Page 26 of Yo Ho Ho
"I did."
"You need to take a chance at being happy, and not just happy with a new job," her editor said.
"What else would make me happy besides a new job?"
"Not what would make you happy. Who would make you happy." Amanda gave her a knowing smile. "Now, off you go. You have a plane to catch tomorrow."
"Right," Max said. "I'll talk to you this week."
"Yep! I'll be back on the desk on Tuesday night for your gamer." Amanda started walked and then stopped. "And please give me a good update on Logan Moore by then."
She smiled and quickly turned, leaving Max to fumble with her keys.
A good update on Logan Moore? Yeah, right. At this point, Max making it through the whole trip without kicking him in the balls would be a good update on Logan Moore.
Chapter 11
Logan took another look in the mirror and adjusted his hair one more time. Most nights, he didn't care. But this was one of the few times when the team got together for something that didn't have to do with hockey.
It was one of the biggest nights of the year: The Detroit Pirates Ugly Sweater Party. Logan had been looking forward to it since the day after the last one. The ugly sweater party was a tradition that started before Logan even got to the team, but one he totally embraced. Other teams did ugly sweater parties. Hell, at this point, Logan couldn't think of a team in the league that didn't have one. It had become as much of an event for every team as the annual Halloween parties.
But Detroit's was different. It was one of the first in the league and one of the best. The team's captain, Jordan King, lived out in the suburbs in a mansion that he shared with his brother, Ethan. The place was amazing. Built-in bookshelves everywhere, huge televisions, the dining room table was actually a pool table. Logan realized he had really become a part of the team when Jordan invited him over for beer and pool with Ethan and some of their teammates.
It was even better for Christmas, especially in recent years. A few years ago, Jordan lucked out by winning Charlotte's heart. It was amazing how easily she fit in with their Midwest, blue-collar town after moving there from Manhattan. Detroit was in her blood before she even realized it.
But every once in a while, her socialite style would push its way through, and there was no better example of that than the Ugly Sweater Christmas Party. What used to be beer and some chips was now catered appetizers and desserts, but hockey player appetizers and desserts. Nachos piled high, build-your-own sliders, mac and cheese bites, loaded potato skins. Cupcakes filled with all kinds of delicious stuff and brownies shaped like hockey pucks.
And instead of earlier years when the guys had to bring whatever beer they could to share, Jordan now had an open bar that he paid for "because I'm the captain and I'm supposed to rally the team." It didn't make a lot of sense — an open bar was an open bar, not a team-building exercise — but Logan wasn't going to complain. This year, Jordan told them Charlotte was even going to have the bartender make them some sort of special Christmas cocktail just for the party.
"So please remember to use the car service, maybe even get a few of you in the car together," the captain told them last week. "I don't want any of you driving home after drinking too much. And also don't drink too much. We have a plane to catch the next morning."
Yep, it was going to be a good party. If only Logan was in a better mood.
He looked at his hair one more time and finally gave up. No matter how hard he tried, it probably wasn't going to do what he wanted. Besides, no matter how good his hair looked, he still wouldn't be on a good mood.
He had been in a funk ever since that conversation with Max in the parking lot earlier that day. Stupid Max. Well, no. That wasn't really true. The stupid one in that conversation was Logan. He had said things he shouldn't have said. He was glad she was getting laid off? That was probably the worst. That wasn't exactly what he meant, at least not in that way, but he did sort of mean it. The biggest obstacle between him and that gorgeous, infuriating writer was her job. With that out of the way, he may have a chance with her.
He just wished she would see it that way. But based on what he said, and how she responded to it, Logan was willing to bet that he had screwed that up. He was having trouble seeing how a party could really fix his mood.
His phone lit up with Alex's name and he picked it up off his bathroom counter to answer it.
"We're downstairs!" the defenseman announced. "Get your ass down here."
"On my way."
Logan hung up and took one more look at himself. Nope, nothing could fix this. Maybe the party would help, but he didn't count on it.
He threw his phone in his pocket, then headed to the front hall table to grab his wallet. The front door to his place had a key card and he wasn't driving so no need for keys, which was good. He always hated when he had to over stuff his pockets. His coat was by the front door so it was easy to grab as he walked out.
Logan's building in downtown Birmingham was posh but not too fancy. There were times when he considered getting a place in the city like some of the other guys who lived in Detroit. A few of them even had places in the same condo building downtown. But there was something about being in the suburbs that Logan preferred. The drive to and from work was a little longer, the night life a little calmer, but it meant he could get away from the arena and just relax when he didn't have to be a hockey player.
It also meant he was only five minutes from Jordan's place and therefore the last one to get picked up on the way to the party.
Logan's doorman gave him a quick nod as the hockey star walked out of the lobby to the car waiting for him out front.
"Moore!" Alex bellowed as Logan made his way down the stairs. "Jingle my balls!"
Logan gave him a shocked look. "What?"
