Page 91 of Falling For My Ex's Older Brother

"What's happening with you?"

He looks up. His expression is composed.

"Nothing is happening."

"That's not true." I hold his gaze.

"You've been somewhere else for two weeks."

"I've been busy," he says.

"The Vertex integration is in its final phase. The board review is next week."

"I know your schedule," I say.

"That's not what I'm asking about."

He looks at me for a moment. Then he looks back at his screen.

"I'm fine, Sutton."

The dismissal is so practiced it takes my breath away. Not because it's cruel. Because I recognize it. This is the Logan Drake I met over nine months ago. The one who communicated in corrections and managed everything from behind glass. I thought I'd watched that man dissolve. Apparently he was just…waiting.

"Okay," I say quietly.

I pick up my book, but I don't read it.

***

The following Saturday I bring it fully into the open. We're at his place again — late morning, coffee, the kind of weekend hour that used to feel easy between us. He's standing at the kitchen counter going through his phone. I'm at the island. The distance between us is six feet and it feels like considerably more.

"I need to talk to you," I say.

He sets the phone down. He turns to face me.

"All right."

"Something happened at the investor reception," I say.

"Harmon introduced me as “your girl”. In front of half the room."

I watch his face.

"And since then you've been different."

He's quiet.

"I need you to tell me what that means," I say.

"Because I've spent two weeks watching you put distance between us and I deserve to understand why."

"You're reading into things," he says.

"I'm not." My voice stays level.

"Logan. I know the difference between you being busy and you being gone. You're gone."

He moves away from the counter. He walks toward the window — putting space between us, which is itself an answer. He stands with his back to me for a moment.