Page 90 of The Cutting Edge
"Oh, I intend to." Logan's eyes gleam. "If she'll have me."
I laugh, light and giddy, as my friends close in for hugs. I've waited my whole life to find a place where I truly belonged. Here, wrapped in the embrace of the man I love, our friends, and family, I've finally found my home.
I lean into Logan's side, his arm draped over my shoulders, as we make our way through the crowd. Every few steps, someone else stops us—a teammate to congratulate Logan, Mrs. Markham enveloping me in a warm hug, gushing about my flawless program. Poppy twirling with some of her little friends from skating class in the middle of the dance floor. Rufus, Logan’s gigantic dog, making the rounds for party scraps.
Through it all, a goofy grin is plastered on my face. I can't stop smiling. After years of sacrifice and struggle, I've finally gotten my moment in the sun—and now I have Logan and Poppy to share it with.
"You two are disgustingly cute," Marissa said, bumping Coco with her hip. "Seriously, the chemistry is blinding. You light up like a Christmas tree whenever Logan walks in the room."
My cheeks flushed. "What? I do not."
"She's not wrong," Logan's chest rumbles with laughter against my side. "But I happen to find it endearing."
I swat at his arm, fighting a losing battle against my smile. "Oh, hush. Shouldn't you be bothering Cam instead? I saw he and Lana headed out to the balcony earlier."
"Maybe I should just lock them out there until they figure things out..." he laughs.
"The fearless captain, playing matchmaker." I shake my head, standing on my tiptoes to press a quick kiss to his jaw. "You're a teddy bear under all that hockey gear. Now go, before they kill each other or spontaneously combust from all that pent-up chemistry."
"Yes, ma'am." He salutes me in a delightfully goofy way, dodging through the crowd and out the French doors leading to the balcony.
Alone for the moment, I take a deep breath, my giddy smile slipping into something softer, more private. It strikes me that I have almost everything I've ever wanted—Olympic gold within my grasp, family and friends around me, and the man of my smutty dreams by my side to share in the victory.
Chapter forty-two
Logan
Istepoutside,thecool breeze off the water a welcome reprieve from the heat and noise of the party inside. Cam and Lana are leaning against the balcony railing, shoulders just brushing, staring out at the skyline.
"Hey you two, "I say. "Mind if I join you?"
Cam glances over his shoulder, lips quirking into a smile. "What, you're actually going to leave Coco's side for more than five minutes?"
"She threatened to withhold certain...favors if I didn't come check on you two." I shrug, coming to stand on Lana's other side. "She was afraid you might spontaneously combust from all that pent-up chemistry."
Lana's cheeks flame as Cam barks out a laugh. "Is she always so subtle?"
"About as subtle as a puck to the face." I nudge Lana's shoulder with mine. "But she means well. And in this case, she's not wrong."
Cam sobers, running a hand through his hair. "We were just talking, Lo. Nothing's happening."
"Why the hell not?"
Lana blinks at him. "I—what?"
"You're both clearly interested, you're always giving each other crap, you challenge each other, and you're currently free of puck bunnies." I shrug. "Seems like the perfect recipe for giving things a shot, if you ask me."
"Did we ask you?" Cam snaps.
I hold up my hands in surrender. "You didn't. I'm just calling it like I see it." I soften my voice. "Look, Coco and I love you guys. Lana, you were Coco's first friend on the team and…"
"I'm pretty sureIwas Coco's first friend on the team, because I was the one who picked her up after you knocked her unconscious with your hundred-mile-an-hour slapshot. She just doesn'trememberbecause she was... you know...unconscious."
"I'll be sure to correct the official record," I say, marking down notes with an imaginary pencil. "And you fucking know for a fact my slapshot is a hundred and three."
"Do I?" Cam tilts his head to the side. "I dunno, you were dragging ass in game five against the Penguins as I recall...Viking Mike almost got the jump on you a couple of times."
"Hello... I set up Coco's Patreon to cover her training expenses. I'm helping send our girl to the Olympics. All you did was pick her up after this big lug knocked her out," interjects Lana.
