Chapter 41
forty-one
BLAIR
I’m staring off into space at my desk, mind as fuzzy as the hum of the heat blowing through the vents, when my phone buzzes.
Reed
There are more photos of you and Logan on the internet.
Oh, good. Just what I need.
A moment later, my phone buzzes again when the photo comes through.
It’s all of us at Chasers after the game.
Reed is smiling at something one of the other guys said, Isla is grinning up at Maddox, Logan has his arm around me as he says something to Griffin, and me?
I’m staring at the drink in my hand and frowning.
Reed
My friends keep begging me to get Logan to come to another game. Think he will?
Also, they think you’re hot. *puking emoji*
I think you just look grumpy.
I do look grumpy. Whoever took that photo must have caught me deep in thought about the way Logan brushed off his dad. By brushing off the thought of a long-term relationship and family with me.
I’ve been thinking about that a lot. Even when I’m actively trying not to.
Me
Where do they keep finding these photos?
Reed
IDK. Some Rogues fan site, I guess?
Glancing up, my eyes wander to Tess’s office, where she’s animatedly talking to someone on the phone. She hasn’t said anything to me about Logan, so maybe she hasn’t seen the photos?
I need to be careful. If I’m not, I could lose my job—and my heart.
The urge to scour the internet for photos of Logan and me is strong, but I genuinely have no desire to read the comments inevitably attached to those photos.
So I text someone who monitors the fan sites regularly.
She won’t have any issues reading comments about me.
And I don’t need her to relay what they say.
Me
Hey. Reed said another photo popped up on the internet of me and Logan. Have you seen anything on the fan sites?
Lexi’s response is fast, and I can’t help grinning. It’s been so nice having girlfriends again. Especially women who have my back so easily and without hesitation.
Lexi
Hold on, I’ll check.
I force myself to get some work done until my phone buzzes again.
Lexi
Found it. Looks like some fan with the username ibyrne4u27. Bitches be creepy.
The laugh that flies out of my mouth is so loud, I clap a hand over my lips and glance around to make sure no one is staring at me. Bryse looks over with a raised eyebrow and chuckles when I make an oops face.
Lexi’s told me before that she checks fan sites every so often to make sure no one is being weird and creepy about Ryder, so I’m not surprised she uncovered the photo of us quickly.
Me
What does the post say?
Lexi
Nothing much, but they are speculating that you’re the same woman Logan was at dinner with. Which is big news because everyone knows he doesn’t date. You may be the first woman he’s ever been spotted with more than once. Our friend ibyrne4u27 doesn’t seem too happy about that.
Why are people so weird about athletes?
Wish I knew. They think because they watch them on TV or live at games, they know the players. And some believe it gives them an excuse to be inappropriate or possessive.
No wonder Logan has always been careful not to give anyone the wrong idea.
LOL. Well, maybe, but he’s also just always been an emotionally stunted douche-canoe. At least until you.
This time I’m able to muffle my laughter.
Lexi
I’ll keep an eye on it and let you know if things pop off. But I wouldn’t worry.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure that’s possible. For the last five years, I’ve worried about everything. It sort of goes with the territory.
Me
Thanks, Lex. We need to have a girls’ night soon.
Lexi
Hell yeah, we do.
Once it’s clear I’m done texting, Bryson moseys over. He plops his ass on the corner of my desk and levels me with a smirk. “So, what’s so funny over here, huh?”
“Oh, uh, nothing, really. Just texting with Lexi and she said something funny.”
Bryse nods like that’s completely expected. “Seems like you ladies are becoming good friends. That’s awesome.”
“Yeah, I think we are. It’s nice.” I hold my breath, debating saying more, but I decide Bryse is my friend, too, and it’s okay to be a little real with him. “It’s been a really long time since I’ve had good friends.”
His face softens at that. “Just don’t forget about me and Ade. We like you and Reed, too, and we saw you first.”
Warmth fills me at his words, then bubbles out of me in a laugh. “Don’t worry, we won’t. We love you guys.”
“Good. Then you won’t say no when I invite the two of you to Christmas dinner. I know we’re not as exciting as your”—he narrows his eyes at me and grins—“boyfriend, but Eddie will be there, and so will a few of the other of the Velasquez cousins, so Reed will have fun.”
There’s a moment where my breath catches, and I debate telling Bryson that I need to check with Logan about his plans first. Because that’s what people do when they’re in a relationship, right? But then my mind replays Logan’s words to his dad. About how he feels about relationships and kids.
Somehow, I doubt Logan’s planning to ask us to spend Christmas together.
“Yeah, you know what? Count us in. That sounds really fun, and I miss Adrienne.”
“She misses you too. I think she’ll be at the next football game, so you two can hang out there.”
“I’m not looking forward to sitting outside in the cold for the rest of the season,” I whine.
I’m definitely not used to the Minnesota winters.
Not sure I ever will be. In a lot of ways, leaving LA was a relief.
Too many memories and too many ghosts. Too many losses. But the weather? I miss the warmth.
“At least you got yourself that nice warm coat.”
“Yeah.” At least there’s that.
“What in the world are you all doing here?” I stand from the ice-cold bench the next day, mouth open, as five massive hockey players and their wives and girlfriend fill in the seats beside and behind where I’m sitting with Adrienne and Bryson.
“Hey, angel.” Logan wraps me in a hug that warms me from the inside and presses a lingering kiss on my lips.
“Hi. I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Wanted to surprise you. These idiots begged me to come.” He hooks a thumb toward his teammates, who are drawing quite a bit of attention. So far, Logan has been able to skate by without anyone recognizing him, but I think our lucky streak has just run out.
One big hockey player in a hat and puffy coat is relatively inconspicuous. Five? Not so much.
“Hey, Blair. Hope you don’t mind us crashing the game with Logie.” Griffin offers me one of his signature smiles as Mira leans over and hugs me.
“Are you kidding? Reed will be thrilled.”
The teams aren’t on the field yet, but I doubt it’ll take those boys long to notice the hockey players in their midst.
“Guys, have you met Bryson and Adrienne?” I motion to my coworker and his girlfriend. “Bryse works for the team, and Ade is amazing.”
“I just work for the team, huh? Ouch,” Bryse quips, grinning. “And here I thought we were friends.”
“Oh, shut it.” I elbow him, and Adrienne laughs.
“Hi, so nice to meet you all,” she says, extending her hand as everyone introduces themselves. I can already tell that she’ll get along perfectly with Isla, Mira, and Lexi. Though, something tells me Ade could get along with a corpse. She’s that charming and outgoing.
“The guy at the gate gave us a funny look,” Griffin says. “I thought we did a pretty good job of going incognito, but I don’t know.”
“You hip checked Ryder into the chain-link fence. That’s your idea of incognito?” Sebastian asks with a wry grin and an exasperated shake of his head.
“Don’t bust my balls, Bashy. Handsome was talking shit.”
“All I said was that there’s no way you’d win in a football game against a whole team of eighth graders.” Ryder rolls his eyes, his arm wrapped around his girlfriend. Lexi giggles and shoots me a look that says, why are guys like this?
Hell if I know.
“They’re fuckin’ small,” Griffin says a little too loudly.
A little girl who can’t be more than six turns to her mom with wide eyes and shouts, “Mommy, that man said a bad word.”
Griffin has the good sense to grimace and mutter an apology to the irritated mother. He clears his throat. “They’re really small. I’m really big. One of me is more than equal to eleven little pipsqueaks.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Mira mutters.
“Whatever, wifey. You know you love it.”
“I do,” she sighs. “God help me, but I do.”
“I know concussions are common with athletes, but are you sure you’ve never had a bad one?” Logan asks Mira, a teasing lilt to his tone. “It would explain why you decided to stay married to this moron.”
“Dude. Harsh.” Griffin clutches his chest, and I can’t help it. I giggle.
Pleased with my smile, Logan grins down at me, presses a kiss to my forehead, and wraps an arm around me, pulling my body flush against his side. The warmth he radiates is heavenly.
“Someday you’ll get married, and I’m gonna give you so much shi—” Griffin’s gaze cuts to the frowning mom of the sharp-eared little girl. “Crap.”
“Keep dreaming, Wright.”
Logan says it so casually. None of the guys seem to notice the way my spine stiffens, but Mira does. I give her a tight smile when I catch her watching me.
It’s fine. I’m fine. The odds of our relationship lasting more than a few months are slim to none, anyway. I’m Logan’s first girlfriend. Of course, he’s not thinking about marrying me.
I’m not thinking about marrying him, either.
Luckily, a cheer rises from the crowd as Southwest Junior High’s football team runs out onto the field, along with the opposing team.
Forgetting that they were trying to keep a low profile, all five of the massive hockey players and their partners get to their feet and cheer loudly.
They clap, call Reed’s name, and hoot and holler like they’re cheering for a professional team during the playoffs, not a kids’ team.