“You really are stupid, aren’t you?”
Logan sat only a few feet away. Close enough to notice. Close enough that if he saw this, it wouldn’t end quietly. His fuse wasn’t long where Miles was concerned.
I glanced over Miles’s shoulder, heart pounding, grateful Logan hadn’t caught sight of us yet.
“You need to leave,” I said, low and sharp.
“I’m not scared of them,” Miles replied, crossing his arms over his chest like this was some kind of power play.
I couldn’t help the laugh that broke out, dark and cold.
“Well, you should be.”
43
LOGAN
“No shit,” Boone said, throwing his head back in laughter.
“Yup,” Mac replied, a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. “Lizzie’s moving here permanently. She’s back in the city now to tie up a few loose ends, but once that’s done, she’s here for good.”
“What made her decide that?” Rhodes asked, lifting his beer to his lips.
Mac shrugged and flicked ash into the tray beside him. “Beats me. I don’t ask questions I don’t want complicated answers to.”
“It’s a good thing she’s moving back, right?” I asked.
“We’ve been doing okay,” Mac said. “Typical brother-sister stuff, arguing over dumb shit, but not like it used to be. She’s trying to get me to meet up with our mom, though.”
Boone winced. “Oof. What do you think?”
“I can imagine you’ve got some things to say to her,” Rhodes added.
Mac gave a dry laugh. “Considering I haven’t seen her since I was, what, eight? I don’t really have much to say.”
We all chuckled at that. Mac was usually unfazed by most things, except when it came to Penny or anyone he loved. He was the kind of guy you wanted in your corner, steady and quiet until he needed to roar. Honestly, all my friends were.
“Speaking of parents,” Boone said, “how are yours?”
“They’re good. Nothing new, really.” I took a sip of my drink. “Mom did pretty well at the competition, qualified for the finals, which was what she wanted.”
“What made you go all the way out there in the first place?” Rhodes asked.
I swallowed, letting the question sit for a second before answering. “It’d been a while. I was on the phone with my mom, and she just… she sounded like she wanted me there.”
Boone and Rhodes nodded in quiet understanding.
None of them knew what really happened. Ellie hadn’t told anyone yet, and it wasn’t my place to speak on it. That story belonged to her. Until she felt ready to share, I’d keep it simple. I didn’t like lying, not to my friends, but for Ellie, I’d do just about anything.
“I think going with you helped her,” Boone said.
That caught me off guard. I leaned forward, elbows on the counter, giving him my full attention. “What do you mean?”
Boone exhaled, removed his cowboy hat, ran a hand through his hair, and then slid the hat back on.
“Coming back here didn’t seem easy for her. She puts on a good front, sure, but I know her. She’s my little sister. And whether she realizes it or not, she’s got a tell.”
I let out a low laugh and shook my head.
