“So where are you off to?” I ask him as I quickly gather up my purse and the painting.
“Brunch with Gigi’s family. The engagement party’s today, you know.”
“I know.” I can’t think of anything I’m dreading more. “Don’t worry. I’ll be there.”
Logan walks me over to the door. “And just so there’s no mistake, my dream wasn’t about Gigi.”
“Oh.” I step backward out of his doorway. “Okay, well…”
He nods at me. “See you later.”
63
See you later? What the fuck does see you later mean after that confession?
I storm across Wild Ranch and over to The Cowherd.
When I walk inside, Ben’s already seated at the front booth, the one we always use to pay the bills. He’s wearing a backward baseball cap and his blue eyes flash with amusement as he looks up at me.
“You look like hell,” he says as I sit across from him.
I prop the painting next to me and toss my purse on the table just as Mr. Bingley hops up onto the seat and snuggles against me.
“Did you feed him?” I ask Ben.
“Of course. He’s just looking for more.” He glances at the painting. “What’s that?”
“Early birthday present.”
“That’s really cool,” he says as he looks more closely.
My senses are so heightened I can barely sit still. I exhale loudly and then look at my brother.
“Ben, you’re a man,” I say.
“Thanks for noticing. Yeah, I’ve been feeling very manly lately.”
His sarcasm barely registers. “So as a man, do you like—say things out loud and not think twice about it? I mean, really—is that just what guys do?”
“Something happen with Logan?” Ben says. “Just a wild guess.”
I sigh. “I slept with him.”
Now his mouth drops open. “What?”
I raise my hand. “Not literally. Well, okay, literally. I literally fell asleep with him. Nothing else happened. Except in the morning, I was on top of him. Like totally on top of him. And he was?—”
I trail off, but Ben grins. “He was at full mast?”
“Right. And I tried to brush it off by saying it was because of Gigi, but he made it abundantly clear that his soldier was super happy because of a dream he had about me.”
Ben tries to stop smiling. “I told Riley weeks ago they’re not gonna last.”
“Why wouldn’t they last? They’ve lasted this long, haven’t they?”
“What, a few weeks of infatuation? That’s nothing. Oh, Alexis and I broke up, by the way. Just thought you should know.”
I bring my hand to my mouth. “I’m so sorry. What happened?”
