Page 63 of Yo Ho Ho
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!"
The snow immediately froze the toes peeking out of her open-toed shoes. If she had thought this plan through, she would've grabbed a sensible sweater and shoes more appropriate for the winter snow. But she hadn't thought it through, which was what made it a good plan right now. No need to over think professing her feelings to Logan Moore just yet.
She typed Jordan's address into her phone and started driving. The navigation told her it would take her 10 minutes to get there so she was still miraculously running early for the New Year's part of the New Year's party.
Sure enough, she pulled up to Jordan's street and parked her car at 11:45. She was cutting it close, but she still had time. Max took a deep breath and then got out of her car.
"I hate you, shoes," she told her freezing wet feet.
Jordan's front door was decorated with a huge evergreen wreath — probably something purchased by Charlotte — and she could see people moving around on the other side of the stained glass. She slowly opened the door to find a few of the players looking over at the newest arrival as a gorgeous woman in a little black dress walked over with a smile on her face.
"I'm so glad you made it," Charlotte said as she greeted Max with a warm hug.
"I cut it close," she replied. "Sorry about that. I was just out with the newspaper crew."
"I'm so sorry about all of that." Charlotte took Max's coat and smiled. "But tomorrow is a new year, right?"
She couldn't help but laugh. "Right."
"I'm tossing your coat in the office. Go get yourself a drink in the kitchen and then come watch the ball drop."
Max felt so under dressed as she walked by some of the people at the party. No one was wearing jeans. Her flashy shirt could only get her so many style points. A few of the guys were wearing outfits she would normally see them in on game days. But she was here, and that was something.
Jordan's kitchen was huge with cabinets lining the walls and a large island with a dark granite counter top. There were little appetizers set up along with cookies and small pastries. A bar in the corner was stocked with liquor and different sized glasses. There were also champagne flutes set up and several open bottles stuffed in a large tub of ice. That was going to be Max's first stop.
She tried to gently pour the champagne but was a little too hasty as bubbles started to overflow from the glass. Max quickly picked it up, sipping from the top of the glass before anymore spilled over. Then she put it back down on the counter and stared menacingly at the puddle she had created.
"Dammit," she muttered, grabbing a few cocktail napkins from the counter to clean up the mess.
This was great. Just great. Her feet were cold, her hands were sticky. She showed up under dressed and way past fashionably late for this party. And all this for what? For Logan? The only good thing about this so far was that she hadn't seen him yet because, frankly, she still had no idea what she was going to say to him when she did.
Max stared down at the damp napkins on the counter, trying to collect her thoughts that were all a mess inside her head. This was a disaster. She shouldn't have come. She should've just gone home, locked the door and watched TV by herself. But no, she had to come racing over here like a bat out of hell without thinking though what she was wearing or where she was going or what she was going to say when she got there.
Because why feel sorry for yourself after losing your job if you can't add to your misery by trying to find the man you want to be with on New Year's Eve and walk yourself into another depressing disaster?
"Max?"
Of course, this would be the perfect moment for Logan to find her hiding in the kitchen staring at a champagne glass. Of course.
She took a deep breath and turned to look at him. He was even more gorgeous than she remembered, if that was possible. He still had the stubble he was growing over the past week or so. He was wearing black dress pants and a thin navy sweater that accentuated the muscles underneath. It looked like he got a bit of a haircut since she saw him with some sort of product to give it a little bit of volume.
He stared at her in shock, not seeming to know what to say or do next. She felt the same way. But this was Logan. He was why she came tonight. Why she put on these stupid shoes without thinking and hoped her lipstick was sort of straight.
Max gave him a small smile. "Hi."
Logan put his empty glass down on the counter and leaned against it, staring her down with his dark brown eyes.
"I didn't think you were going to come."
"I didn't think I was either."
He cocked his head slightly, his mouth turning into a tight smile. "And yet here you are."
"Here I am."
Max could hear the bustle of everyone in the other room as they got closer to the New Year. But she didn't want to go in and see what they were watching. She didn't want to be around anyone but Logan right now, no matter how much turmoil it caused her to be in the same room as him.
"So why are you here, Max?"
