The second Cass left with her wine, I turned to Logan. He had a bottle of beer in each hand and smiled innocently when I spotted them. I needed to talk to him about Rhys and clear the air, but I was nervous. My heart rate increased, and I had butterflies. “Logan?” I said quickly before I could back out.
He turned to me. “Yeah.”
“Earlier, when I told you about Rhys…”
“What about it?” he responded. Poker face. I hated when he showed nothing, he was so good at it. Usually, I could tell what Logan was thinking from his expression but when he shut down he was a complete mystery.
Chewing on the side of my mouth, I turned my whole body so I was facing him. “You acted… strange. I didn’t expect that.”
“I acted strange?”
“Logan, stop. Please, just tell me what you’re thinking.”
He shrugged with one shoulder, not even bothering to put the effort in for a full shrug. “You can do what you want, Chloe. You’re a big girl now.”
“Don’t be like that. Do you think it’s too soon? Do you think I should wait longer? It’s not that I don’t still love Jace because I do. I just want to be happy again. I’m ready to move on but I don’t want to hurt you or piss you off if you think I shouldn’t—”
“Chloe,” he cut in. I took a breath. Maybe I went overboard but I opened my mouth and it all poured out. He sighed and put his arm around my shoulder. “I don’t think it’s too soon. I’m sorry I was a dick earlier. Go on the date if it’s what will make you happy.” He wrapped his other arm around me, holding me tight. “I just want you to be happy.”
“Thank you. I think I’ll go. Can’t hurt to have a drink or something, can it?”
He pulled back and smiled. “No, can’t hurt at all.”
Chapter Three
Chloe
“Thank you,” I whispered and laid my head on his shoulder. Thank goodness that was sorted out. I hated the thought that Logan would be hurt or disappointed because of something I’d done. We were too close now. Besides my parents and Cass, he was the most important person in my life and the sole reason I wasn’t still hiding out in my room between work and university.
“Anytime. I am going to check this guy out, though. You said he works with you, right? Do I know him?”
“Logan,” I groaned. “I’m twenty years old. I think I can take care of myself now.”
“I know you can.” I sighed in relief. Logan quizzing Rhys would be really awkward. “I’m still doing it, Chlo. I don’t want you to get hurt, you’ve been hurt enough.”
Okay, that was sweet. “It’s a completely different thing. If anything happened with Rhys and he broke it off it wouldn’t be on the same level as losing Jace.”
“I don’t care. I was there when you cried so much you were sick. I don’t ever want to see you cry again and if that fucker thinks he can just play around and use you, I’ll ball his eyes out with a spoon.”
I laughed. What was that? “Ah, she laughs. Your face is hilarious by the way, sweetheart. I meant it, though. I don’t want you to get hurt again. That was hard to watch.”
It was hard to go through.
“I don’t want that either. I’m not going to rush into anything or do anything stupid. It’s just one drink to see how it goes.”
He nodded once. “And you like him?”
“He’s a nice guy, but I don’t know if I like him in any way other than a work colleague, sort of friend. Hence the drink.”
“When are you next working?”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’m working Monday morning.”
“And Rex?”
“Rhys,” I corrected.
“Whatever.”
Laughing, I rolled my eyes. “Monday as well.”
“I might be thirsty on Monday.”
I swept my long hair out of my face. What a surprise! “I have no doubt you will.” Christ, he was acting like my brother. Was that what he was trying to be? No. We weren’t like siblings. Not once had I ever seen Logan as a brother.
“Hey, I just want to make sure the guy isn’t a prick.”
“He’s not. I wouldn’t even consider going out with him if he was, but thanks for looking out for me, as always.”
He was always there. I’d always been able to talk to him about absolutely anything. Even when Jace was alive I went to Logan more, not that I didn’t tell Jace my problems, I did, but Logan was able to look at situations logically and find solutions quickly. Until Jace died and he didn’t have any answers anymore, not for himself or me, not until he saw me disappearing in grief and loneliness.
“I thought you’d tell me to stop stressing over it and let you make your own decisions. What’ve you done with Chloe?”
“Funny. You do stress about me, far too much. I’m okay, Logan. You need to concentrate on you now.”