My sister, grinning broadly,looking him up and down like a wolf assessing prey. I was surprised she didn’t lick her lips.
She was allowed to think hewas hot, I supposed.Ithought he was hot, though I wasn't allowed tothink that anymore.
Wish me luck?
Gabe: good luck. I’m only ten hoursaway if you need someone to help you hide a body.
You’re a truefriend, Gabe
Taking a deep breath, Iunclipped my seatbelt and climbed out of the SUV, sneakered feet landing softon the muddy ground.
Grandma got to me first. I pulledher into a grateful hug, still holding back tears, my stomach knotted up sotight it felt like it was squeezing my heart, too.
She smelled the same asever, lavender and mint and the faintest hint of sugar cookies.
“You get caught in thestorm, sweetheart?”
“Yeah,” I said, tugging onthe sleeves of my hoodie.
It had been Logan’s hoodie—a bigblack one with wings on the back andGuardian Angels Securitywritten on thefront—but it was mine now.
I’d told Logan as much whenwe climbed back into the car cold and wet and he’d passed it to me, taking theone I’d been wearing away and adding it to my laundry bag.
“First on the way here, andthen it caught up to us again,” I said. “I think we’re okay, though.”
Over Grandma’s shoulder, Icaught sight of Logan talking to my dad, his face neutral. Professional.
Not the warm smile heoffered me whenever our eyes met.
“He’s handsome,” Grandmawhispered, beaming at me when she pulled back and took both of my cold hands inher warm ones. “Should we invite him in?”
“I think it’s the least wecan do,” I said. “He’s been putting up with me.”
“You’re an angel,” Grandmasaid. “He’s lucky to meet a fine young man like you.”
I snorted. If anyone waslucky, it was me. Logan had been…
Logan had been the best manI’dever met.
“I was lucky to have him.” Iglanced over again. Logan had graduated to folding his arms across his chestand standing with his feet shoulder-width apart, defensive.
He caught me, the corner ofhis lip twitching up for a half-second before he turned his attention back tomy dad.
“Uh oh,” Grandma said.
She must have seen the lookon my face. And the look on my face must have been a whole lot more smittenthan I thought.
“Please don’t say anything,”I begged, despite knowing that Grandma had kept all my secrets for me foryears.
“I won’t.” She squeezed my hands.“Does he know?”
A silent nod was all I couldrisk without bursting into tears. Logan might not have known the whole story,but he knew I liked him.
Telling him any more wouldonly have hurt us both. What was he gonna do, whisk me away to Sacramento aweek after we’dmet?
He could do so much betterthan a sad drag queen who’d latched onto him because he was the first man whohadn’t treated me like something he’d stepped in.
“There’s a fresh tea cake onmy kitchen counter with your name on it,” Grandma said. “His, too. We canhandle unloading the car later.”
