Ice in five minutes,” he calls loud enough for everyone else to hear. “Sit with Ava, and I’ll catch you in a bit, Shortcake,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my temple before sauntering off to chat with the other parents and putting on his skates.
Dumbstruck, I watch as Ava pulls a pair of child-sized skates out of a bag and gets Isabella into them, and when Logan calls for everyone to get on the ice, she helps her walk over to the rink and step onto it. Logan is right there, though, ensuring she’s okay.
“I’m so confused,” I admit when Ava comes to stand beside me.
Chuckling, she grabs my arm and pulls me down onto the bench as we watch the kids warm up. I notice that coats have been shrugged off, and everyone is wearing the same jersey, with their last names printed across the back, including Isabella.
“How did you know about this?” I ask Ava as we watch the kids skate around the ring, working on various exercises depending on their age and experience.
“Logan stopped by the studio the day after we went to his game. Mentioned this kids club and asked if Isabella would be interested in joining. She loves it. Even had me taking her to the rink out of town to practice in between sessions. It’s incredible, Riley. Covers everything, including the costs of the jerseys and skates. I haven’t had to pay a penny.”
I turn to look at her with wide eyes. “I know,” she says, chuckling. “Finding free activities for kids in this town isimpossible, but Logan explained that the whole point of Hot Shot Huskies is to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in sports.”
