And if I have to keep telling myself that fact every day for the rest of my life until my heart accepts the truth, I will.
Logan’s eyes fix on mine like lasers as he completes the last few steps toward us. The emotion swimming in his gaze—I keep feeling like he wants to tell me something, but I don’t know what he could possibly say now. He’s already engaged, for goodness sakes. Our ship has sailed. Right?
As soon as he reaches our group, he smiles at Mrs. Rattles and says hello. She huffs and puffs her way through a response, barely looking at him before she excuses herself.
“Glad you could make it, Mace. You look really nice.” Logan steps closer and surprises me by giving me a hug.
I put my arms around him and let him hug me tighter for the briefest of seconds, but it’s long enough for me to smell the familiar scent of cologne on his neck. Which reminds me of waking up on top of him this morning.
I pull away with a forced smile and sit down again with Ben. But instead of leaving, Logan squats in front of us.
“When do you open the gifts?” Ben asks him with a grin.
“Are there gifts?” Logan says slowly.
“Oh, come on, we all know there are gifts,” I say.
Before he can respond, Gigi runs over to us, jumps on Logan’s back, and throws her arms around his neck.
Her pink top is sheer and sexier than anything I’ve ever seen in this town. She manages to look hot without a hint of trash, and her long black skirt clings to her curves flawlessly.
“Give me a ride over to my parents,” Gigi begs Logan. “Daddy just flew in, and he’s desperate to talk to you. And you know how my mom loves a cowboy. She’s had a crush since she first laid eyes on you.”
All the flashbulbs in our faces momentarily blind me. I can see the caption now—Darcy’s very own Mr. Darcy gives his bride-to-be a cushy ride.
But Logan doesn’t move. “Give me one minute. I already texted your dad that I’d speak with him today. He said not to rush.”
“Logan,” Gigi says softly. “Daddy leaves for Dallas tonight. You really need to go see him.”
Logan frowns. I glance at Ben, knowing how Logan hates being told what to do.
“You’re in the middle of our engagement party, remember?” Gigi giggles but doesn’t look happy.
The cameras are still flashing, but with that smile still on her face, no one would suspect anything was amiss. I guess a picture really can’t tell a thousand words, at least, not in the tabloids.
Gigi looks over at me like she just realized I was here.
“Macey, hi!” She climbs off Logan’s back and settles next to him. “I need to talk to you about my Darcy wedding. I don’t think Texas wildflowers are going to work in the bouquet. I’m sorry, but my mother really doesn’t want me carrying weeds.”
“Um…Ginny’s florist can probably give you some ideas.”
Gigi pauses to catch her breath. “Okay. I’ll speak with her. The other issue is The Cowherd. I’m worried about getting dirt on the train of my dress.”
I let out a cry of annoyance, but I cover enough so it sounds like I just needed air.
“I just don’t want to stain my gown when I’m up at the altar, especially with all the photographers. And who knows, maybe that silly jail cell door will open, and then I’ll have to run down the hall, and if those floors aren’t clean, well then, that would just be disastrous.”
“Disastrous,” Ben mutters.
Logan gives me a “please, go easy on her” look, so I simply nod.
“And what exactly does the Ms. Bennet bonnet look like?” Gigi says. “Is it stylish?”
I’ve had it with her judgment. “Gigi, it’s a white bonnet sewn in the fashion of Regency England. No, it’s not stylish by our standards. It isn’t that old, though. The original disintegrated, and my grandmother made the current one. She sewed it by hand, and the lettering is quite pretty, actually.”
Gigi just nods at me.
Ben and I stand up and walk away quickly.
