Chapter 38
thirty-eight
I feel like a total dick lying to someone who’s always been like a father to me. But the only person who knows my true intentions is Logan. I’m going to have to have a talk with him after dinner.
Thankfully, the conversation shifts and we manage to make it through dessert unscathed.
After we finish helping to clear the table, Lizzy makes an excuse about having to use the bathroom and disappears upstairs.
Grabbing a bottle of whiskey and two glasses, I jerk my chin at Logan to follow me outside. The temperature has plummeted, and it makes me shiver.
I motion to the two Adirondack chairs, and we each take a seat. Pouring us each a glass, I take a drink, the warmth of the amber liquid helping to ease the chill.
“You slept with her.”
My throat tightens. “Come again?”
“You heard me.”
My mind pings in a million directions all at once as Logan eyes me over the rim of his glass.
Taking Lizzy’s virginity after graduation. Being balls deep inside her every day for almost two weeks leading up to my infamous departure. What happened in the shed after the paparazzi chased us through the woods.
Maybe I should come clean about everything before he finds out on his own. I have no fucking clue what Lizzy has told him, if anything.
“What has Lizzy told you?”
“Not much. Neither of you will tell me shit.” He shifts in his seat and takes another thoughtful sip of his drink. “I know it’s not any of my business what has or hasn’t happened since you got back, but she’s my sister. If anything, Rowan, I need to know what went down after graduation.”
Fuck. My. Life.
“Fine, but you have to promise not to hit me. My face might be insured, but I can’t go back to work or to L.A. with a bloody lip. You feel me?”
When Logan nods his head once and pops an eyebrow, I know that’s the best confirmation I’m going to get from him.
“Okay. Well, you already know about the kiss at prom.”
“Yup.”
“It was here. After the graduation party. I ran into Lizzy in the hallway. I couldn’t sleep. Turns out, neither could she. So…”
“You fucking had sex with her, didn’t you?”
All I can do is rub the back of my neck and give him a tortured, sheepish look.
“Are you fucking kidding me!?” he whisper-hisses. Twisting his head around to make sure no-one is in the vicinity of the closed, sliding glass door, he downs the rest of his drink and sets it on the ground between our chairs. “No wonder she was so sad after you left!”
Guilt wrenches in my gut when his expression changes from anger to devastation as he whispers, “And you made me your accomplice. You asked me not to tell her because you were too much of a coward to say goodbye.” His face turns stormy again. “You asshole!”
Carefully, I reach down, pick up his empty glass, refill it and hand it over.
Then I drop the real bomb.
“I love her.”
“God damn it, Rowan. I fucking know that. I just… I had no clue you two were sneaking around back then,” he grimaces before swallowing half of his refill.
“I know I didn’t handle it how I should’ve. I’m sorry for dragging you into it that way. Truly.”
“Ugh. The only reason I’m not giving you a bloody lip right now is because, like I told you before. You’ve always had a thing for my sister. Even when we were kids, I could see it. How different you were with her.”
Twirling the dark liquid in my glass, I sigh. “She thinks this whole fake relationship crap is just that. Fake. But for me? It’s not. She’s going to forgive me, Lo.”
“You’d better hope to God that’s true, my friend.” He flashes me a grin. “So… how soon are you going to go from my best friend to brother-in-law?”
“Fuck’s sake, man. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. One step at a time. Okay?”
Logan gives me a smug look and shakes his head.
“So, what’s up with you and this Reyna chick?”
Cringing, he side-eyes me, holding out his empty glass. “First of all, she’s not a chick. She’s a fucking angel.”
He looks just as shocked as I am when the words tumble out of his mouth, and I burst out laughing. “Angel, huh?”
Grabbing the bottle, I slosh more whisky into his glass. Looks like someone might need a ride home.
“Seriously. I had to put her on an opposite shift to minimize us crossing paths, but with one of my EMTs leaving, it looks like I’m going to have to shift her over to mine,” he grumbles. “At least until I can find a replacement.”
“Sounds like someone got himself into a bit of a pickle.”
“Dude. Seriously? Who even talks like that?”
I shrug. “What can I say? Some lines tend to stick with me.”
“I’ll bet,” he says with a snort. “You ever use those lines to pick up women?”
“Shit. All I gotta do is give ‘em a look and they’re on me like white on rice.”
“Jesus.”
“Please. Like you have any trouble getting your dick wet.”
Logan tips his head back against the chair and blows out a breath. Rolling his wrist, he swirls what’s left of his whiskey before he tips it back, leaving it dangling empty in his hand.
“Brother. I haven’t felt like getting my dick wet in over a year. Not since Reyna.”
Well. Shit.