Page 38 of Sporting Goods

I was going to tell him that, but Logan cut me off.

“Hey, that was great. How’d it feel using the whole rink like that?”

“Um…exhausting,” Jax answered, catching his breath.

“Yeah I know, trick is to start slow, take deep breaths and pick up your speed slowly with each breath. Okay? Want to try it with me?”

“Maybe in a minute.”

Logan turned to me. “Okay, well maybe I’ll try it with your mom while you take a breather here.”

“Okay.”

Logan and I skated to the other side of the rink and back, demonstrating speed and breathing. I exaggerated my breaths with hand motions for Jax.

“Okay, I want to try it,” Jax said, jumping up.

“Let’s all do it.” I offered. Needing to be next to him if he overdid it again.

After three rounds and coming as close to perfect as a seven-year-old can get, Logan moved on to hockey.

“So when you were playing yesterday, it occurred to me I never showed you how to protect your puck.” He shifted the stick, raising a puck with it and tossing it in the air, then catching it.

“Wow that was neat. Can you show me how to do that?”

“Absolutely. But that’s last. Let’s focus on the game.” He handed us both a stick.

“What do you expect me to do with this?” I asked.

“I don’t know…block, hit.” He gave a half grin and then handed Jax the puck. “Wanna drop it?”

“Oh yeah.” Jax looks up at me. “Seeheremom, it’s okay to slam things on the floor.”

“Mmhmm.”

Jax dropped the puck and Logan went for it with his stick, then froze. “Hold on to it,” he warned.

Jax twisted his kid-sized stick and protected his puck, moving it in random directions.

“Where you taking that thing?” Logan laughed.

“Um…away from you?”

“Okay, but we can’t go at this all night. Doesn’t it need to end up somewhere?”

“Oh, the net.” Jax called from several feet away.

“Well get moving, kid.”

I giggled.Oh dear Lord, how is this man melting my heart right now?

I leaned on my stick, admiring what was happening in front of me and at the same time condemning it.

A puck hit my foot and I glanced down at it.

“You’re not going to just stand there are you?” Logan leaned and waited.

“And look pretty? I was going to but…I guess I could just...” I slapped my stick down and pushed the puck in Jax’s direction. Then skated over, blocking Logan from stealing it.

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