AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Parker’s cheeks are pink. I wonder if it’s the exercise or the conversation. Maybe both. When I say nothing, she slides her phone out of her pocket and swipes it open, making a face.
“For a man who doesn’t like the interviews, you did great.”
“Maybe it’s all in the person asking the questions.”
I swear the color in her cheeks deepens to Parker Pink. “But good answers means a lot of editing work cut out for me. A good problem to have. This will get broken down into a bunch of videos for TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, then one longer video for YouTube.”
“Do you have to do that tonight?” Disappointment makes my shoulders fall.
It’s late. I don’t like the idea of her working here alone. I’m also not ready for the night to be over.
“I probably should,” she says. “Why?”
“I’ve got another idea.” Before I can rethink oroverthink it, I hold out my hand. “Skate with me?”
CHAPTER11
Parker
Young Parker is squealingand jumping up and down on her bed. Heart emojis are exploding out of her head as though from a geyser.
BecauseLogan Barnes asked to skate with me!!!
The Now Parker manages a smile with zero squealing. My eyes donotcontain little red hearts. They’re just plain brown eyes as I look at him calmly.
“Why, Logan Barnes, I would be honored to skate with you.”
Trying to play it cool like this moment isn’t the pinnacle of my life, I slip my phone in my pocket and slide my hand into Logan’s.
“You’re cold,” he says, frowning and giving my hand a squeeze.
His fingers are warmer than mine, which are, admittedly, starting to feel like little ice sticks. Sometimes I wear gloves—fingerless if I’m filming and need to touch the phone screen—but I didn’t think about it today. I also didn’t plan to be here this long. But I’m not about to turn down skating longer with Logan.
I will turn into a solid ice cube if it means more time with him.
“I’m fine.”
Logan only grumbles at this, closing his hand fully around mine.
Bliss! This moment is pure bliss!
The first few laps, we skate in silence. It takes a bit of time to adjust my stride to Logan’s. Or, maybe for us to adjust to each other. It was easier when we were just skating beside each other. I know Logan’s going slower than his typical speed. Not that I’m slow. But the man is a good head and shoulders taller than I am, so of course, his natural stride is longer.
Maybe it should feel weird to skate around the rink holding Logan’s hand, but it absolutely doesn’t. Even if this is the first time I’ve held hands with someone while ice skating.
And not just any someone—with Logan. My childhood crush. My teenage dream. My now … I don’t know.
The thought that he initiated this makes me unreasonably happy. Therefore, the thought needs to die.
Don’t get your hopes up, Parker,I tell myself, trying to locate some semblance of reason.Logan is more out of my league now than he ever was. Famous hockey studs don’t fall for the small-town woman who’s never been kissed. No way.
Though honestly … the hockey player plus the never-been-kissed girl-next-door would be a killer Hallmark movie. Not with actual killing. Obviously.
But definitely some kissing.
Just the thought of that has me gazing up at Logan’s definitely kissable lips and the scar running from his mouth to his chin. What would it feel like to kiss his scar? To trail my lips along his jaw, exploring and—
“So, you have to do all the video editing yourself? There’s no other media person to help?” Logan asks, jarring my mind out of its not-quite-Hallmark-appropriate fantasy.
