Page 28 of Perfect Playbook

It’s not small. Never in this history of time has such a bromance existed. “I know how much it means to you boys to play together. It isn’t silly.”

His eyes soften in appreciation. “You get it. I know it’s my fault I landed in this situation but I’d die a little inside if I had to tell Ashton I fucked this up. That our last chance just went up in smoke. Ineedto stay on the Scorpions. Just for this season. I need my coach to believe I’m a changed man. And becoming a family man couldn’t be more convincing.”

It sounds so sensible when he says it, but this really is madness. I need to get real. Staying married to Logan has some fantastic side effects, but there could be consequences I’m not sure I could bear a second time around if…

I pull my hand out from his grasp. “Just stop right there, Logan. I want you to play with Ash…” I let out a breath. “I know you two never got that Stanley Cup together and that’s always been your dream since you were kids. So let me start off by validating that.”

“Thank you…”

“But me and Nino are not up for grabs. I’m not saying I don’t want the best for you. I do. But that is just a step too far.” Maybe it’s ethics, maybe it’s pride, but I can’t do something so… well, something meant for movies and books.

I fix my gaze on an armchair in the corner with my everyday cotton panties strewn over it.Ugh.

“Do you have another plan?” he asks.

His words are a knife in my gut. Whatismy plan? I can’t even ask my brothers to help with money because they’ve done the same thing I have. They’ve sunk every penny into a years-long business venture and developing The Compound where we’ll all live together again. And my dad has always been a rancher, he hardly makes more than I do.

“How on earth would that even work out? It’s not justus, Logan. I can’t lie to Antonio about being married.”

“Even though it’s for his own good? Tell me you’ve never lied to him. Just white lies to make him do what you want or keep him out of trouble?” He lies down on his side. “It’s such a mom thing to lie. Mine used to tell me ghosts came out on the pond after dark so Ashton and I wouldn’t sneak out there after sunset when we were little.”

I cross my arms. “You’re comparing telling my kid we’re married to a lie that kept you from falling through thin ice?”

His gaze deepens, and a serious cloud darkens his amber eyes. “She told me bigger ones.”

“Like what?”

“Like my dog went off to live a wild life with the wolves when he actually got run over by a car.”

I let out a slightly sympathetic sigh, but he knows I’m not convinced.

He stares me dead in the eyes, and his usually friendlyglint fades. “Like my dad was looking down from Heaven and was proud of me and my hockey achievements.” There’s such an ache in his voice.

I soften instantly. Logan’s biggest pain was his father never seeing him make it. He only ever wanted his father to feel the satisfaction of all the sacrifices he made for his son. Logan talked about it frequently when we were together in college.

By the looks of it, he’s been haunted by the thought for years.

I want to reach out for his hand to comfort him but don’t. “Logan, what she said is true. He would have been proud.”

“Shay.” Now he talks to me like I’m the one being silly. “He was not looking down on me. He was not rooting for me from up in the clouds. She said it so I didn’t self-destruct and ruin my chance with hockey due to grief. I’m not a parent but I understand they don’t always tell the truth. When shit hits the fan they’ll do whatever it takes to soothe and heal their kid’s pain. They’ll cheat, lie, and steal to give their kid the best shot. So I don’t know what kind of mom you are, but if I were a dad? I’ll be damned if I let a white lie get in the way of my kid’s destiny. Anyway, it’s not even a lie.” He raises his left hand. “Wearemarried.”

This was a completely unexpected and epic speech.And I’m left with two unbelievable feelings. One, he’s right. And two…

Logan would be a wonderful father.

It goes quiet between us. Enough time passes with us staring at each other. His dark past passes like a brief storm, and the daylight returns to his eyes.

The adrenaline of the situation seems to have cured myheadache.I can’t believe it but I feel completely sober when I say, “How would we do this?”

Chapter Eleven

Did she actually say yes?

She stares at me with those dark, pensive eyes of hers, waiting for my next move, waiting for me to tell her this is going to work. Because it was my idea… is it actually a good one or another case of me diving in headfirst?

Sure. I’d like to convince Coach. But even when I said it to her moments ago, I knew this isn’t the kind of arrangement I need to make the coach happy. Shay doesn’t know it, but I’ve had hundreds of fake dates and girlfriends over the years to keep my playboy image alive. Reggie could probably find me a fake wife easily enough, too, if that’s what Idecided to do.

No. Much as I need what I need, the first spark to alight was that I never, ever want to see Shay that low again. She might have broken my heart but she’s a good, honest person with so much determination. She deserves to win.

---