Chapter 13
LOGAN
This week has flown by. I adjust my tie in the bathroom mirror at work. Tonight is the night of the fundraiser, and I should have already been out the door. Bree left hours ago because she joined some committee to help with setup.
I can barely contain myself, excited to spend the evening with her. I’ve been a little on edge, and I’ve discovered it’s because I want the whole town to know she’s taken, and after tonight, they won’t have any doubt.
My phone rings, and when I see my brother’s name, I answer. “Hey, Penn! What’s up?”
He’s loudly whispering into the phone, “Where the fuck are you?”
My brother, the doctor, handles everything with ease, and nothing ever gets him rattled, so to hear him upset has me on high alert. “I’m at the office, why?”
In another hushed whisper, he says, “Because I’m here at the fundraiser with your date, and Aria didn’t come, so everyone thinks that I’m here with Katie. I’m telling you, Logan, you have five minutes to get here or I’m never fixing you up again.”
As soon as what he’s saying hits me, I know I fucked up. I completely forgot that my brother had arranged a date for me. “Fuck!” I scream and then again for good measure, I say it again. “Fuck!”
Penn is calmer now. “Logan, it’s fine, just get here.”
I’m already out the door. I lock it behind me, and with a rushed ramble, I tell him, “Oh my God, Penn, listen to me. Do not, I mean, do not, introduce Katie to Bree.”
The silence on the other end of the line is telling.
“Penn… did you hear me?”
“I thought you and Bree had broken up.”
I’m rushing down the sidewalk toward the community center. “Penn, we were, but we’re not now. Just keep them apart.”
I hang up the phone and start running. I’m not sure how I’m going to handle this, but I have to do something. I see my other brother about to walk in the community center, and I scream his name. “Miller!”
He turns to look, and I wave like a maniac. I sprint toward him. “I need a favor.” I’m huffing and puffing. “Please, I’m begging you.”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “What do you need?”
I grab his upper arms. “I have two dates tonight. I need you to take one of them.”
He chuckles and runs his hand through his scruffy beard. “You have two dates… why don’t you just keep them both? Most women wouldn’t mind sharing a Brody brother—hell, they may get off on it.”
I shake my head, squeezing his arms even tighter. “I don’t want to date them both. Look, I forgot Penn was setting me up, and I’m seeing Bree—”
“Your ex? I thought you two broke up.”
I growl. “Look, there’s no time. I’m seeing Bree, and she’s going to be pissed already. Can you help me out with this Katie?”
Miller puts his hand on my shoulder. “I can’t. I’m seeing someone.”
My mouth drops open. “What? You mean today, right, like a one-night stand or something because you never ‘date,’ not seriously anyway.”
His forehead creases. “No, not a one-night stand. I want to date her, but…”
His voice trails off, and I gasp, “But what?”
He growls. “She won’t go out with me.”
I shake my head in amazement. “What? You’re telling me that Miller Brody, billionaire, got turned down?”
He grimaces. “Fuck you, Logan. If you want my help, this is not the way to go about it.”
I grip his arms again. “Fuck, I’m sorry. Please, I’m begging you. Can you help me… just for tonight?”
He rolls his eyes. “Fine. But you owe me.”
I throw an arm around his shoulder. “I’m not sure what I can do for you, but yeah, whatever, man. I got you.”
As soon as we walk in the door, I spot Bree.
She is standing with all of my brothers and my sister and of course a woman that I’m assuming is Katie.
My brother, Ozzy, has his cowboy hat on and sticks out like a sore thumb.
There’s a crowd around Guy, most likely congratulating him on his team making it to the playoffs.
My sister, Skyler, is hovering next to Bree protectively, staring daggers at me. Fuck me. This can’t be my life.
My brother Penn sees me and instantly looks relieved.
I slow my steps, looking between Bree and the other woman.
Bree knows. It’s obvious by the pained look on her face.
Hell, it seems my whole family has it figured out because they’re all giving me dirty looks.
I stop next to Bree and put my hand at the small of her back, but she pulls away from me.
She talks to my sister Skyler, completely ignoring me.
“I’m going to go see if anyone needs anything. ”
I blow out a breath as I go to Penn and gesture to the woman. “Hi, you must be Katie. I’m Logan. Can we talk for a minute?”
I step away from my family, tugging Miller with me, and I can feel Bree staring. I fucked up, and I can’t blame her if she never talks to me again.
“Look, uh, Katie, I’m not sure how to say this. I forgot that my brother arranged a date for me tonight, and I seem to have double-booked.”
She stares at me in shock. “You have two dates?”
I nod. “Yes, and I’m sorry, I should have canceled, but—”
She points to herself. “You mean with me?”
I nod. “Yeah, see, Bree and I have a history, and—”
She holds her hand up. “Look, no worries. I mean, it’s a douche move, but—”
I can’t even blame her for being pissed. “Anyway, this is my brother Miller, and he would love to be your date for the night if that’s okay with you.”
She looks stunned and gestures between Miller and me. “What? So you decided to pimp me out to your brother?”
I put both hands up. “No, of course not. I just didn’t want you to spend the evening alone, that’s all.”
Miller gives me a look, and I know that when he asks for paybacks, I’m going to have to ante up because this is quickly turning into a headache. I blow out a breath. “Look, I really am sorry. I know this is bad, and I have no excuse except that I forgot that Penn set us up. You seem lovely, but—”
She shrugs and looks at Miller. “Do you dance?”
He gives me a look, and I know if we were alone, he’d be cussing me out right about now. “Yeah, I can dance.”
She looks Miller up and down, and even I can see the dollar signs in her eyes. Miller may be covered in tattoos, but he’s obviously well off. His suit is designer, and the man just screams money. “You’ll do.” She shrugs.
I put my hand on Miller’s shoulder. “Thanks, brother. See you two at the table.”
I turn and go in search of Bree. I see her across the room, talking to my sister. I almost reach them, but as soon as she spots me, she practically runs from the room without a backward glance.
I’m about to chase after her when my little sister steps in front of me, blocking my path. “Are you fuckin’ kidding me?”
I’m in trouble. If Skyler is cussing, I’m definitely in trouble. “Look, I know I fucked up, but I’m trying to fix it.”
She crosses her arms over her chest and taps her foot. “Really? You’re going to fix it?” She leans toward me, and it would have more effect if she were taller. “So you didn’t plan this to get back at her?”
I shake my head. “To get back at her? You mean at Bree?”
She nods. “Yes! I’m not sure what that means, but that’s what Bree thinks, and so help me Logan, if you did this on purpose—”
I cut her off. “Sis, you know me, I would never do something like this on purpose. Now please, can I go fix this?”
She uncrosses her arms and puts her hands on her hips. “You better fix this, Logan Brody, because I like her, and the woman obviously loves you and—”
“I’ll take care of it.”
I’m letting Skyler’s words surround me as I walk through the door that Bree walked through.
She’s walking out of the ladies’ room, and when she sees me, her jaw tenses, and she stops.
Fuck, she’s beautiful. Her red dress clings to every curve of her body.
Her hair is up in some kind of knot, and she’s got tendrils hanging down.
Her lipstick matches her dress, and I want to kiss it off her, right here, in front of everyone.
People are walking up and down the hall, mostly ignoring us, but it wouldn’t take much for us to become the main attraction.
She crosses her arms over her chest, pushing her cleavage up. I would gape at her if I thought it wouldn’t piss her off even more. “Bree, listen—”
She stops me with a sharp laugh. “I don’t need to listen. I hear you, loud and clear. I get it.”
She tries to walk away, but I stop her by holding her shoulders. She jerks from me and huskily whispers, “Don’t touch me, Logan Brody.”
I hold my hands up. People are starting to stare, and I look around. There’s a small conference room just a few feet away. “Look, give me two minutes.”
She shakes her head. “No.”
Desperation hits me hard. “Bree, baby, please, you have to believe me, I didn’t plan this. I would never do something like this and—”
She taps her foot. “So you didn’t plan a date with two women tonight?”
I wince. Fuck, it sounds bad when she says it. “Listen…” I take a step toward her but don’t reach for her like I want to. I gesture to the door off to the side. “There’s a conference room right there. Please, just hear me out.”
She walks away from me, and I’m about to beg again, but she stops outside the conference room door. “Two minutes.”
She breezes into the room, and I follow.
I have to fix this. I have to.