“Why would you tell me your name is LJ?”
“My old boss called me LJ when I first started working and it stuck. My friends still call me Logan, though. I wasn’t trying to be deceitful,” I try to explain, spinning the bracelet on my wrist.
“I’m not your friend,” Hannah huffs, putting her hands on her hips.
“I was once your best friend,” I remind her.
She scoffs. Right, she’s pissed.
Beck is still pivoting her head back and forth like a cartoon character. When she registers what is going on, her eyes fix on Hannah.
“Logan, as inyourLogan?” she asks in disbelief, setting her cruller down on the desk.
“He’s notmyLogan. Not anymore. Not for a long time. Maybe ever.” She shakes her head adamantly.
“This doesn’t make any sense. Wasn’t Logan going to school for math or something?” She looks at Hannah with confusion written all over her face.
Hello, I’m right here and I can probably answer all their questions if they just ask me. None of this is going as I planned. Admittedly it wasn’t a great plan, but still.
“Yes, he was. But what do I know? I have no idea about anything anymore,” Hannah replies while continuing to hold my gaze.
Suddenly, without another word, she turns and walks out the door. That went well. I want to follow her, but I know she needs space to process this. Instead, I go to the window and watch her climb into her jeep. Once she’s in her seat, I see her rest her head on the steering wheel for a moment before she starts the car and drives away.
“Not cool,Logan,” Beck calls back over her shoulder, with emphasis on my name, as she leaves the room with her takeout order.
Fuck my life.
Chapter Sixteen
When I arrive home, my heart is just starting to slow as I walk through my front door. It has been practically beating out of my chest the entire drive back to the cabin.
“What. The. Actual. Fuck?!” I yell into the empty room. My cat Penelope pops her head up and stares at me from a perch on her cat tree. She spins twice and then settles back in.
“Sorry, Pen,” I say as I stroke her furry head. “Your mama is losing her mind right now. I just saw Logan. I just talked to Logan. Yes, that Logan! Oh my god, this can’t be happening.” Penny tilts her head and listens to me unload the events of the past hour.
“What am I going to do, Pen?” I ask as I continued to pet her. “Logan, can’t be here.”
I wait for my grumpy cat to reply, but of course she doesn’t have any answers. Great listener but not so great with solutions.
My real estate stalking skills are useless. I always knew that there was a possibility Logan would return to Emerley. As time passed, the chance seemed to lessen. What I was not prepared for was the visceral reaction I had to seeing him again.
My entire body hums with acknowledgement. That traitorous bitch. While my brain was raging, my heart and otherunmentionable parts were practically singing. I'll chalk that up to muscle memory or some shit.
Logan was a cute boy but hadn’t quite grown into his body if that makes any sense. He was tall and thin the last time I saw him. I see no sign of that now in our brief exchange.
What I saw was all man. Tall and so very handsome. His lanky limbs filled out perfectly. Not bulky, just perfect. His light brown hair short on the sides and longer on the top. He has facial hair for fuck’s sake. He barely had to shave when we dated. And the tattoos. Oh, the tattoos. They are very unexpected. Not at all what I would associate with my ex-boyfriend. Black ink peaked through both the cuffs and neck of his red henley.
I do enjoy a man with tattoos.
No, no, no. I’m spiraling and desperately need reinforcements.
I search through my bag looking for my phone. Once again, I remind myself to clean it out. When I find it, I opened it to our book club group chat.
911!!! Emergency book club meeting.
Bring wine!
Responses come in at once. At least they all can find their phones today.
