“What if I want to date other girls over the summer? And Tessa other guys?”
Jake paused, looking over us both before he shrugged. “I can’t force you to not date anybody else. But every Saturday night will already be tied up. You can work it out however you want, I guess, with the exception of one date a week of my choosing.”
“So, when summer is over and we’ve followed all your cryptic rules, and we still claim to be only friends, you’ll give us your truck, free and clear? And we either share it or sell it and split the money?” Logan asked.
“Once you win the truck, what you do with it is your business. But it will belong to both of you, fifty-fifty.”
“But if we fall in love, we get nothing?” Logan folded his arms.
Jake rolled his eyes and looked at me. “It might be tough to put up with him all summer, Tessa. I forgot what an idiot he is.”
I nodded. “I agree.”
“What?”
Putting his arm around Logan’s shoulder, he said, “Let me paint you a picture, Bill Shakespeare. You get the thing money can’t buy, which is love. You won’t want the truck once you have that.”
Logan grinned, shrugging him off. “No offense to Tessa here, or to the Hallmark Channel, or any other woman, but I highly doubt that.”
“The more he opens his mouth, the more I’m sure I have nothing to worry about,” I said to Jake.
“It will take a good woman to whip him into shape. You up for it?”
“Nope. But forty thousand bucks sounds pretty nice.”
While Logan walked around the truck, drooling, I looked at Jake. “You need to sleep on this. What you’re offering is certifiably crazy.”
“I have never been more sure of anything. So, you guys up for this? Please say yes. I’ve got my heart in this now.”
Logan’s eyes were already on mine when I looked up at him.
“Give us a minute to talk it over,” he said and motioned me toward the side of the house.
“Take your time,” Jake called after us cheerfully.
Once out of Jake’s earshot, I leaned against the white wood siding. Logan stood facing me, his muscly arms folded directly at eye level.
“What are you thinking, Jailbait?”
“What areyouthinking?” I parroted, hands on my hips.
“Jake needs his head checked.”
“I don’t feel right about doing this, do you?”
“No. But I’d rather win it and sell it than see that thing blown up somewhere.”
I blinked up at him, suddenly blindsided by the thought that I was on the side of my house, having a secret conversation with Logan Marten. Alone. It seemed so intimate, like something from a dream long ago.
“Here’s what I’m thinking. We’re both here this summer. All of our friends are gone. This will at least give us something to do,” he said. “Jake’s obviously bored, and if he wants to play this game with us, fine by me. I could definitely use forty thousand bucks.”
My eyes narrowed, taking in his confident posture, a little affronted I was so easily unlovable to him. “So sure your heart’s safe from me?”
“My heart’s on lockdown, but you’re welcome to any other part of my body.”
I folded my arms. “Stop it.”
He smiled—a little condescending, to be honest. “Tess. This is what I do. I date pretty girls and send them packing. I was born for this.”
