Page 115 of Ice Dance Hockey

His face falls. “We’re not going to see each other much, are we?”

“Not with our schedules.” This is exactly what I feared when it was me and Jack, only with Jack, I wasn’t willing to stay with him if he didn’t agree to a new arrangement. With Logan, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get through this time in our life. We’ll grow old together and this will be but a blip on our way to paradise.

It’s weird to have such intense feelings for one person growing in my chest.

“Is this the conversation where you propose and tell me to quit my dreams? Gotta say, this is not an improvement. I should at least get a fancy dinner like Jack got.”

“I would never ask you to marry me at the edge of a bog.”

He laughs. “I know, but are you asking me to give up ice dancing? I know you’re not giving up hockey.”

“I’ve already learned my lesson on that one, but I’m still glad it happened. My actions revealed my resistance, which was the fear that I’d lose what I had with Jack. I would like to find a solution. Living together isn’t a cure-all, but it helps. I’ll like knowing that I get to come home to you.”

“And I’d like sleeping in your bed while you’re gone. It’d smell like you.”

“Our bed. So, you’ll convince your brother?” I already know we’ll need Merc’s “permission”, and he’ll be resistant to the idea.

“I’ll be in the dorms—first years have to stay in housing.” He runs a worried hand through his dark hair. “Shit, I’ve been so caught up in relationship drama, I forgot.”

“Forgot what?”

“I mean we’ve earned some of it, but I don’t think we’re even close. I’ve let Merc handle all that because he likes to and because it stresses me the fuck out.”

My mind works at warp speed to piece together what he’s rambling about.

He freezes mid-ramble. “You’re smirking, why are you smirking, Elkington?”

“I’ve already paid for your housing.”

“Rhett.” He smacks me. It does nothing.

“How could you pay that without asking me?”

“It was something I did before we were dating. I didn’t think about it until now. But since we are together, it’s a given that I pay for things.” He should get used to it. I’ll be spending a lot of money on him. I want to look after him like that.

He sighs. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s perfectly normal for you. And you do have more money than God. Fine, but you’re having the conversation with Merc on that one.”

“I’ll take care of it. But back to living together. You’re allowed out from school on the weekends, and that’s when you should come home with me.”

“When you’re in town—don’t you travel a lot?”

“Details. I want to come home and see pieces of you.”

His cloudy expression softens and he shyly chews on his lower lip. “Okay, I’d really like that. I’ll talk with him about it, but Merc’s not gonna let you pay for everything.”

“That’s fine,” I lie. I suspect Jack will be funding the apartment in New York venture since he’s the only one who can afford it. I’ll keep the money somewhere it’ll make more money and then give it back when some of the Meyer children want to go to college. Mercy won’t be able to resist even with all his pride.

“You’re full of shit, Elkington,” he says. “I can hear you scheming, but I doubt it’s something that’ll make me want to sell your McLaren for scrap parts, so I’ll let it go.”

“Good choice.”

He squeezes my hand. “No more serious stuff. You’ll still be gone, and I don’t want to think about it.”

“All right. Less serious coming up. I added dates,” I tell him for the third time. “Did you check them?”

“Um …”

“Logan.”

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