North Country(111)

Logan’s eyebrows arch. “You want me to sit in the back seat?”

Of all the silly things he’s had to endure since getting released, redoing the graduated licensing program might top the list. I have to ride shotgun for either of them to be allowed to drive.

“Come on.” She throws back her head with a groan. “How am I ever going to pass my test if I can’t practice?”

He laughs. “Okay, kid. If your mom’s cool with it.”

“Yes!” Isla throws her arms in the air and the next thing I know, she’s climbing into the driver’s seat.

“You sure about this?” We round the truck together. It’s technically not even his truck.

“Let her drive. She’ll be doing her road test before I can, anyway.”

“Thank you.”

He steps in close, until his chest is touching mine, his hand grazing my fingertips. “You can thank me when we get home.”

“I plan on it.” I stretch onto my tiptoes to inhale the scent of him and whisper in his ear. “Believe me, I’ve been waiting to all day long.”

From the corner of my eye, the cherry-red tow truck catches my attention, squashing the moment. I frown. “Is that Axel Murphy’s?”

Logan follows my gaze. “That’s definitely his truck.” He adds a beat later, “And there he is.”

Axel strolls out of the rink with Mandy Crombie by his side, another of Isla’s old teammates. I know every single one of those girls and their parents, and I know for a fact Alison and Mark would not approve of their seventeen-year-old hanging out with this guy.

They’re heading for his tow truck.

“Stay here,” I order Logan and then march over. “Hey, Axel. Mandy.”

“Ugh. Fuck,” Axel curses. “Here we go.”

Meanwhile, Mandy’s smile is nervous. “Uh … Hi.” I’m sure there’s be en plenty of talk about me after I questioned Erin at the tournament last November.

“Where are you two off to tonight?”

“She played a game and I’m giving her a ride home. Is that a crime?”

Others are filtering out of the arena, noting the exchange and slowing down to spectate.

“It’s a question. How do you two know each other?” I direct that at Mandy.

“We just do. That’s how,” Axel answers for her.

“Like you knew Holly Monroe?” I keep my tone even and friendly, but any mention of Holly leaves people on edge these days.

“What?” Mandy’s eyes widen as she looks to Axel. “You knew her?”

A dark cloud passes over Axel’s expression as he glares at me. “I know what you’re doing.”

“What am I doing?” Besides testing him.

“This is why you’ve been harassing me and my uncle for weeks, isn’t it? Following me around, driving by my house. You’re trying to pin what happened to Holly on me?” He stares at me with incredulity. “Really? ’Cause I know what I saw that night, between Holly and your boyfriend over there.” He gestures behind me, and I can only assume it’s at Logan.

It takes everything in me to not correct him, to sell the lie that Logan and I are just friends. “Did what you think you saw make you angry with Holly, Axel?”

He falters. “Stop doing that.”

“Doing what? What am I doing?” I’m aggravating him, which probably isn’t smart but I don’t want him anywhere near these girls.

His nostrils flare. He’s aggravated. Good. “You’re trying to make me look guilty when Landry’s the one you should be looking at!”

“I’m just asking questions—”

Axel lunges at me. I wasn’t expecting it—I should have—and he shoves me hard, sending me stumbling back to sprawl across the snow-covered pavement. Pain explodes in my hip.

Instinct alone has me scrambling back to my feet, but it’s not Axel I’m focused on, as Logan charges in.

“No!” I hold out my arms as I jump in the path between him and Axel, trying to create distance.

“You wanna push someone around? Come try that with me!” Logan roars, and the cold fury in his face makes my stomach drop.

“Yeah … Show everyone who you are!” Axel eggs Logan on, his hands out at his sides. “Is that what happened with Holly? Did you get mad at her after she turned you down?”

“No, Logan. Logan! Don’t!” My palms are on his shoulders, my body flush against his as I struggle to hold him back.

Blue and red police lights ignite in the parking lot then, revealing an unmarked OPP vehicle tucked two rows back.

“Please,” I urge in a whisper, only for him, “I can’t lose you again.”

My words—or maybe the anguish in my voice—seem to get through to him. His chest rises with a deep breath. “I’m not going anywhere.” But his focus is still on Axel, who has backed up against his truck door, looking ready to bolt into it if needed.

Mike marches in, his hand within reach of his gun belt, his assessing gaze gliding over Logan to measure the added risk there. “Axel Murphy! You know who you just hit, don’t you?”

“Come on, I barely touched her,” Axel mutters, grasping his dire situation. “And she’s not on duty.”