I need to tell someone or I might explode. I hit Elena's contact and press call, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel as it rings.
"Hey, what's up?" Elena answers, sounding distracted.
"You are never going to believe what just happened." The words tumble out of me. "I mean, literally never. I barely believe it myself."
"Okay, dramatic much? What happened?"
"I met Logan McCoy."
There's a pause, then, "Wait, what? Logan McCoy as in the Blades captain?"
"Yes! I was at Hill of Beans and I literally crashed into him and spilled coffee all over both of us and it was mortifying but then he was so nice about it and he gave me his jacket because my shirt went see-through and we exchanged numbers and he just texted me and I think he might have asked me out but that's crazy, right?" I say it all in one breath, then gulp in air.
"Holy shit, Reese." Elena's voice has gone from distracted to fully attentive. "Back up. You have Logan McCoy's phone number? And his jacket?"
I glance down at the sleeves still covering my hands. "Yes to both. And I mentioned you, by the way. That you're my best friend."
"And he asked you out?"
"I think so? He said something about actually drinking coffee next time instead of wearing it. That's date language, right?"
"From McCoy? Absolutely." There's a smile in her voice now. "He doesn't give out his number to just anyone, Reese. Trust me on that."
A warm feeling spreads through my chest. "I can't believe this is happening. Guys like him don't notice women like me."
"First of all, that's bullshit. You're gorgeous and funny and smart. Secondly, clearly he did notice you, so maybe rethink your assumptions about 'guys like him.'"
I lean my head back against the seat, trying to process it all. "It's just so unexpected. This morning I was just a harriedteacher with a nonexistent prospect list. Now I'm... what? A woman with a hot hockey player's phone number and jacket?"
"You're still you," Elena says gently. "But maybe with some exciting new possibilities."
Possibilities. The word echoes in my mind, full of promise and potential.
"I should probably actually do some work today," I say, though the thought of evaluating my kindergartner’s portfolios seems impossibly mundane now. "But I wanted to tell you first."
"Keep me updated. And Reese? Don't overthink this. Just enjoy it, okay?"
"I'll try." But overthinking is what I do best.
After we hang up, I sit for a moment longer, hugging the jacket around me. The day has taken such an unexpected turn that I'm still trying to catch up to it.
Yet here I am, with his beautiful jacket and his number and the lingering memory of how his eyes twinkled when he smiled at me.
I start my car, a strange mix of nerves and excitement buzzing in me. Maybe Elena's right—maybe I should just enjoy this unexpected collision and see where it leads. After all, my carefully planned, predictable life has been working out just fine, but "fine" has never made my heart race like this.
As I drive back toward school, I can't help but smile. Whatever happens next—whether this turns into something real or becomes just a funny story to tell someday—right now, in this moment, I feel alive with possibilities I hadn't even considered when I woke up this morning.
And that feeling, more than the jacket or the phone number, is what makes this day extraordinary.
Chapter 4
Logan
Iwalk into the dressing room, where several of the boys are getting ready for practice, the damp coffee stain visible on my sweater and it’s cold. The unmistakable smell of coffee is betraying my mishap and I’m praying they don’t notice. It's not the way I usually arrive for practice—coffee-splashed and wearing a dopey smile I can't seem to shake—but I can't stop.
My mind keeps replaying those few minutes with Reese, her sweet energy, the way she looked wrapped in my jacket, her surprise when I asked to give her my number.
"Holy shit, McCoy! Did you bathe in Starbucks this morning?" Benny calls out from his stall, a defenseman with no filter. Well, that didn’t take long.
