Holiday Hockey Tale: Breaking The Ice

Ch 8

Logan walked into the library just before 3 PM, holding two coffee cups in a drink carrier. He scanned the tables near the entrance until his eyes landed on Grace, who was flipping through a notebook, her hair tied up in a loose bun. She looked up just as he approached, and her face lit up with a smile.

"Hey," she said, closing her notebook. "You're right on time."

"Of course," Logan said with a grin, setting the coffee down in front of her. "I'm not about to stand you up. Got your usual—a caramel latte, right?"

Grace raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "You remembered?"

"Of course," he said smoothly. "I'm observant."

She laughed softly, taking the cup and sipping it. "Well, thank you. This is perfect."

"No problem," Logan said, setting his own coffee down. "I reserved one of those study rooms in the back. Figured it'd be quieter than out here."

Grace nodded, gathering her things. "Lead the way."

As they walked toward the study room, Logan couldn't help but notice how relaxed she seemed. The past few weeks of texting had built a natural rhythm between them, but this was the first time they were alone in a quieter, more focused setting.

They entered the small study room, which had just enough space for a table, two chairs, and a whiteboard on the wall. Logan set his bag down and pulled out a notebook while Grace unpacked her laptop and a stack of books.

"So," Logan said, leaning back in his chair. "What's the plan? Are we tackling your workload first, or should I try to impress you with my stats homework?"

Grace smirked, opening her laptop. "Let's start with mine. I have a quiz next week for Econ, and I'm drowning in graphs and equations."

"Econ, huh?" Logan leaned forward, cracking his knuckles dramatically. "Alright, show me what you've got. I'm no expert, but I'm pretty good with numbers. Comes with the hockey stats territory."

Grace laughed, sliding her notebook across the table. "Alright, Mr. Hockey Star. Let's see if you're as good as you claim."

They spent the next hour working through her notes, Logan occasionally cracking jokes to keep the mood light. To his surprise, he found himself genuinely enjoying the process. Grace was sharp and quick to catch on, but she didn't hesitate to ask questions when she needed clarification.

At one point, Logan leaned back in his chair and grinned. "I think you've got this down better than you think."

Grace shook her head, smiling. "That's because you make it sound so simple. I've been staring at these notes for days, and it still feels like a foreign language."

"Well, you're lucky you have me," Logan said, tapping his pen against the table. "Now it's your turn to save me when I'm drowning in something."

Grace tilted her head, amused. "Oh yeah? And what exactly would you need my help with?"

"Anything involving essays or readings," Logan admitted. "I'm good with numbers and strategy, but ask me to write five pages on symbolism or something, and I'm done for."

Grace laughed. "Alright, deal. You help me with Econ, and I'll help you survive English Lit."

"Perfect," Logan said, flashing her a grin.

As the session continued, the conversation flowed easily between studying and casual chatter. Logan found himself sneaking glances at Grace whenever she was focused on her laptop or scribbling in her notebook. There was something about the way she carried herself—confident but unassuming—that made it impossible to look away.

After finishing another problem, Grace leaned back and stretched. "Okay, I think I've had enough Econ for one day."

"Same," Logan said, closing her notebook. "We crushed it, though. You're going to ace that quiz."

"Thanks to you," Grace said, giving him a small smile. "I owe you one."

Logan waved her off. "Nah, you don't owe me anything. This was fun. Besides, now I have an excuse to call you when I need help with my next paper."

Grace laughed. "Deal. I'll be ready."

As they packed up their things, Logan couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. He'd taken the chance to meet up with Grace, and it had been better than he'd hoped. Now, he just had to figure out how to spend more time with her without overthinking it.

"So," Logan said as they walked out of the library together. "Same time next week?"

Grace glanced at him, her eyes sparkling. "We'll see. If you're lucky."

Logan grinned, watching her walk off toward her dorm. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this excited about getting to know someone, and he couldn't wait to see where this would go.

Two weeks into their routine of study sessions, Logan and Grace had fallen into an easy rhythm. Grace was a lifesaver when it came to Logan's essays, helping him structure his arguments and refine his writing. In return, Logan made Econ problems almost enjoyable, using analogies that somehow always related back to hockey plays or pranks his teammates pulled.

One Thursday night, they were sitting in their usual study room. Grace was hunched over Logan's laptop, scrolling through his essay draft, while Logan doodled a diagram of supply and demand curves in her notebook.

"Okay," Grace said, looking up. "This is actually really good. You just need to add more detail to this paragraph, and you'll be golden."

Logan leaned over to look at the screen. "You're a miracle worker, Grace. Seriously. This was a disaster before you got to it."

She smiled, leaning back in her chair. "I wouldn't say disaster, but it needed some TLC."

Logan glanced at his phone and frowned. "Whoa, it's almost 9:30. When did that happen?"

Grace blinked, checking the time on her laptop. "Wow. We really lost track of time."

"You hungry?" Logan asked, closing her notebook.

"Starving," Grace admitted. "But the dining hall is probably already closed, and I don't have much in my dorm except granola bars and apples."

Logan stood, grabbing his jacket. "Then let's fix that. There's a diner not far from here that's open late. Best burgers you'll ever have."

Grace hesitated, her eyebrows raising slightly. "Are you sure? I mean, it's late."

Logan smirked. "Grace, you've spent hours making me sound smarter in this essay. The least I can do is buy you dinner."

She laughed, closing her laptop. "Alright, deal. But if the burgers aren't as good as you say, I'm holding you accountable."

Logan grabbed her bag and slung it over his shoulder along with his own. "Fair enough. Let's go."

The diner was cozy and old-fashioned, with red vinyl booths and a jukebox in the corner playing soft rock classics. Grace slid into one of the booths, looking around with a small smile.

"This place is cute," she said.

Logan grinned, handing her a menu. "Told you. Wait till you try the food."

They ordered quickly—Grace opting for a hamburger and fries, Logan going for his usual double burger with onion rings. As they waited, they talked about everything but school—movies they loved, embarrassing childhood stories, and the most ridiculous pranks Logan and his teammates had pulled.

"So let me get this straight," Grace said, laughing. "You convinced Tucker to eat a whole raw onion because you told him it would make him skate faster?"

Logan nodded, trying to hold back his own laughter. "Yep. He made it halfway through before he almost threw up. I've got it on video if you want to see."

Grace shook her head, still laughing. "I don't know whether to be impressed or horrified."

"Both," Logan said with a grin.

When their food arrived, Grace took one bite of her burger and froze.

"Oh my god," she said, her eyes wide. "This is amazing."

Logan leaned back, smug. "Told you."

As they ate, the conversation flowed effortlessly. Logan found himself completely at ease around Grace, something that didn't happen often. She was smart, funny, and had a way of keeping him on his toes.

By the time they left the diner, it was nearly midnight. Logan walked Grace back to her dorm, the cool night air making her pull her jacket tighter around her.

"Thanks for tonight," Grace said when they reached her building. "I didn't realize how much I needed a break until we went."

"Anytime," Logan said, his hands in his pockets. "Seriously. This was way better than staring at Econ problems or my essay for another hour."

She smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, goodnight, Logan."

"Goodnight, Grace," he said, watching as she disappeared into the building.

As he walked back to his car, Logan couldn't stop smiling. Tonight had felt different—like they'd crossed some unspoken line between casual study partners into something... more. And for the first time in a long time, Logan didn't overthink it.

He just knew he wanted to spend more nights like this with Grace.

Grace stepped into her dorm room, the warm glow of her desk lamp casting a soft light over the small space. Daisy was sprawled on her bed, scrolling on her phone, but looked up immediately when Grace walked in.

"Finally! Where have you been?" Daisy asked, sitting up and tossing her phone aside. "I texted you, like, five times. I thought you were still at the library."

Grace set her bag down by her desk, brushing a hand through her hair. "I was... until Logan and I went to grab food. We lost track of time, and the dinning hall was closed, so we hit this diner instead."

Daisy's eyebrows shot up, and a sly grin spread across her face. "You went out to eat with Logan? Like, alone?"

Grace flushed, turning to her closet to avoid Daisy's piercing gaze. "Yeah, but it wasn't a big deal. We just grabbed burgers. I helped him with his essay, and he's been helping me with Econ. That's all."

Daisy wasn't buying it. She hopped off her bed and leaned against Grace's desk, crossing her arms. "Uh-huh. Just casual, late-night burgers with the most popular guy on the hockey team? Grace, come on."

Grace sighed, leaning against the closet door. "Daisy, stop. He's just being nice. It's not like he's interested in me or anything."

Daisy narrowed her eyes. "Are you interested in him?"

"What? No!" Grace said quickly, but the heat in her cheeks betrayed her.

Daisy smirked. "Liar. I've seen the way you look at your phone whenever he texts you, and how you actually make an effort to look cute when you know you're meeting up to study."

Grace groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Okay, fine! Maybe I like him. A little."

Daisy gasped dramatically. "I knew it! This is so exciting!"

Grace peeked at her through her fingers. "It's not exciting. It's pointless. Logan is Logan—he's confident, charming, and basically the star of the hockey team. He could have anyone he wants. And I'm... just me. A nobody."

Daisy's smile disappeared, and she frowned, stepping closer. "Don't say that, Grace. You're not a nobody."

"But compared to him, I am," Grace said quietly. "He's so popular, and I'm just some freshman who's still trying to figure out where I belong here. Why would he ever see me as anything more than a study buddy?"

Daisy put her hands on Grace's shoulders, forcing her to meet her gaze. "First of all, you're smart, kind, and way cooler than you give yourself credit for. Second, Logan's not spending all this time with you because he has to. He clearly wants to. Guys like him don't waste their time on people they don't like, Grace. Trust me."

Grace looked away, her brow furrowing. "I don't know, Daisy. Even if he does like me, what happens when he realizes I'm not as interesting as everyone else he hangs out with?"

"Grace," Daisy said firmly, "you're overthinking this. Just take it one step at a time. If he asks to hang out again, say yes. If he flirts, flirt back. You don't have to figure it all out right now."

Grace sighed, sitting down on her bed. "I wish I could be as confident as you."

Daisy sat beside her, bumping her shoulder. "You don't have to be me. Just be you. That's obviously working so far, or Logan wouldn't keep coming back."

Grace smiled faintly, leaning her head on Daisy's shoulder. "Thanks, Daisy."

"Anytime," Daisy said. Then she nudged her playfully. "But if you end up dating him, you owe me so many details."

Grace laughed, shaking her head. "We're not even close to that. But I'll keep you posted."

As they settled in for the night, Grace couldn't help but replay the evening in her mind. Maybe Daisy was right. Maybe there was more to Logan's attention than just casual friendship. And maybe, just maybe, she'd be brave enough to find out.