Page 8 of Ice Dance Hockey

“Fine. What else do you want?”

“Since you have an unlimited supply of money, I want the same.”

“Done. I’ll provide you with a credit card. Anything else?” Money and ice time are nothing to me if it means I’ll eventually have Jack. The ice thing hurts a bit, but short-term pain for long-term gain.

“I think that should be good. What’s required of me?”

“We’ll need to be convincing. My family needs to think you’re my boyfriend in every way. If this goes on as long as I suspect it might, you’ll need to attend at least some of my games and some other events.” I smile, getting pleasure out of that, knowing how much he hates hockey.

He sighs. “Be the perfect hockey husband. Got it. I can do that for money.”

“Mhm. I don’t think you can, yet, but I’ll teach you.”

He wrinkles his nose. “Fun times. Now if you don’t mind, I have more practice time to finish.”

I check the time. “Won’t Jack be waiting out there for you?”

“He will. A whole half hour for you to chat with him all by yourself and tell him about our devious plan. You’re welcome by the way. Look at me, already delivering.”

Logan skates off and I’m left to stare after him. It’s rare for me to be rendered speechless. Logan and I might be cut from the same cloth. It’s like looking at a tiny, fragile version of me.

Except for one huge difference.

He might put up a good front, he’s intelligent and knows how to survive, but that guy is a mess inside. I shudder. Thank God we only have a business deal. I’d hate to have to deal with the kind of baggage he’s carrying.

Chapter4

No Rhett Money for Meyers

Logan

The crease across Mercy’s forehead deepens and he takes calming breaths. Jack chews his lip while he sways with the baby around the kitchen, attached to his torso in a sling thing. I just told them about my deal with Rhett. Don’t think it’s landing well.

“We don’t need Rhett. Eddie helped us before, and he’ll help us again.”

He dives into great detail, explaining the situation with Eddie. Eddie is an Arovini. His family is part owner of the local hockey team—the Vancouver Orcas—and Eddie is the coach for the New York Eagles. That means he’ll be Rhett and Jack’s coach this season. Merc grew up with Eddie and they’re besties for life. He helped Merc and Jack with a situation last season since he has a lot of influence in hockey land.

Fucking hockey drama. I would never have suspected.

“It won’t get me my ice time back,” I argue.

“Rhett is bad news, Logan. It’s not worth it for money and ice time.”

“It solves a problem for Jack. We don’t want ol’ Elkington Senior sticking his nose into his New York career, now do we?”

That gives Mercy pause. He turns to Jack. “What do you think, baby? Could it work?”

It speaks to his love for Jack. He’s willing to throw me to a wolf called Rhett for it. I guess I threw myself first, but it was kinda nice when Mercy was telling me not to like he gave a fuck. That was short-lived.

Jack nods. “Rhett won’t do anything to hurt him. He always takes good care of the responsibilities he takes on.”

Wonderful. I sound like a pet now.

“But don’t feel like you gotta do anything for me, Lo. Only do this if you want to,” Jack says. “I’m sure it won’t be hard for him to drum up another fake boyfriend.”

Jack. Sooooooo nice. Not selfish like I am. There’s a lot in this for me. It solves my little housing problem.

“I do want to. And it means I won’t need to stay with Jack when I go to New York. I’ve negotiated a credit card with unlimited funds.” I’m careful with saying that. Technically, I can move out of here now too, but I don’t want that. If I get my own place here, I’ll become an outsider to the Meyer family. I want to … well I want to see if I could fit in with them.

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