“I’m not judging you, Declan. I don’t know what that’s like because my mother was always there to guide Ryse and me. I imagine your situation was very hard and I’m sure Logan knows you want the best for him. I also know it’s hard to accept help from friends and open up. You grew up not having people you could trust, and I understand that doesn’t come easy for you.”
His thumb rubs back and forth along my cheek and my nerves ease. “No, it doesn’t but it seems like fate was on my side the night we met. I don’t know how I will ever thank you.”
“I don’t need thanks. I just want to help Logan,” I say.
“That means a lot,” Declan says and pulls me up and guides me to sit on his lap. I wrap my arms around his neck and he presses his lips to mine and inhales. That one small gesture means so much.
“You’ve turned my world upside down in the best way possible,” he whispers and then he continues to hold his lips to mine. We breathe each other in and it’s so intimate and so filled with emotion that my breath is sucked away.
“We need to get Logan out here. It will have to be a weekday since that’s when Veronica or Dr. Steele can see him,” I explain.
“I’ll send him a bus ticket,” Declan says.
“Your mom will need to come too since he’s a minor, she may need to sign paperwork for the tests,” I explain.
Declan winces. “My mom in Westfall? That’s an awful idea, Poppy. My mom she’s. . .”
“Whatever she is we need her here to get Logan treatment. They just need to stay here for a night. They can stay out in the motel on the edge of town,” I suggest.
“Yeah, okay. I hope I can convince my mom to come,” he says.
Would she really not show up to help her son? From what Declan has said about her, she doesn’t sound very reliable.
“Okay. I better get to the paper. I also don’t want to risk Bonnie accidentally walking in here.”
“I should probably give Cole a call and tell him what’s going on,” Declan says.
I get off his lap and he stands.
“You don’t have too. Holland isn’t going to say anything. She said it’s kind of like when she has patients one day. She won’t be discussing them with Cole.”
“Okay.” He nods. “Maybe I’ll put it off.”
I see his shame and it hurts to see. I hope it will change with time.
“I better get over to the paper. I haven’t checked in yet today. Let me know when it will work with Logan and I’ll get in touch with Holland.” I smile.
“Thanks for doing this,” he says, and he still looks pale and his eyes are rimmed red. It’s heartbreaking. At least he didn’t lose it on me, which is something I feared. I thought he might not see the bigger picture and blame me for revealing his secret, but thankfully that didn’t happen and it’s such a relief.
“Of course.” I reach up to peck his cheek.
He pulls his hood back over his head and leaves my room like he’s incognito. It makes me laugh inside, but this school is seriously insane about the hockey players here.
I walk into the room used for the school paper.
“Hi,” I say to Elijah and I look around. There’s some of the sophomores and juniors working at their stations.
“You got any updates for the Spotlight on McAvoy?” he asks.
“Yeah, definitely,” I say maybe too enthusiastically.
“Good,” he grins. “I had lunch with your roommate Bonnie today,” he says almost out of nowhere.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you were friends,” I reply coolly.
“She’s a feisty one, that one,” he says and his cheeks turn a healthy pink.
“Gotta love Bonnie,” I retort a little too cheery because I don’t have something better.
“I may need you to do a small piece for me on the chess tournament coming up this weekend,” he says.
The fact that he’s giving me more stories is promising. “Sure, I’d love that.”
“Oh. Are you a chess player?” he asks intrigued.
“N-no but I’m always interested in learning new games,” I say cheerfully.
“Good,” Elijah responds.
He bites on his pencil and looks at his computer and I guess the conversation is over so I walk over to my station.
Why was Bonnie here having lunch with Elijah? That sounds kind of suspicious. I know he isn’t her type since she seems to like the jocks on campus. So what’s her angle?
I shoot Holland a text and update her on my talk with Declan. Helping Declan and his brother feels good. I just hope it works out.
Holland texts me back a string of party hats.
Yup, this has to work out. There’s no other choice.
TWENTY-FIVE
Declan
I borrowed Holland’s car, which is really Cole’s fancy SUV that Holland drives since Cole is barely ever in town. I’m waiting at the bus terminal for my mom and brother. It’s a cold fall day and Poppy and I sit in the SUV with the heat blasting.
“You haven’t said much,” Poppy says.
I take her hand in mine and bring the back of her hand to my mouth and place a soft kiss on it. This girl has been my rock but I’m completely freaked out about having my mom and Logan here, more my mom than Logan. Westfall is prestigious. The grounds are manicured and beautiful. There isn’t the constant threat of gun violence and dirty streets we have back home. And I happen to be driving a fancy-ass car. I know my mom and she’ll have a lot to say.
“I’m just nervous,” I confess.
“Everything will work out. I can feel it,” she says and her blue-green eyes are filled with warmth.
“I need some of your optimism. It feels like things are about to turn into a shitshow with my mom here,” I admit.
A bus pulls into the terminal. I take a deep breath.
“Here we go,” I say, looking at Poppy. “We need to keep my mother away from the hockey house, even though knowing her she’ll want to see where I’ve been living.”
“I’m sure the guys would be fine with it, and I’m sure Logan would love to see the arena here and meet the coaches,” she says.
“Uh. . .Logan and I don’t use the same last name. I use our father’s he uses our mother’s. I just figured it would be better for him if everyone didn’t connect us, in case I screwed up or something,” I mumble.
“Oh, Declan.” She frowns. “You put a lot of pressure on yourself.”
“You aren’t wrong but it’s what I’m used to doing. Logan and I have a lot riding on the line. I didn’t want to do something to screw him over,” I explain.
“You’ve been a great player and you’re headed for an even greater career,” she assures. I want to believe that but I can’t ignore my heavy drinking last year and my fuckups this year on the ice.
“Don’t do that,” she says, watching me intently.
“What?” I ask because I have no clue what she is talking about.
“Don’t go inside your head. I know you put a lot of pressure on yourself to succeed. I get it’s how you guys are built. My brother is no different. But you can only do the best you can. How do the coaches feel about your prospects?” she asks me and I know what she’s doing.