13. Jackson
Jackson
I’m smiling again, and of course, Logan notices.
I’m not going to be able to keep this a secret from the entire locker room much longer.
I re-read the last line Splash had sent—If you’re even half as handsome as your personality suggests, I’m in serious trouble—and a sudden, hot realization washed over me.
Is he flirting with me? Just as the thought crosses my mind, Logan walks over and plops down next to my locker.
“So, are you going to talk to me, or am I going to have to guess what’s going on with you?” Logan asks.
I shift around uncomfortably, looking anywhere but at him. “I think I’ve kinda met someone.”
The sheer, booming volume of the sound Logan makes hits the locker room walls.
“Fuck, Logan, I’m sitting right next to you!” I hiss. Every single eye in the locker room snaps directly to us. “Fucking perfect,” I mutter.
“So tell us about him! Come on, where did you meet? What’s he look like?” Logan demands, staring at me like I actually have those answers. I love that Logan automatically said ‘him’ with full acceptance.
“Erm, I haven’t actually met him,” I say nervously.
“Whoa, man. Do we need to have a serious chat with you?” Logan’s expression shifts to genuine concern.
“You could totally be getting catfished right now!” Jake shouts from across the room.
“You know what internet people are like,” Dean chimes in.
“Look, we’ve been writing letters for a while now, and I feel like I’m getting to know him, without knowing exactly what he looks like or sounds like,” I explain to the room.
“Hold on… You haven’t even heard his voice?” Logan asks.
“He’s serving at the moment,” I reply.
Instantly, the entire locker room goes dead silent. You could hear a pin drop.
Finally, one of the guys clears his throat. “Hey man, you know you can always talk to us. You don’t have to talk to some sort of convict.”
I blink, completely confused, until Donovan suddenly bursts out laughing.
“Fuck, I wish I could have recorded that! Absolutely priceless!” Donovan roars, wiping a tear from his eye. “He’s not talking to a convict, dickheads, he’s talking to a soldier! Fucking priceless. Alright, if we’re done gossiping like schoolgirls, get your asses out on the ice!”
I turn back to face Logan, glaring playfully. “Thanks for that! I’m going to tell Willow all about how her daddy wasn’t nice to me.”
“Hey, sorry,” Logan laughs, his expression softening.
“Look, come out for ice cream with us later and tell me about him. Willow’s been begging for ages to try this new parlor, so I gotta take her.
Come with?” He gives me a look, and all I can picture are Willow’s unstoppable puppy dog eyes.
“Fuck, don’t look at me like that. You know I can’t say no to that little girl.
” Turning to my locker to start changing.