Page 58 of Yo Ho Ho
And really, what the hell was this doubt that was creeping into his thoughts again? When it came to Max, he was doing that more and more often. If he was being honest with himself, he knew why. Max mattered to him. He couldn't really explain how that happened or when it started. But he knew now that she mattered to him and had mattered to him long before he admitted it to himself.
Logan finally got to her door and knocked, waiting awhile before Max opened it. The small smile she had on her face when she answered quickly disappeared when she realized it was him.
"Hey," she said quietly.
"Hi."
She stared at him for a moment before her eyes flicked down to his chest to break the eye contact between them, and he watched as she nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"What are you doing here?" she asked quietly.
He stood there, trying to figure out what had happened. Was his idea to come over and surprise her really that bad?
"Uh, can I come in?"
Max nodded and moved out of the way so he could walk into her apartment before she quietly closed the door behind him. There were only a few lights on, a blanket draped over the couch that looked like it had just been moved. She had changed into her usual road uniform: a zippered hoodie and black leggings. She was wearing her bunny slippers. He gave her a small smile, hoping it would break the tension between them.
"Nice slippers."
She just shrugged. "They're comfortable," she said. "Why are you here?"
Logan wasn't liking where this was going. She was being matter of fact and all business. He thought she would at least give him a kiss to welcome him. Instead, she crossed her arms and stared. He held up the large black gift bag that Jordan had let him take home.
"I thought I would bring this to you."
Her eyes widened, but he couldn't tell why. Fear or anger? Embarrassment about how things had gone down earlier in the locker room? But Max had no reason to be embarrassed. She worked her ass off for years covering the team. She deserved someone acknowledging the work she had done. But the excitement in the locker room that had disappeared after she talked to her editor didn't seem to be coming back.
"I told you I can't take that," she said bitterly. "It's company policy."
"Well, company policy is stupid, and we both know that. A day or so isn't going to make a difference."
"It's the principle, Logan."
He just waved his hand in the air. She had been put in her place by her editor today. He understood that. But he wasn't going to let some blow hard stop him now.
This conversation with Max was not going the way he wanted it to, but that didn't mean he had to stop or give up. He had more to say and something else to give to her. He put the bag down on her kitchen table, then reached in, pulling out the red box he bought earlier, and held it out to Max.
"Here," he said. "I wanted to give you something else. It's just from me, not the rest of the guys."
She stared at it for several seconds. "I can't take it, Logan," she said quietly.
"You can and you will." He took a step closer to her. "Please."
She eyed him apprehensively before finally reaching out and gently grabbing the box from his hands. He watched as she untied the red ribbon around it and then took off the lid to stare inside.
"A puck?"
Logan nodded. "Not just any puck." He picked it up out of the box and held it up so she could see it. "The winning goal from today's game. It was my goal and I wanted you to have it."
She took a step back and her eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"Because it was your last game, and I wanted it to be special so I scored a goal for you."
"You scored a goal for me?" she asked incredulously.
"Well, I scored a goal because I'm a hockey player. But I wanted you to have this one."
He held it out for her to see so she could take it from him. She could accept his gift to her. He was hoping so badly she would accept at least something from him. Instead, she snatched the puck out of his hand, shoved it back in the box and smashed the lid down on it.
