LIGHTNING (16 page)

Brooke

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait for him?” I asked Owen and Brandon.

“This is your time and you two have a lot to talk about. We’ll catch up with him tomorrow,” Owen said as he hugged me.

Standing outside the locker room, I leaned up against the wall and waited for him to come out. I knew it was going to be a while since I could hear the celebration going on, but when I looked up, I saw Logan standing at the entrance, still in his skates and hockey uniform, staring at me.

“Nice fight.” I smiled.

“Thanks.” He looked down. “Why did you come back to New York, Brooke?”

“I never left.”

His eyes looked up and met with mine. “What do you mean? Where have you been for the past three weeks?”

Slowly walking towards him, I ran my finger along the bruise that was almost covering his eye.

“It’s a long story and I’m going to tell you everything, but not here.”

“You hurt me, Brooke.”

“I know and I’m sorry. But I did it for you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Go change and we’ll go somewhere quiet and I’ll explain it to you. Unless,” I looked down, “you don’t want to see me.”

There was a moment of silence between us and, suddenly, I grew very nervous.

“I want the truth and I want to see you, so give me about twenty minutes to shower and change.”

“I’ll be waiting right here.” I smiled. “How’s your leg?”

“It hurts like a bitch, but I can handle it.” He grinned as he turned around and walked back into the locker room.

****

After Logan cleaned himself up, we hailed a cab back to his apartment so we could talk. After setting his bag down, he walked into the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of beer from the fridge.

“This place is a disaster.”

“I know. Sorry. I’ve been a little busy the past couple of weeks.”

He handed me the bottle and we both took a seat on the couch.

“So. Where have you been staying?” he asked.

I bit down on my bottom lip and he narrowed his eye at me.

“Brooke?”

“Promise me you won’t get mad.”

“Great.” He rolled his eyes. “That right there is an indication that I’ll be mad.”

“Pinky promise.” I smiled as I held up my pinky.

“Seriously?”

“Yes. Seriously.”

He sighed as he hooked his pinky finger around mine.

“Okay.” I took in a deep breath. “I’ve been staying at Brandon’s penthouse.”

His chest puffed.

“You promised!”

“So all this time that I thought you were back in California, you were staying with my brother?”

“Yes.”

He brought the bottle to his lips and took a large gulp.

“Okay. Continue.”

“I never meant any of the things I said to you in those text messages. I needed you to be angry at me. I wanted you to hate me.” I looked away.

“Why? Why would you want that?”

“Because it was the only way to get your confidence and focus back on the ice.”

When I looked at him, and our eyes met, his displayed nothing but confusion as he sat there in silence.

“Oh God, Brooke.” He slowly shook his head. “You knew that I’d take all my anger towards you out on the ice.”

“Yeah.” A tear sprang to my eye. “It was the only way to get you back out there. No matter how much it killed me to do it, I couldn’t let you give up your dream. I wouldn’t let you, Logan. Hockey is your life and I wasn’t going to stand by and let you throw away everything you worked so hard for.” The tears fell down my cheek.

He swallowed hard. “I can’t believe you did that for me. These last few weeks have been hell.”

“I know they have, but look at where it got you tonight. You were amazing out there and I’ve never been so proud of anyone in my life as I am of you. I love you, Logan. I never stopped.”

He brought his hand to my cheek and wiped away the tears that were falling from my eyes.

“I love you, baby, and I missed you so much.”

I threw my arms around his neck and laid my head on his shoulder.

“I missed you too and I’m sorry.”

“So that explains why Owen flipped out at the bar.”

I pulled back and stared into his eyes. “You mean when you were going to take that girl home and fuck her?” I frowned.

“He told you?”

“Yeah. He told me.”

“Asshole. Remind me to punch him next time I see him.”

“I didn’t blame you. You thought I had left and we were over.”

“I feel like a total douchebag. I’m so sorry.”

“You’re forgiven.” I smiled.

He dipped his head closer to mine until our foreheads were touching, his lips mere millimeters from mine.

“I’m so in love with you and I never stopped. You have to believe that.”

“I do believe it,” I whispered.

His lips softly met mine and it felt so good to feel them again. As his hand cupped the back of my neck, our kiss became passionate. He pulled me on top of him and the feel of his hard cock beneath me excited me to the point that I felt I was about to have an orgasm. My breath became hitched and my heart was racing.

“We have some serious sex to make up.” He smiled as he broke our kiss.

“I hope you have enough energy left in you.”

He let out a growl. “I have more than enough energy to make love to you all night long.”

I climbed off his lap and stood up as he picked me up in his strong arms and carried me to the bedroom.

****

Logan

Being inside her again felt so good. Interlacing her fingers with mine, I raised her arms above her head as I slowly moved in and out of her, taking in all the beauty that was underneath me. I loved this woman more than anything else in the world, including hockey. She was mine and I was going to make sure she stayed with me forever. Her happiness was all that mattered to me and I would do everything possible to make sure she was happy for the rest of her life. We shared a bond and a connection that nobody could ever understand.

After we made love, I rolled onto my back and she snuggled against me as I stroked her soft hair.

“I can’t believe my brothers knew and didn’t tell me. Actually, I’m surprised Owen didn’t spill the beans. He can’t keep a secret for shit.”

“He knew he had to keep quiet for your sake. They weren’t the only ones who knew.”

“What? Who else knew of your plan?”

“Your dad, Maggie, Gene, and Bruce. Oh, and my dad and Woo.”

“Nice, Brooke.” I laughed. “But being out there, playing in the game tonight, was the best feeling in the world. There’s something I need to tell you.”

“What?” She lifted her head from my chest and looked at me.

“I didn’t mean what I said to you that day about wanting to be the hero that saved me.”

“I know you didn’t. But I’m glad you did, because you made it a whole lot easier for me.” She smiled brightly.

“Thank you for everything.”

She brought her hand up to my face and gently stroked my cheek.

“You’re welcome, and thank you for wanting me in your life.”

Just as I was about to speak, my phone beeped. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed it from the nightstand and saw a text message from Owen.

“You better have forgiven her, bro, or I’m seriously going to hurt you.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle as I showed the text to Brooke.

“Don’t worry about us. We’re great. Now leave us alone.”

“Whew. Okay, now I can sleep tonight.”

Setting down my phone, I brushed a strand of hair from Brooke’s face.

“There’s something I need to talk to you about,” I spoke with seriousness.

“Now what?”

“What you saw between me and Lina that night of the party. She kissed me, Brooke, and I pushed her away. I told her that you were my girlfriend and that I loved you. I would never do that to you.”

“I know you wouldn’t. I trust you completely.”

“Something else is bothering me and I need to ask.”

She tilted her head and smiled. “You can ask me anything.”

“How are we going to make this work when you go back home?”

“Who said I was going back home?”

“Huh? You’d permanently move here for me?”

“Yes, Logan, I would. I’m sure I can find a job here. Plus, the thought of all those beautiful snowy winters is like a dream come true.”

“You’re weird.” I chuckled. “What about your dad?”

“I already talked to him about it and he said if it’ll make me happy, then it makes him happy. Besides, he said he’d come visit a lot.”

“What about Woo?” I asked.

“Woo will be fine. He can come visit as well.”

“I can’t believe you’d change your whole life for me.” I ran the back of my hand down her cheek.

“Isn’t that what life’s all about: change? I embrace change. It keeps me grounded.”

“I’m the luckiest man in the world to have you, and just so you know, you’re never leaving my side.” I pulled her into me and kissed the top of her head.

“Good, because I don’t ever plan on leaving. You’re stuck with me, Jackson.”

“There’s nobody in this world I’d rather be stuck with. Now, enough talk because I’m hard and I need to make love to you again.”

Brooke

Two Months Later…

I nervously sat in my seat and gripped onto Owen’s arm, as there were only twenty seconds left and the Chicago Blackhawks were in the lead by one point.

“Don’t worry. He’ll do it,” Owen spoke nervously.

“I know.” My heart was beating a mile a minute.

The puck was in Logan’s possession as he streaked down the ice, heading towards the net in full force, firing the shot right into the net before the goalie even had time to move.

“YES!” I screamed as I threw my hands up in the air and stood up.

The buzzer rang and the game was over. The crowd roared and howled as the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. Excitement took over me and I could barely breathe.

“Did you see that?” Owen screamed. “How the fuck did he do that? It happened so fast I didn’t even see the puck.”

“That’s why he’s Lightning Logan.” I smiled.

His dad, Maggie, Owen, Brandon, and I all hugged each other in elation over the win. Tears streamed down my face as I watched Logan skate around the ice holding the cup in the air. When he looked at me, he stopped and yelled, “For you, baby. All for you.”

I blew him kisses and mouthed, “I love you.”

Once the players skated off the ice and headed to the locker room, Logan’s family and I waited patiently for Logan to emerge. I paced around, back and forth, in anticipation.

“Hey, baby.” I heard Logan’s voice.

Turning around, I ran to him and jumped into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist as he held me tight.

“Congratulations. I love you.” I kissed his face over and over again.

“I love you too, baby. I need you to do me a favor.”

“Anything.” I smiled.

“Will you marry me?”

“Oh my God, are you serious?”

“I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”

“Yes. Yes. Yes.” I kissed his lips three times. “I will marry you. I love you so much.”

He set me on the floor and got down on one knee as Brandon handed him a small velvet box. Opening the lid, Logan pulled out the most beautiful diamond ring I’d ever seen. Slipping it on my finger, he spoke, “I love you, Brooke, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

****

Logan

After we won the Stanley Cup, Brooke was offered a job as the team’s physical therapist. She was thrilled and accepted it without any hesitation. I was happy because that meant she would be with me always, even at away games. If she had accepted any other job, that wouldn’t have been a possibility and I would have missed her too much while I was away.

Brooke and I wanted to get married before the next hockey season started, so we planned it for the beginning of September and then took a week long honeymoon in Aruba. These were the happiest days of my life. About two months after we were married, my dad and Maggie gathered the family and we all went to Vegas to witness their vows and commitment to each other.

I got my endorsements back, and this time, I added two new endorsers to the list, Chevrolet and Electronic Arts, bringing my total in endorsements to over fifteen million a year, not including the seventy-million-dollar contract I signed for the new year. Life was perfect. I was making more money than ever. I had the most beautiful wife in the world and there was never one day that I took for granted.

****

After the next season ended, Brooke and I took a trip out to California to visit her dad and Woo. While we were at Woo’s house, having dinner, he sat across from us with a smile on his face.

“Congratulations to you both.”

“For what?” Brooke spoke.

“You’re pregnant.”

Brooke laughed. “I am not.”

“Yes. You are,” he spoke with seriousness.

“Come on, Woo.” I chuckled.

“You laugh. Stop on your way back to your father’s house and pick up a test kit, then we’ll see who’s laughing.”

Brooke set down her fork and looked at me.

“Are you?” I asked.

“I don’t think so.”

“You are.” Woo smiled at us.

After leaving his house, we got in the car, and Brooke grabbed hold of my hand.

“He’s never wrong about anything, Logan.”

“We’ll stop and pick up a test. Just relax, baby.”

When we arrived back at the house, we went up to the bedroom and shut the door. I opened up the box, took out the stick, and read the directions.

“It says you have to pee on the stick. So here, go pee on it.” I smiled as I handed it to her.

I was calmer than she was. The idea of having a kid didn’t freak me out. I wanted nothing more than to have a baby with her and start our own family, but in a couple of years. She set the stick on the counter and walked out of the bathroom.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m not going to sit there and watch it. Let’s make out for the next two minutes.”

I walked over to her and placed my hands firmly on her hips.

“What if Woo is right and you are pregnant? How would you feel?”

“I don’t know. We never talked about having kids yet. It’s been about our careers and being newlyweds.”

“I know. But if you are, it wouldn’t be so bad.” I smiled.

“No. I guess not. I mean, we were going to have kids eventually, right?”

“Of course we were.” I kissed her lips and then looked at my watch. “It’s been two minutes, babe. Shall we look together?”

I gulped. “Sure. We can do that.”

Walking into the bathroom, we both looked down, and there it was, the big blue plus sign staring us right in the face.

“Woo was right,” I spoke as I stared at the positive test telling me that I was going to be a father.

“Yep. He sure was,” Brooke responded.

I wrapped my arms around her and held her tight.

“We’re having a baby, Mrs. Jackson.”

“Are you happy?” she asked.

“I’m very happy. You?”

“Yeah. I am.” She smiled.