Page 142 of Wild Catch
“Thank you. And I know you’re proud of me too, you’ve only told me—oh, a trillion times.”
He motions at the cake that literally hasI’m proud of youspelled out in icing over it. I can’t help but cackling like a hyena at that.
It’s kind of bittersweet to leave my social media role behind. I won’t get to ask fun, silly questions to the guys, or film thirst traps for the internet girlies. But I still get to travel with the team and interview them with more meaningful questions. I get to support the history and records team with new developments, and moreover, I get to show my face on camera. One day I’ll be an anchorwoman for a sports channel and this is the start of my new dream.
And I get to do it right next to my dream man. How did I get so lucky?
It’s hard to think that a year ago I was being cheated on by the guy I thought I wanted to be with, and that I’ve been able to leave that heartache well behind. I couldn’t have done that without my friends or Logan.
We hang out in his living room, eating cake because it’s the offseason and the guys are allowed to deviate from their strict diets. The one who seems happiest about this is Miguel, but instead of finishing his ginormous slice, he packs most of it away for his daughter like the teddy bear dad that he is.
Logan is the first one to grow impatient, and at first I don’t get why he’s fidgeting so much until I see him jerk his head at Lucky.
The Boricua’s eyes light up with understanding. He claps his hands loud and reaches for his crutches by the couch. “Well, I think it’s about time to head out.”
“What? But it’s only like six.” Cade’s eyebrows rise.
“Dude.” Lucky looks at Logan and I, then back.
“Ohh. Right.” Cade turns to Hope. “Yeah, we should go too. Didn’t we say we’re having pizza for dinner?”
Hope appears confused. “Did we?”
“Yep, we did. We decided on the way here.”
Of his own volition, Miguel says, “Marty said she wanted some help with her homework after softball practice.”
“What kind of help?” Audrey asks as she also gets up from the carpet. “Because if it’s math, you’re not the right guy for the job.”
“After you, sugar,” Lucky says, adopting Cade’s nickname for Audrey and hopping aside for her to pass first.
I watch, amused that the one who said she wanted nothing to do with men, ended up picking one of those guys, when I wouldn’t have imagined that he would be the right fit for her.
After farewells—more enthusiastic from me than from Logan—I close the apartment door and turn. My boyfriend’s not behind me but still sitting on the carpet in the living room, his back resting against the foot of the couch, head tipped back on the seat. He raises a hand and motions at me to join him.
Now that we’re alone, I decide to stop acting demure altogether.
I skip over and instead of sitting beside him, I swing a leg and lower myself to his lap. My legs are curled around his and I lace my hands behind his neck. “Hola.”
Logan’s eyebrows rise, but his hands get with the program right away. He grabs my butt and pushes it—me—closer. “Hey,” he returns in that deep voice of his that drives me wild.
“What’s the plan for the rest of the evening then? I eat frost off you?” I ask, smiling sweetly.
He snorts, a smirk curving his delectable lips. “I have something else in mind before that.”
“I’m all ears and nerve endings.”
This makes the smirk transform into a full grin. His hands leave my butt to rise toward my back, and I’m only mildly disappointed that he didn’t sneak them under my sweater.
“I have something for you,” Logan murmurs. Rather than the saucy addition I expect, instead he presents one of his hands.
I stare at it.
More accurately, at the thing laying on it.
I look into Logan’s eyes, deep and bright and full of all the love that also resides in mine. “I don’t have a grand speech because I didn’t want to recruit the guys for it this time.”
“Understandable.” I nod seriously. “It’s a very private moment.”
