Page 164 of Becoming Selfish

“No Logan today?” Cam asks from the shower next to mine.

“No, she’s here. But I have some friends in from out of town, so she and Marc gave up our family seats to sit in the student section today.”

“I was wondering who that cute little blond kid was, sitting right behind the bench,” Cam says through the squeal of the shower head. “Well, tell Logan that she was missed.”

I give him a sideways glance. “Why are you creeping on my girlfriend anyway?”

“She’s my friend,” Cam says with a shrug. “And she always hypes me up when I’m on the bench between shifts. I missed my pep talks today.”

What the fuck? “She doesn’t do that for me,” I tell him with furrowed brows.

“Maybe because you don’t need it, NHL prospect. Whereas my 5’8” scrawny ass gets thrown into the boards by every giant asshole defenseman in the league. Sometimes I just need a little encouragement.”

My guy, Cam. I try to look out for him on the ice, but we are rarely on the same shift. Of course, Logan would notice when he’s getting beat up and needs a little pep talk. I fucking love that girl.

“Well, I’ll tell her you missed her.” I shut off my shower. “Have a good Thanksgiving, man.”

I comb my fingers through my wet hair, trying to push it out of my face before throwing on my game-day suit. I toss my dirty jersey in the equipment bin and pack the rest of my gear in my gym bag. Snagging my phone and keys from the top shelf of my locker, I quickly eye my two favorite pictures that are taped to the back of my stall, right where I can see them before every game—one of me and my girl and the other of my family.

When I step out of the locker room and into the player’s tunnel, I’m surprised to hear it as quiet as it is. There’s still a crowd waiting, but not as large as usual. Most students must be leaving for break right now, just as Logan and I are about to do.

I don’t even scan the crowd. I already know where she is.

Just as I suspected, Logan is tucked away, up the hall, away from the crowd in her usual spot. She looks so fucking cute right now, wearing my maroon road jersey that literally drowns her frame.

“Hi,” she says as I make my way to her. Her pretty green eyes shine when she locks her gaze with mine.

“Hi, baby.” I wrap her up in my embrace, kissing the top of her head as I do.

“Good game. That shorthanded goal was pretty,” Logan says with a tap of my ass.

“Do you know how hot it is when you talk hockey to me?”

“Eli,” a voice behind me says.

I turn around, keeping my arm around Logan’s shoulder, finding Trev just behind me.

“Trev, glad you could make it, man.” I swing my arm over him in a hug.

“Hey Stace.” I turn to the pregnant woman next to him, quickly pecking her cheek. Just as I do, a little forty-pound boulder tries to take me out by the knees.

“Little man!” I scoop up the blond boy at my feet, holding him to my chest.

“You...you...you the fastest one, Maddison,” Ian says as he smooshes my cheeks together.

“Oh, yeah? I bet you’re probably faster than me by now.”

“Yeah, I...I...I the fastest,” he says, proudly poking himself in the chest.

Ian has a little stutter that his parents are worried about, but the kid is a stud. He will be just fine.

“Baby, you remember Trev from the coffee shop?” I ask Logan while nodding towards Trev.

“Yeah, of course. Hey, Trev,” she says, hugging my friend.

“And this is his wife, Stacey, and their son, Ian.”

“I...I Maddison. You call me Maddison,” Ian corrects, making me laugh. I forgot that Trev told me Ian now prefers to be referred to as ‘Maddison’ instead of his own name.

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