Page 32 of Asystole

“Time in a relationship doesn’t equate to intensity of feelings,” he says like some expert.

“Okay, for the sake of the discussion, let’s say I haven’t been in love before. Describe it to me.”

I’m not sure if he notices, but Logan grips the steering wheel just a little tighter, and the truck accelerates the tiniest bit. There’s also a change in his breathing pattern, but I don’t point it out.

“Stone was the first person I saw every morning. We had a comfortable routine, but nothing about being in his presence was ever mundane. I felt him in the marrow of my bones. I knew when he entered a room because my skin would buzz, and I knew when he left because I could feel his absence like a living thing. He knew my world, and I knew his. Our hard days were shared, and our easy days were spent wishing we’d see some action. Somewhere along the way, his well-being became my top priority, and I became a better pilot because of him. For so long, I thought he was into women, until I saw him on that app, and it was like every fucking dream came true with one profile picture. But when I showed up for our date, he freaked out and left. It was okay though, because I knew with time I could convince him to give us a shot. I mean, how could he not? For years, we’d already been proving how good of a team we made.”

Logan grows quiet, but I feel the tension radiating off him in waves, so I stay silent, hoping he continues. Finally, he says, “But before I could persuade him, Hanlon showed up… and once he was there, Stone couldn’t see anyone else. So, I had to stand by and watch someone else get my happily ever after.”

Wow.

I’m totally speechless, and not just because I’m tired.

I feel terrible because my first thought is that I’ve never felt that way about anyone. Not even Kendra.

A second later, Logan’s voice brings me back online.

“Sorry. That was too much, wasn’t it? I guess I’ve needed to talk about Stone for a while.”

“No,” I reassure him. “I was just trying to digest that. It was… is powerful the right word? Maybe enlightening?” I ask before adding, “Take the next left.”

Pulling into my driveway, Logan stares straight ahead.

Mercifully, I don’t have anywhere to be until noon tomorrow, which is the only reason I make the offer that I do.

“You want to come in for a bit?”

Logan’s eyes dart to the clock. It’s only eight-thirty, but I know he knows I’m basically a zombie right now.

“Nah, man, I don’t want to keep you.”

“Come on. Hang for an hour. I’ll still be in bed by ten,” I tell him. “Besides, staring at the ceiling for two hours sounds miserable as fuck.”

That does the trick.

Logan laughs and cuts the engine.

“Yeah, definitely not the most exciting of plans,” he agrees.

As soon as I let us in the front door, I gag, and Logan covers his nose.

“Holy shit, I think there’s a dead body cooking in here,” he says, leaving the front door wide open. It may only be twenty-nine degrees outside, but it’s about ninety-four in the condo, and it smells like rotting ass.

“JACKSON!” I bellow into the space, too pissed and embarrassed to care that he’s not home to hear me. “You have got to be kidding me,” I grumble.

“Is it always like this?” Logan asks.

“It’s not usually this bad, but yeah, it always smells like dirty socks and nine-day-old beef that was left out.”

“Dude, that’s fucking gross.”

“Tell me about it,” I mumble, realizing I’m going to have to clean this place up before I’m able to sleep tonight. Ten p.m. was a pipe dream.

I move toward the kitchen to get started when Logan’s hand catches my forearm.

“This might be crazy, but why don’t you grab your shit and stay at my place tonight?”

If I weren’t so pissed, I’d crack a joke about having a sleepover, but instead I just ask if he even has a guest room; his place looked pretty small.