“I’ve been thinking about joining a support group. I’m not sure if James would go with me or not. He’s like our boys—strong, silent, the ‘don’t let anyone see you’re hurting’ type.”
I thought about Connor and how he used humor to deflect. And Logan’s clenched fists at times during the class. “I know that type. There’s a couple of them in our group. Most of us, actually,” I added with a laugh.
She nodded and swiped at the one tear that had managed to fall. “Well. I won’t keep you. If you don’t need anything that I could help you with today?”
“I’m good, thanks.” I was about to turn and walk to the street, but the urge to hug this woman enveloped me, and I found myself pulling her into a strong hug that she immediately returned just as firmly.
“I’m so sorry about J,” I whispered just as she said the same to me about my mom.
It caused us to laugh and be able to break apart with a little less embarrassment. “I know you have family. It sounds like one you’re close with,” she said, and I nodded. “And I’m no closer to you in Minnesota than they are in Nebraska, but I’ll have Logan give you my number if you need anything. Something shipped to you. Or just to hear a mom’s voice, even if it can’t be yours…”
“Thank you, Tricia. I’ll make sure I reach out,” I said, meaning it.
We said our goodbyes and I walked back to Creyts. When I got to our room, I was relieved no one was there and I didn’t have to explain coming home late morning wearing a Bribury Hockey fleece.
I didn’t need to explain something to the girls that I was so confused about myself.
Chapter24
Megan
I didn’t mind not goingto the game. Not too much, anyway. Emily and I stayed in and got Thai food delivered. I stayed in our living room when she ducked into our room when Caleb called her. It was early in the evening for them to talk, so either he wanted to go out or it was going to be a long one. I wasn’t sure what to hope for. Whatever would be best for Emily.
“Not at the hockey game?” Chloe asked as she and Abby entered the suite.
“Nope. Just last night,” I said, like it was a one-time thing. Maybe it was. Chloe narrowed her eyes at me, but before she could ask a follow-up, I said, “You guys are home early.”
“Just in for an outfit change,” Chloe said.
“An outfit change? In the middle of the night?”
Abby had gone into their room, but Chloe nodded and came and sat beside me on our couch. “Yeah, we had dinner in town. Good place. I wanted to ask about maybe doing a collab, so…” She waved a hand at her outfit, a cute floral top with frills at the sleeves and a skirt that was longer than what she normally wore. “But I wanted to change before we headed to this party somebody told me about. Off campus. Skank it up a bit, yannow?”
I laughed and nodded.
“Wanna come?”
Did I? Part of me did. The part that wasn’t ready to admit that I wanted more with Logan than I’d said. That part wanted to put on some skank and dance and laugh and drink too much. But the other part of me—the larger part, it seemed—wanted to stay in and catch up on sleep, since Logan and I hadn’t gotten much of it last night.
“Nah. Thanks. A night in, demolishing my Thai leftovers is just what I need tonight.”
“Yeah, I noticed you didn’t come home last night. Good for you.”
I didn’t ask how she knew that. Obvious enough, I supposed. I wasn’t around at all in the morning after leaving the party I’d met them at by myself.
“Logan, right? Is he as amazing as he looks like he’d be?”
We hadn’t done this level of girl talk, Chloe and me. I’d barely had it with Emily, and I felt much closer to her than Chloe. But it just had to be said…
“Better.”
Chloe snorted her approval, then disappeared into her room to change. I pulled up the game on my laptop and watched as we won 7-2. Gabe had been stellar in the net. (In the net! I had the vernacular down already!) Logan didn’t have one penalty, and the two goals against us came when he wasn’t on the ice. (I guessed that was important, too, if you were or were not on the ice when a goal for or against happened.)
My phone vibrating on my chest where I’d laid it when I stretched out on our couch woke me up. It was eleven. The game had been over for well over an hour. Logan was probably still with his parents, though.
Or maybe not, as it was a text from him that woke me.
Just left my parents at the hotel. Have to make an appearance at the team party. Want to meet me there?
