CHAPTER 29
“Y ou can stay,” Rory had said.
“I want to, but I’m going to kiss you goodnight and go home,” Logan had replied.
“You don’t have to be noble around me.”
“I know. I’m not trying to be noble,” she’d replied as she’d wrapped her arms around Rory’s waist. “I wasn’t noble when I sat you on the counter earlier, was I?”
Rory had laughed and said, “No, you were not.”
“Soon, okay?” Logan had said, kissing Rory’s forehead. “I had a great time tonight.”
“Me too,” Rory had replied, wrapping her arms around Logan’s neck.
“We should do this again sometime.”
“I agree.”
“I’ll text you when I get home.”
“Just call me. We can watch TV together again.”
“Yeah?” Logan had asked.
“Well, since you won’t come in and actually watch TV with me, it’s the best I can do. Just answer me this… Is it because you actually like your apartment now that it’s freezing all the time?”
Logan had laughed and leaned in to capture Rory’s lips in another slow kiss.
“I might just like garlic breath now,” she’d said when she’d regretfully pulled back and smiled at Rory.
“Good night, Logan.”
“Night,” she’d said.
Now, Logan was sitting in a meeting, not focusing on the person sharing at the moment because she couldn’t stop thinking about their date. She was turning into one of those sappy women who just wanted to text their significant other all day and talk to them whenever they could. Logan knew she was in this room for a reason, but she felt good. She wasn’t thinking about gambling right now. She just wanted another date with Rory.
“Hey.”
Logan looked over and noticed a woman sitting next to her, who hadn’t been there a few minutes ago.
“Hey,” she said back, trying to be polite.
“You want to get out of here?”
“Sorry?” Logan asked.
“The bathroom,” the woman replied.
“You need to go to the bathroom?”
The woman smiled and said, “You don’t remember me, do you?”
“Should I?” Logan asked.
“We hooked up at one of these things a few months ago.”
Logan squinted because the woman did look familiar: maybe late thirties, with long brown wavy hair and blue eyes. It took her a minute to actually remember what she was talking about, though.
“Oh, shit,” she said.
“I won’t take offense to that, I guess, but if you want to get out of here, I’d be up for it.”
“I’m just here for the meeting.”
“We’re all just here for the meeting, but we ducked out last time and had some fun.” The woman then leaned closer to her, and Logan could smell the alcohol on her breath.
Logan thought back to a few months ago when she’d been sporadically attending these meetings but not putting any real effort into them. This woman had offered her a cigarette during the break, but Logan didn’t smoke. Then, she’d asked Logan if she wanted something else, and her gaze had been more than obvious. They had gone into the bathroom, and Logan had fucked her against the stall door. That had been the end of it. The woman had wanted to reciprocate, but Logan had told her next time, like she always did, and washed her hands.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” Logan replied, returning her attention to the front of the room.
“Come on, baby.” The woman’s hand appeared on her thigh. “Are you packing again?”
“What?” Logan said and removed the unwanted hand.
“You had it on for me last time.”
Logan had been strapped because she’d planned to visit the couple later that night. She hadn’t expected to use it in the bathroom at a meeting first.
“I didn’t have it on for you ,” she said and slid into the empty chair right next to hers.
“What? You’ve got someone?” the woman asked and slipped into Logan’s old chair.
“I’m trying to pay attention,” Logan replied.
“Well, fuck you, then,” the woman retorted and moved back into her old seat.
Logan waited for the meeting to end, and the moment she could, she stood quickly and left the church. Then, she sat in her car for a few minutes, thinking about that woman’s hand on her thigh. She had pushed it away today, yes, but she hadn’t months ago. Even a few weeks ago, she’d been between Ava’s legs, and the night before that, it had been a different woman and a different one before that. She hated herself for needing it how she had and just drove to another meeting that would be starting in about fifteen minutes.
Thankfully, Logan didn’t recognize anyone there. She didn’t share this time, but she sat there, thinking about all the women she had been with. Many of them were tourists, but some were locals, which meant there was a possibility she’d run into them again. In the past, that hadn’t bothered her at all. She’d even hooked up with them more than once when the opportunity presented itself. But now, it mattered. She didn’t want to be walking down the street holding Rory’s hand and running into a woman she’d had sex with in some bathroom. She tried to push that out of her mind, but it made her want to vomit. She had made so many mistakes and was finally getting to a point where she could stand to be around herself, so running into a former hookup only brought back bad memories that would keep haunting her and could possibly haunt Rory, too.
When that meeting ended, Logan drove to work and pulled into the back parking lot. Having found a spot there, she walked into the bar. It wasn’t open yet, so she clocked in and went about her opening activities. Candace was in the office with Keith, so she waved at them and got started.
An hour later, the bar was open, and a few regulars were already drinking. A steady stream of customers gave her something else to focus on, but she kept looking around for Rory. They had texted that morning but hadn’t yet made plans for their next date, and Logan wasn’t sure if she was coming in tonight. She would ask Candace, but the woman was busy with customers and taking care of the kitchen since Mickey wasn’t here tonight.
Two hours later, and Rory still hadn’t stopped in. She was probably working or studying, so Logan tried not to read anything into it, but for some reason, she had this image of Rory giving a tour and someone seeing her, stopping her on the street, and telling Rory that she’d seen her with Logan the previous night and that she’d hooked up with Logan and that Rory should be careful. She knew it was crazy and unlikely, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that her past might get in the way of her future.
“Candace?”
“Can you get me a Jack and Coke for table five?”
“Sure,” Logan said. “Do you have a minute?”
“Not really,” Candace replied, carrying two plates past Logan and over to the table.
Logan made the drink, placed it on the bar for Candace to take, and decided she shouldn’t be asking her about Rory anyway. Just because they were friends didn’t mean Candace would know or should be bothered. Logan was due for a break, but they were busy, and Keith had a lot to learn about making drinks, so she was doing the lion’s share of the work behind the bar while also trying to teach him a few things. When she got a free minute, she pulled out her phone and sent off a quick text.
Logan Luna : Hey, beautiful. Any chance I’ll get to see you in the bar tonight?
She tucked her phone into her pocket and got back to work. When she felt it vibrate a few minutes later, between making drinks, she pulled it back out.
Rory Winter : I’m hanging out with my friends at this dueling piano bar. Want to join us if you get off early enough?
Logan smiled at the invite and sent her reply.
Logan Luna : You’re just hanging out? Like, for fun , not working or studying? Just having fun?
The dots appeared instantly.
Rory Winter : I know. It’s strange for me, too. Linden and Asher invited me out. Everyone’s here, but if I’m being honest, I do miss you. Can you make it?
Logan messaged back quickly and tucked her phone away. She got back to work, and for the first time since she started working here, she checked the clock on the computer screen every thirty seconds or so. She’d done so every five minutes the other night, waiting for nine o’clock so that she could get off and pick Rory up from her babysitting job, but tonight, things were different. They were dating now, or at least, talking about having a second date. Logan wanted to clock out the first moment she could to get to her.
“Hey, Candace? Is it cool if I clock out? I’m off.”
“Yeah, go for it. We’re good,” Candace replied as she waved Logan off. “Are we good on everything?”
“Keith has a list of what we’re almost out of,” Logan said as she clocked out. “I’ll see you later.”
“Cool. Thanks,” Candace replied.
Logan was out the back door and in the car within a few seconds, and another fifteen minutes in the traffic later, she was pulling into a street spot she’d managed to snag. She had to walk the rest of the way to the dueling piano bar, but soon, she was opening the bar door and looking around for a large group of women. When she found them and spotted Rory with what looked like an actual drink in her hand, she smiled and headed that way.
“Hey, beautiful!” Jill said loudly.
“Yeah, hey, beautiful,” Bridgette added, laughing.
“Hi, beautiful,” Sophie added on and laughed as well.
“Sorry. Jill asked me what you texted, and I read your message to her,” Rory explained, standing up.
“Making fun of me, huh?” Logan asked the group.
“Absolutely,” Melinda and Bridgette said at the same time.
“Hey,” Rory said as she walked up to her.
“Hi,” Logan replied, smiling at her. “Can I kiss you? Sounds like they all already know.”
When Rory nodded, Logan leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.
“Awwwwwww!” the whole group said in unison.
“Shut up,” Rory told them through laughter and took Logan’s hand. “Want to sit?”
“Sure,” she replied.
Rory tugged her along until they got to her chair and the empty one on the right side of it. Logan pulled Rory’s chair out a little for her and then sat in her own. Her arm went around Rory’s chair without thought, and she nearly pulled it back, but Rory’s hand went on her thigh, and she looked down at it, smiling, because this was the only hand she wanted there from now on.
“In case you don’t know everyone, that’s Monica and Bridgette. Kyle and Melinda are over here, and Asher and Linden are there. You know Jill and Sophie.” Rory pointed at each woman in turn.
Logan winked at her.
“So, Logan, you were at work?” Monica asked.
“Yeah. I just got off a few minutes ago.”
“Was it busy?” Rory asked her.
“Steady. Keith and Candace had it under control.”
“Should I stop by and–”
“Nope.” Logan kissed her quickly. “They’re fine. You should be here with your friends.”
Rory laughed.
“So, what’s going on with you two?” Bridgette asked.
“We’re hanging out with you guys,” Rory replied.
“Obviously. Spill, Rory,” Sophie said.
“Are you drinking?” Logan asked.
“Yeah, a beer,” Rory said and nodded toward her beer bottle. “Want one?”
“I’ll steal a sip of yours,” she replied and brought the bottle to her lips.
Rory smiled at her and said, “We went on our first date last night.”
“Is this considered the second?” Kyle asked.
“This is her joining us for a drink, and I’m hoping you all are nice to her so that she wants to do it again,” Rory said as she leaned into Logan’s side.
Logan looked over at Kyle, who was sitting across from her, and when Kyle smiled sweetly, Logan just nodded and smiled back. Rory moved in closer to her and took her beer from Logan before she took a drink and put it back on the table in front of them.
“Do you bartend for weddings?” Bridgette asked.
“You have a bartender,” Asher replied. “We’ve booked them already. A whole company of them.”
“I’m just joking. I wanted to see if I could get that vein to pop in your forehead.”
“Linden and Asher are wedding planners. Monica and Bridgette are getting married, and so are Kyle and Melinda. They are planning the weddings for them,” Rory whispered in her ear. “Hey, do you want to invite Ava? Maybe she’s not busy and can hang out with us, too?”
“I hadn’t thought about it. Are you sure?”
“Yeah, of course. She’s your best friend, Logan.”
“I’ll text her,” Logan replied. Then, she kissed Rory’s forehead and said, “Thank you. I needed this.”
Rory smiled at her.