Chapter Seven #2
Since I hardly know him, I’m probably reading that completely wrong.
“Whenever Chayton tries to get me to go somewhere, he calls it a get-together.”
“He makes the stakes even lower,” I say, nodding. “Smart.”
“He knows me better than anyone.”
“Is that what you want? To only be known by him?”
“Never thought about it.” He shrugs. “It’s just the way it is.”
“Do you think you’ll come?”
“Unlikely.”
“You said you were bored…”
“Boredom isn’t a bad thing.” Another wisp of a smile. “Sometimes it forces you to learn new things.”
“Forces?”
“Inspires.”
“Boredom leads to inspiration?”
“It can. Most of the time when I’m bored, I focus on hockey. Watch game tape. Practice a skill I suck at. Pinpoint a team or player weakness. Haven’t you ever been bored and then learned something new?”
“I keep myself pretty busy,” I admit. “Most of what I’ve learned has been through necessity.”
“Not financial, though. So what drives you?”
I tuck my phone into my pocket, and I sink onto the bench across from him. He picks up the towel and wipes off the sweat that’s still pouring off him.
“What drives me,” I say, mulling it over, thinking of what I did as a teenager, what I’ve been doing on the island since I came back from Northern University.
“A desire to help people, I guess. Most of the time when people come to me, something is wrong, and I get to make them feel better. Or I try to.”
“A medical doctor does that even more.”
“Yeah, well,” I say with a little laugh, standing up, “I’m not good with death. Most of the physio I do is rehabilitation based.”
“You gonna make me better, doc?”
Now I can’t help giving him a bit of a smile at the casual nickname. “I am.” I take a deep breath. “I definitely am.”
“Just the right amount of confidence is half the battle,” he says. “I need a skate. Do you know if the ice is free?”
“I don’t. But I can walk over there with you to see.”
“Do you want to skate?”
“I don’t know how.” I glance at him as we exit the fitness room.
“I heard the government bought a bunch of skates to make ice rentals easier for small and big groups. There will probably be open skate times when the team is off the island. Offset the cost of the building and startup. Maybe I’ll learn someday. ”
When we get to the rink, there are two figures already on the ice—a man and a woman.
“Is that the king?” Logan asks with a hint of disbelief.
“And the queen,” I say, watching Rory try to help Alex skate.
“She looks like she knows what she’s doing,” he says.
“She’s Canadian.”
“Explains it.” Logan crosses his arms beside me, and his biceps flex.
God, I wish I could stop noticing his arms.
“He looks like he’d better have good dental care for when his face hits the ice.”
“Rory’d never allow it. She’d be on the ice before he is.”
“Really?” Logan gives me the side-eye.
“Really,” I say, turning to meet his gaze.
Alex and Rory’s fierce protectiveness of each other and their daughter is my favorite thing about the trio.
That level of intensity isn’t something I’ve ever experienced, but it always gives me warm fuzzies to see it in action.
It’s especially poignant when I remember who Alex was before Rory.
My phone buzzes loudly in my pocket, and I suppress a sigh.
“Based on how many messages she’s sent, that party sounds like it’ll be hopping.”
“You know, it’s more of a get-together. Casual.”
“A few friends…” He plays along, straight-faced.
“Family, mostly. Small. Intimate.” I pause for a beat before adding, “At the busiest wine bar in Bellerive.”
“Do you actually like parties?”
“I do,” I say. “I actually like people, in general.” Then I reconsider. “Most people.”
“I can’t remember the last time I liked a party.”
“Means the bar is pretty low for tonight. You should come.”
He lets out a light chuckle. “Persistent.”
“Obstinate,” I volley back.
“The list of people I like is short. Careful you don’t get yourself crossed off it.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” I say, giving him a real smile. “I’m the best thing about this island. But that does sound like my cue to leave.” I start walking backward away from him, my clipboard still in my hand. “Despite the name, the wine bar is upscale. Don’t come in your sweaty gym clothes.”
His lips quirk up, another almost smile, and he shakes his head.
“Take a shower. Trim the beard. Studies have shown women like a light beard, not a heavy one. If you care about that sort of thing.”
“Goodbye, doc.”
“Until we meet again… in a few hours.” I give him an exaggerated wink, and he shakes his head again. Why I’m pushing so hard, I’m not sure. But he hasn’t become annoyed, which only makes me more determined to push his buttons.
As I leave the arena, I can’t decide whether I truly want him to turn up at the bar tonight or not.
On one hand, I do think socializing would be good for him, but on the other—Alex and my dad will think I’m capable of working miracles.
The reality is that if Logan shows up later, it’ll be because he wanted to, and it’ll have nothing to do with me asking.