I breathe in hard and start to tell her.
We talk for a good while. She thanks God that Maddie and I weren't in the room at the time, and also that we managed to find temporary places to stay. Then we move on to lighter subjects and I take the chance to eat my apple while she sharesher updates. We also gossip about me thinking my cousin feels a lot more for Zac than she lets herself believe, and we bet that Maddie won't want to come here.
"I give it a month before they're officially dating," I guess, and my mom laughs lightly.
"I give it three weeks," she bets, and I smile too. "Sweetie, I have to go into my pilates class. Call me later, okay? After you find out the state of your things, so we can think about what we'll have to replace."
"Okay, I'll call. I promise."
"I love you. Stay safe," she says goodbye, and I let a single tear slip out. I missed her so much and I'd give anything for a hug right now.
"Love you too, Mom. Take care."
After hanging up, I still stay there a few more minutes looking at the view. Frosthaven didn't have any really tall buildings, so the fifth floor where the guys' apartment was already produced a good view of the town. Lots of houses with black roofs and various colors, asphalt in every direction, and there on the horizon you could see part of the mountain range surrounding the little town. The mountains were actually giving the first signs that the weather would soon get much colder: the dark brown tone indicated the trees were already almost bare, and the peak already had a good dose of snow. In a few days that snow would reach here and we'd have to take the heavy coats out of the closet.
"Well... if I even still have a closet," I whisper to myself when it hits me, and I let myself laugh a little at my own misfortune.
"Should I be worried about your mental health? Talking and laughing to yourself out here?" The deep voice appears behind me and I whirl around, coming face to face with a T-shirt and sweatpants in different shades of gray. The messy hair and the pillow mark on his cheek give away that he'd just woken up. "Inhale too much smoke?"
I feel my face heat up and run a hand through my hair before answering.
"Maybe, but for now I'm at my expected level of crazy. I was just thinking out loud," I explain, and he cracks a sideways smile.
"Good. Did you manage to sleep?" he asks as he crosses his arms and leans against the balcony doorframe. I pretend not to notice how thick his biceps get when he flexes them like that.
"Yes. Thank God. I woke up a little while ago and went straight to call my mom," I say, and he nods.
"Have you had breakfast?"
"No, I just stole an apple," I confess, showing the fruit's core still in my hand.
"I only know how to make pancakes, that work?"
"Definitely."
"Then come, Pinkie, I'll show you my culinary talents," he announces, already turning his body and heading to the kitchen. I press my lips together to keep from laughing and follow him.
Several minutes later, I'm sitting at the island eating warm pancakes topped with caramel and sliced-up bananas. I can't hold back the moan of delight the moment I taste the food.
"This is delicious," I compliment, and Logan just shoots me a wink before leaning over his own plate.
We stay like that for a few minutes, in a slightly uncomfortable silence, which I decide to end.
"Thank you," I start, and the blond lifts his eyes to me. "For breakfast, of course, but mostly for comforting me and letting me stay here."
Logan shrugs.
"It was nothing major, Charlie." That's his calm answer, going back to eating. Not feeling satisfied, I get down off the stool and walk the few steps to stand in front of him and hold him by the arm.
"No, really. Thank you. I... was a mess and you and Ethan helped me a lot," I reinforce, looking into his eyes. Logan blinks repeatedly and for a second he even seems a little shy. "Especially you, who had no obligation to me and... I mean, Ethan didn't either, we're just hooking up, but..." I try to explain, but I end up tripping all over myself. What the hell was I supposed to say? "I was just a hookup over a year ago and I didn't even know you remembered my face, let alone that you'dlet me stay at your place"? Fuck. What a disaster. "You... y-you know? You didn't have to do... that."
I feel my whole face heat up now and I feel really stupid, but Logan suddenly seems extremely entertained. He breaks into a sideways smile that even lets a dimple show and brings his face a little closer to mine.
"Did you think I was just a pretty face you hooked up with in the past and had no sensitivity at all, Charlotte?" he asks in a low voice, and I swallow hard.
"N-no. I mean..." I start trying to explain myself, but the player starts laughing and pulls back.
"I'm just messing with you, Pinkie, relax. And it was nothing major, I swear. You can stay here as long as you need."
