Hiding Place

“Seriously,” I grumbled as Danielle jumped out of her seat when her phone rang and she exclaimed that it was TJ. I could have sworn he said he would text her after the game, not call her. I slid down my seat and rested my head at the top. The arena was almost empty and some of the staff had moved into a few of the sections to start the clean up process.

Instead of watching Danielle laugh while she was walking back and forth along the row our seats were in for the game, my gaze focused on the Shark logo at centre ice. My first experience with hockey didn’t disappoint, but I wouldn’t let anyone else know that. If I were asked, I would simply state that it was alright and wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. There was no need to show excitement or enthusiasm towards the game – it didn’t match my feelings about baseball but it definitely was ahead of football.

There was something about the speed and intensity of hockey that captured my attention and refused to let it go for the duration of the game. Never would I admit it, but my eyes usually found Logan when he was on the ice for his brief shifts. I couldn’t help but smirk every time Danielle elbowed me or said something about the game. It was nice to see her showing the passion I was sure I had when watching baseball.

“Em. Emma!” Danielle called pulling me from my thoughts. She was standing beside a security guard who had his hands in his pockets. “We’re going to go meet the guys and Steve here is going to take us down there.”

A sigh fell past my lips as I heaved myself up off the seat and looped my bag over my shoulders. I almost wished it wasn’t the summer and I had an early class in the morning as an excuse to get out of seeing Logan. I knew I would be stuck with him as Danielle seemed to have something going with TJ.

Danielle was chatting with Steve and I followed slightly behind. It’s not that I wasn’t grateful that she brought me along to experience her winnings, but I wasn’t really looking forward to seeing a certain member of the Sharks for the third time this week. Simply, it was inevitable for the two of us to bicker back and forth like we seemed to do. If I didn’t want to talk to him, I was being anti-social. If he didn’t respond to something I said, he was a pain in the ass.

“Okay ladies, you can wait right here. Logan and TJ will be out shortly,” Steve smiled before heading back down the hallway we had just walked.

As interesting as it was to see the behind the scenes components of a hockey game, I wanted to go home. I didn’t think that waiting around for two hockey players was worth my time when I could be relaxing at Marcus and Amelia’s with a bowl of popcorn and a movie on the tv. I was not in the mood for bickering.

The doors opened and a couple of guys walked by, nodding with smiles on their faces. Danielle kept elbowing me trying to get me to look at who was walking past us, but I kept my focus on my phone. She muttered something about me being impossible and my lips curled into a small smile – I won this round.

I noticed the doors opening again out of the corner of my eye and I heard TJ call Danielle’s name and mentioned how glad he was that she waited to see him. Great, the last thing I needed was for my best friend to be high-jacked by some professional athlete during our relaxation time.

“Someone looks absolutely thrilled to be here.”

I knew that voice. I exited out of my messages on my phone and slipped it back into my bag before looking over at him. My voice caught in my throat. My eyes widened. Of course he had to be in a suit and a damn nice suit too. He had a hand in one of his pockets and a slight smile – not a smirk for once – on his face. “Cat got your tongue?” Logan attempted to joke when I remained speechless.

Instead of rolling my eyes like I should have. Instead of making a disgusted sound like I should have. I laughed. I genuinely laughed. It wasn’t forced. It wasn’t fake. My lips naturally curled into a full blown smile and I laughed at his ridiculous comment. Who even says ‘cat got your tongue’ anymore? Apparently it didn’t matter because I laughed.

The smile stayed on his face. His eyes locked with mine before he spoke up again. “Did you enjoy the game?” I noticed that he had taken a deep breath before asking me what seemed like a simple, standard question. Was he hoping to have impressed me?

I shrugged. “It was alright. It was no Giants game, that’s for sure.”

Logan nodded, “Right because the home team actually scored a couple of goals tonight unlike the Giants who can’t seem to put up the runs.”

“Always have to bring it back to the Giants, don’t you Logan?” I shook my head thinking I could attempt to be the mature one between the two of us. It may be a long shot but I thought it was necessary. When you’re not in the mood to argue, you’re just not in the mood to argue.

Now it was his turn to shrug. “It’s the only way you’ll talk to me.”

“Not true,” my lips curled into a smile. Once again, my lips were abandoning my resolve to be mature but not overly friendly to Logan. “We’re talking right now and I’m not bringing up the Jays. Besides why do we need to talk? I’m sure this is the last time we’re going to see each other.”

He looked at me curiously with his hazel eyes locked on mine. I had to stop looking at his eyes. “Why do you say that?” His voice was soft and he almost sounded like he was concerned about this fact.

A softer, much more subtle laugh – almost a giggle – escaped from my mouth before I answered him. “It’s not like Danielle and I can afford to come to another playoff game. You’re now well into your second round series and we only have another week and a half in San Jose.”

Why was I doing this? Why was my mouth abandoning me? I don’t want to come to another playoff game. I don’t want to have my eyes glued to Logan every time he’s on the ice. I don’t want to care how the Sharks do in the playoffs. And I most certainly do not want to care that Danielle and I only have another week and a half left in San Jose. So why on Earth did I just tell Logan Couture that? He obviously doesn’t care, so why should I?

Logan shifted his weight as he chuckled ever so slightly. “If you two want to come to another game, I’m sure Gally and I could arrange something. I mean we do have some pull around here, not much though.” There I go again. Laughing. “What’s so funny?” He kept his eyes locked on mine and was smiling.

“I don’t believe you when you say you don’t have much pull around here. Have you seen the concourse of the HP Pavillion Center? I mean really Logan. You could probably go up there, ask for anything and they would give it to you on the spot.” My eyes widened as my brain caught up to what I had just said to him. It was without a doubt the nicest thing either of us had said to each other. I had to do something to restore the balance of dislike between us. He couldn’t know that I thought he was pretty amazing out there. “Hate to say it, and when I say hate to say it I mean I really do, but you seem to be kind of a big deal here.”

He laughed and moved to put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me kind of close to him. The scent of his soap threatened to captivate me so I sucked in a deep breath and held it. “Aw, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me Em. Thank you.”

I didn’t take another breath until he let go of me. I hated how easily he could tuck me into him and how I seemed to be the perfect height for him to do so. I hated how simply by being in a suit and a not bitchy mood, he was knocking down my defences against him without even realizing it. And most of all, I hate how I liked watching him play hockey.

“Are you going with Danielle or did you want a ride home?” Logan moved to stand right in front of me with his eyes locked on mine once more. “Emma?”

Apparently my brain had gone to another place momentarily. “Hm?”

Logan shook his head again, “Are you going for a late bite to eat with Danielle and Gally or would you like a ride home?”

My focus immediately shifted to Danielle. I gave her a questioning look that I hope indicated ‘what the hell?’ to which she simply shrugged and smiled before returning to her gaze to TJ. “I’m not hungry,” I announced which didn’t really answer his question.

Danielle mentioned that she and TJ were going to a quiet little restaurant down the street that he usually frequented post game and that she would text me when she was on her way home so I could let her into the building. I nodded in response knowing that there was no way I could convince her otherwise.

“So do you want a ride home? You never answered that part of my question,” Logan reminded me.

I shook my head. “My brother doesn’t live too far from here. I’ll be okay walking, thanks though, I think?” I zipped my sweater up to my chin and stared walking towards the exit that Danielle and TJ had just used. Not that I had any idea as to where to go in the arena.

Logan jogged slightly to catch up to me, even though I didn’t get very far ahead of him. “It’s not a big deal, I can take you back to your brother’s place.”

I paused right in front of the door and turned to look at him. “Why are you being so persistent? Am I not being obvious enough?”

He stopped only a foot in front of me. He licked his lips before speaking, “I thought we got off on the wrong foot. All we’ve done is attack each other because of what? Our difference in opinions on baseball?”

I looked at Logan but refused to look at his eyes. I didn’t need to be sucked into saying something I didn’t really want to say because of those again. “I guess that’s how it’s supposed to be between you and me. Maybe this is the foot that we’re supposed to be on?”

Now was the perfect moment for me to look away from him and ask myself – out loud – why the hell I went with his foot metaphor and said that this is the foot we’re supposed to be on. What does that even mean?

He laughed. “So you enjoy arguing with me, is that what you’re saying?”

“What? How on Earth would you get the idea that I actually like arguing with you? The only people who like arguing are politicians and those who like debating absolutely everything. I don’t like arguing.” I crossed my arms over my chest and let out a huff of air. Beaking people on the pitch and about their baseball fandom were one thing but to actually enjoy arguing? Never.

Logan pushed the door open and ushered me outside into the crisp air. Although we had just been inside an arena for the past three hours now, the air outside felt colder. I was glad that I had zipped up my sweater to my chin. “Well you’re arguing with me right now about taking you home.”

My mouth fell open. “I am not. I just don’t need you to take me home. My brother lives like twenty minutes away. It’s a beautiful night, so I’m going to walk home.” I shrugged. It really was not a big deal for me to walk home, but for some reason to Logan it was.

“Why won’t you let me just drive you home. Or even let me walk you home?”

“Because I don’t need you to walk me home. Or drive me home.” I looked directly at him and stared him in the eyes. “Why are you being so persistent in wanting to take me home?”

This was not supposed to be happening. First I enjoy watching him play hockey because he’s so determined on the ice and now I get to see just how determined he is off the ice. Logan Couture was not supposed to impress me with his determination and focus – even if it was all directed at me.

“You’ve got that wrong. I don’t want to take you home. I just want to make sure you get home okay. You would know if I wanted to take you home,” he grinned and chuckled just a little bit.

“Oh really? I would know, would I? What’s so different about you wanting to take someone home and making sure they get home okay?”

Logan licked his lips once more before answering me with a soft, almost whisper, “Believe me, you would know.”

For some reason, I decided to keep challenging him. I wanted our bantering back and forth to continue. Rather than just turning and going home, I stood in the middle of a parking lot with him continuing our back and forth.

I stepped closer to him; the gap between us was maybe six inches instead of a couple of feet like it had been. “Tell me Logan, what would make it different?” My voice was low and almost raspy. I wondered where the hell that came from but I went with it.

Logan locked his eyes on mine, he closed the gap even more – there was maybe an inch or two between us – and had a slight, maybe even sly smile curling his lips. I refused to look away from him and kept my eyes focused on his. The scent of his soap was surrounding me – it was fresh and smelt like mint. He reached up and almost cupped my cheek before tucking a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. My breath caught in my throat. “Let me take you home,” his voice was soft, almost seductive.

Without thinking, I found myself almost nodding. I opened my mouth to agree that yes, he could take me home. The door to the arena flew open and out walked a couple of his teammates who were laughing together. Logan dropped his hand from my cheek and took a slight step backwards. I looked away and started to dig through my bag as a reason to not have to look at him.

He opened his mouth to say something again but I cut him off. I didn’t let him speak. Instead, I questioned him, “Do you want to get a tea or something?”

I watched as his lips curled into a genuine smile. “What?”

“Do you want to get a tea or something? With me?” I stared him in the eyes. I wasn’t really sure what made me ask him but for some reason, I didn’t want to go home to Amelia and Marcus right now – if they were home. His team was having a barbeque tonight as a bonding thing.

“Where did you have in mind?”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Do you trust me?”

Logan laughed. “No.”

“Come with me if you want to, but it’s this awesome little place on the way to my brother’s. It’s not really well known and its one of the rare places that’s still open at this time,” I shrugged. “It’s your call Logan.”

“Okay.”

“Well, good luck with your playoff run Logan,” I nodded mostly to myself. I should have known that he wouldn’t agree to this. Who asks someone to go get tea after they just played a playoff game? It doesn’t make sense at all. It was a long shot and just like some of my shots in soccer, it went wide of the net. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”

I turned away from Logan, took a deep breath and decided that was that. As much as I disliked him when we first started talking tonight, I kind of wanted to keep talking to him. Keep this odd swing of a conversation going just to see where it went.

“Hey,” he grabbed my hand and got me to stop. “I didn’t say no.”

“What?”

Logan shook his head with a smile, “I said okay. I didn’t say no. If you want to get a tea, we can get a tea. But I’ll probably get a hot chocolate or something. I’m not much of a tea drinker.”

My lips curled into a smile. “It’s like a ten minute walk from here. It’s not that far I promise.”

“Good, I don’t think I could walk much tonight. It was kind of a rough game,” he chuckled.

As we started to walk, our hands were still linked together and Logan attempted to slide his fingers between mine. Instead of fighting him off or looking at him like he was crazy, I let him. I didn’t want to be smiling as we walked down the street together, side-by-side and our fingers linked. “Yeah, you guys played well though.”

He raised his eyebrows; “Oh did we impress you tonight? Are you going to follow our playoff run?”

I shrugged, “Maybe, if you’re lucky.” I laughed and pulled him towards the right so we could stop and get a tea and a hot chocolate tonight.