Page 117 of Perfect Playbook

It works. A few of the players glance over, including Logan. With Nino on Santi’s shoulders, I really hope they’re recognizable. They must be, because even behind his mask I notice Logan’s gaze widen with concern. Santi and Nino both point wildly in my direction, and Logan traces it right to me.

Confusion and concern overcome him. I shove through the fans, working my way over to the player pit, and he skates over with more fury than I’ve ever seen. He shoves his way off the ice through a door into the stands. Tons of people have noticed he’s come out of formation and is heading for the stands. Crowds ram in behind me to get a glimpse.

An elbow hits me in the shoulder blade, nearly knocking me off my feet. Logan’s hand comes out just in time to catch me.

His teeth are gritted and he glares at the guy who shoved me. “Get the fuck off my wife.” The rush of fury in his eyes has security guards coming over to hold back the crowd, and Logan.

Logan takes off his mask and gloves and throws them down. He’s more worried than I’ve ever seen him. “Are you okay? Is Nino okay? What are you doing here?”

I’m more worried, too. This is it. It’s my moment of truth. “I had to talk to you. I don’t want you playing and thinking… me and you…”

“I don’t want you worrying about me…”

“Well, I do. I worry about you all the time. I think about you all the time. Every dream I have includes you now, Logan…”

He pulls me closer, and I’m met with a wall of man and hockey gear.

“I love you, Shay. It’s going to be all right.”

I don’t have much time. I need to get this out. He needs to play his best tonight. He needs to win this Stanley Cup, and then… we’ll make another plan. “I know you do. And I love you, too. I loved you then. I love you now. I’ll love you always.”

With that, his lips crash into mine. By now, thousands of eyeballs are on us. His embrace is warm and firm, and I want to stay in it forever. I’ll do everything in my power to never be away from this man again. The crowd cheers, a few people whistle, and a lifetime of passion is shared in this moment.

Unfortunately, there’s a game to play, so he pulls back, puts his helmet halfway on, and flashes me thatjump medimple. “That’s all I needed to know,pastelito.”

He turns to leave.

I catch him with one word. “But…”

He spins. “Shit, there’s a but?”

I have to say this now. I know these things will move fast. He’ll talk to his agent soon, and I can’t let him give it all up because I can’t put my big-girl pants on. “But I don’t want to ask you to stay.”

He comes back over to me and swipes his hand around my hips. This time, his gaze is darker. “You sure know how to confuse a man…”

“You needed me to tell you I’m yours. I am. I’m all yours, and this is it for me, just like it is for you. But if you stay, I know what that means for you, and that decision needs to come from within. Whatever you need to do to live your life to the fullest, like what you want for me, I want itfor you, too, Logan. I want you to achieve your dreams. We’ll make it work. I’ll be strong for you. I promise.”

He presses one last kiss onto my lips and whispers against them so no one else can hear, “I already told Reggie I’m done.”

Something between a gasp and a sigh leaves my lips. “Really?”

“Really.”

“What if you don’t…” I don’t finish my sentence. I don’t want to be negative or jinx it, but what if he doesn’t win a Cup?

He reads my mind. “Oh, we will now, baby.”

He takes a step away.

“Wait!” I call.

He grabs his gloves from the floor and stares at me.

“I wrote you a note, too.”

I turn around, slip my hair from my back to front and show him my jersey. Of course it says Hunter. But there, above his name, I scribbled something else.

M. R. S.

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