Page 80 of Cold Feet
"No, not at all. Come in," I said, genuinely pleased to see her. "Logan's looking good today."
"He's been more stressed than usual over the season opener, so I thought I'd swing by to see if I could help settle him down a bit. Like he did for me at Nationals. I'm his lucky charm, it's kind of our thing."
"You two are the cutest."
Coco set her practice bag near the door before dropping gracefully into one of the sleek chairs facing my desk. Up close, I could see the fine dusting of freckles across her nose.
"I've got conditioning with my trainer this afternoon, but Logan mentioned he had a short practice, so I thought I'd surprise him for lunch." She smiled, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. "Plus, I wanted to give him a little "congrats" gift in person for the award. He was so nervous about that speech."
"He did great," I said sincerely. "And it was sweet how he thanked you and Poppy first."
"Yeah, well, he knows who really runs the show," she joked, though the pride in her voice was unmistakable. "Speaking of awards night, I think you and Cam broke the internet. That dress was absolute fire, by the way. And that ring..." Her eyes flickered to my hand. "Wow."
I instinctively touched the sapphire, warmth creeping up my neck. "Thanks. It was a fun night."
"Mmm-hmm." She tilted her head, studying me with those perceptive green eyes. "So, how are things going with hockey's most eligible bachelor? Or I guess he's not really eligible anymore, is he?" There was gentle humor in her tone, but something knowing in her gaze made me shift uncomfortably.
"Fine. Good. It's..." I trailed off, my usual smooth PR deflections failing me. This was Coco, after all – Logan's girlfriend, an Olympic athlete, and probably the only woman in my social circle who understood the unique pressures of the intersection of professional sports and media. "It's complicated," I finished lamely.
"I bet," she said with a sympathetic nod. "Must be weird having your relationship so public all of a sudden. Trust me, I get it. When Logan and I first started dating, I felt like every move we made was being analyzed by the entire hockey community. The entire figure skating community. The entire universe..."
I nodded, grateful for her understanding but also acutely aware that her relationship with Logan was genuine, while mine with Cam was... what, exactly? The lines were blurring more each day.
A commotion on the ice drew our attention to the window. Logan had apparently scored on a drill, and the players were celebrating with exaggerated cheers and stick taps. Cam was in the middle of it, laughing as he gave Logan a congratulatory head tap with his gloved hand.
"Look at them," Coco remarked fondly. "They're basically overgrown children,"
I found myself smiling, my gaze fixed on Cam as he lined up for the next drill. "They really are."
"Hey, where are you sitting tomorrow night?"
"Probably in the WAGs box unless I get a better offer."
"Want to sit with me in the VIP box? I've got the Redline folks coming in, and the food will be better."
"I'm in," Coco said casually. "So...how was the family beach weekend? Logan mentioned you guys drove back this morning and got caught in that mess on the Skyway."
"It was..." I hesitated, searching for a neutral descriptor. "Interesting."
Coco raised an eyebrow. "That's PR-speak for 'total disaster' or 'completely amazing but I don't want to admit it.' Which one?"
I laughed despite myself. "Neither. Both. It was just... not what I expected."
"In what way?"
I glanced toward my office door, which stood slightly ajar. Rising from my desk, I crossed the room and closed it softly before returning to my seat.
"Can I tell you something in confidence?" I asked, lowering my voice.
Coco's expression turned serious. "Uh, yes."
"Like,I signed an NDA and this could wreck my careerconfidence?"
"Always," she said.
I took a deep breath, suddenly desperate to confide in someone who might understand. "The engagement isn't real. It just looks real. It's a PR move to help Cam secure the Redline deal."
To her credit, Coco didn't look particularly shocked. She merely nodded thoughtfully. "I had a feeling."
