Page 13

"Is it? Sometimes I think she might be right. That I'm just playing at being a businesswoman. My sister has it all figured out… the husband, the kids, the suburban dream. And here I am, thirty-one and still figuring out what I want to be when I grow up."

"You're not playing at anything." Logan's voice is firm, certain. "You're building something real. People feel it when they walk into your place."

"They do?"

"Yeah. Trust me. It feels like..." He searches for the words that seem like they come easier between us lately. "Like somewhere to land. Somewhere safe."

The sincerity in his voice makes my chest tight. "You really see that?"

"Absolutely. Plus, you're stubborn as hell," he says with a smile that I can't help but gawk at. "That's what makes it work. You don't give up. Ever."

Logan clears his throat, looking almost embarrassed by his own openness.

"Need another beer?" he asks.

"Yeah. I could use one."

As Logan flags down Eli, I study his profile. There's something different about him tonight. More open. More... present.

"What about you?" I ask when he turns back. "What do you want beyond hockey?"

Something flickers across his face. Surprise at first, but then… something softer.

"I always wanted to travel," he admits quietly. "See where my mom grew up. Finland. She used to tell me stories about the midnight sun, the forests that went on forever."

"Why haven't you?"

He shrugs, but I catch the tightness around his eyes. "Never found the time. Season, off-season training, other hockey obligations that pay the bills."

"You could still go. You'd look good in a backpack, hiking in the wilderness."

"Maybe." He stares at his beer, then looks up with a self-deprecating smile. "You'd probably find me three days later, lost in the woods with nothing but protein bars and terrible navigation skills."

I laugh, the image too clear in my mind. "Yeah. You do give off real grumpy nomad vibes."

Logan huffs a laugh. "I think I'd last about five minutes before I missed having a proper shower."

"Maybe. But I bet you'd surprise yourself."

Hope or something similar brightens his expression, like I've said something he needed to hear.

"You have a lot of faith in people," he says quietly.

"In the right people."

The way he looks at me then makes my stomach flutter. Like maybe I'm one of the right people.

By the time we finish dinner, the snow is falling more steadily outside. Logan pays the check despite my protests, and Eli sees us off with more grins and comments about "young love."

The walk back to Chapter & Grind feels different than the walk here. Maybe it's the alcohol, or maybe it's the deepening conversation we just shared, but I feel closer to Logan. More comfortable.

When I stumble slightly on an icy patch, Logan's arm immediately comes around my shoulders, pulling me against his side.

"Steady there, Coffee Witch."

I let myself relax into his warmth, my head finding a perfect spot against his shoulder. He's so much bigger than me that walking like this should be awkward, but instead it feels... right.

"This is nice," I murmur, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

"Yeah," he agrees, smiling into the freezing night air. "It is."

We walk slowly, neither of us eager to end the evening. The snow continues to fall, creating a hushed, magical atmosphere that makes the familiar streets of Iron Ridge feel like a winter wonderland.

All too soon, we're standing in front of Chapter & Grind. The warm light from the shop's window creates a golden circle around us, making the falling snow look like glitter.

Logan turns to face me, his hands coming up to rest on my shoulders. His eyes search my face in the dim light.

"I had a good time tonight," he says.

"Me too."

We're standing close, close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating from his body. Close enough to see the snowflakes caught in his dark hair.

"Emma," he says, and my name sounds different in his deep voice. Softer. More... intimate.

"Yeah?"

He lifts one hand to cup my face, his thumb brushing across my cheekbone. "Can I...?"

He doesn't finish the question, but I know what he's asking. I can see it in his eyes, feel it in the tension between us.

I nod, unable to find words.

Logan leans down slowly, giving me time to change my mind. But I don't want to change my mind. I've been thinking about this moment since... well, since probably the first time he walked into my shop.

When his lips finally touch mine, it's perfect. Soft at first, tentative, like he's afraid I might disappear if he takes too much.

But then I kiss him back, and the entire world shifts.

The kiss deepens, his arms coming around me to pull me closer. I can taste the faint bitterness of beer on his lips, feel the roughness of his jaw against my skin.

Everything about this moment is exactly what I've been imagining and so much more.

When we finally break apart, we're both breathing hard. Logan rests his forehead against mine, his eyes closed.

"Jesus, Emma," he breathes.

"I know," I whisper back.

He kisses me again, softer this time, like he's memorizing the feel of my lips.

When we separate, Logan takes a step back, his hands still on my shoulders.

"You should go inside," he says reluctantly. "It's cold."

"Yeah. I should."

But neither of us moves.

Logan reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my skin.

"Goodnight, Emma."

"Goodnight, Logan."

I force myself to turn around and unlock the door to Chapter & Grind. Before I go inside, I glance back one more time.

Logan's still standing there, hands in his pockets, watching to make sure I get inside safely. The sight of him silhouetted against the falling snow makes my heart do funny things.

I give him a small wave and slip inside, locking the door behind me.