Page 92 of Ice Dance Hockey

I can turn this around if I can prove I’m not Fairweather. “Got it,” I say. “Anything else?”

“No. Oh no you don’t. I know that look of determination. You’re not getting back in, Rhett. You’re done.”

“He said I had to win you over and I will,” I tell him.

Mercy laughs. “Not gonna happen.”

Then it’ll be the ultimate challenge and when I succeed, I know I’ll deserve Logan.

Mercy runs a hand through his hair, fed up with me. “I should know better than to say things like that to an athlete of your caliber. It only eggs you on. For now, you’d better be the most attentive fake boyfriend you can be. Text him every daywithout fail, even if he’s pissed at you.”

“Will do,” I say with confidence.

And I smile, which pisses Mercy off.

“Get out.”

Guess I shouldn’t push my luck anyway. I have some plans to make.

* * *

Did you survive the conversation with your brother?

I’m lying on my bed with two fingers of scotch in a highball glass on one of my bedside tables. Most people would be defeated after a day like today. The object of my affection is still angry with me—I’m not forgiven by a long shot. I saw no other option but to share a portion of him with another man. I was told that I have to impress and get approval from the same man who told me that I’d never have it.

I’m not deterred in the slightest. There’s an excited pit in my stomach and it’s bubbling over. I can feel my comeback. Taste it. They say hindsight is twenty-twenty. I thought Jack was it for me, but now that he’s in the rearview, I see how much we didn’t work. I had it all wrong.

It’s Logan that’s my match.

Logan can hold his own in most situations—that fierceness I admire so much about him—but he craves a little protection, and fuck do I want to be his knight in shining armor. But it’s more than that. No matter how much it terrifies Logan to speak up, he won’t settle. He calls me on my bullshit and it pushes me to be a better man.

I’ve been arguing with my father about Logan. I never would have done that for Jack. Not because he wasn’t important to me—Jack will always be important to me—but without Logan, I’m sure my heart will stop beating.

I survived. Got a long lecture about bringing my phone with me everywhere.

Good. I agree with your brother. From now on, you’ll bring your phone with you everywhere.

Not you, too.

He sends that text, but then I see the three dots and wait.

What happens if I don’t?

Is that the kind of brattly challenge I think it is? Only one way to find out. I send him the waving hand and peach emojis. He sends me a laughing emoji and the purple devil with the mischievous glint. The best kind of flirting, in my opinion.

*saluting emoji* You don’t have to worry about it. Merc was clear. This thing is staying glued to me and charged.

As much as I want to hate Mercy, I can’t. He’s good for Logan. Logan craves the structure he clearly didn’t have as a child. Structure is his love language. Mercy knows how to give that to him ten times over. Besides all of that, Logan idolizes Merc.

What about you? Merc told me what he told you.

I also survived. Barely. You were right, your brother is a little scary, but I won’t let him stop me.

*eye roll emoji* Admit it. You have your work cut out for you this time.

There’s no question about that, but while I understand the necessity of earning Merc’s good favor, it’s Logan’s that I’m most concerned about. At least he’s chatting with me, but I could sense his apprehension and distrust all afternoon.

I have my work cut out for me, darling, which is why this will be my greatest accomplishment yet.

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