by Petrova, Em
A reminiscent smile tugged at her lips. “He certainly did.”
“Exhibit B. The trip to Las Vegas to see your sister. Details on it are vague on my end, but even so, he wouldn’t have done that unless he cared.”
“That was an obligation. Er…I assume he told you about Rebecca?”
“Naturally. It was too wild of a story to keep it to himself.”
“Like I said, he arranged the trip because I—”
“No, Miss Shaw. You’ve got it wrong. But let’s go back to the night you met. The night of the charity gala. Why did you help a total stranger that night? You didn’t know him from Joe Nobody. There must’ve been some reason you interfered, and I think I know what it is, but you tell me first.”
Jordana made a face. “That Rebecca woman was going to trap a good man by manipulating him with the pretense he was going to be the father of her child.”
“Aha.” He raised a finger and tapped the air. “Even only knowing him, what, less than an hour? You sensed he was a good man. Because he is. Even though you were barely acquainted, you couldn’t stand by and let some woman jerk his life out of order for her selfishness. You could’ve told him what you heard, wished him luck and left, but you made certain her plan failed. Logan wanted to express his gratitude, sure. He could’ve sent you flowers or a gift card. Instead, he flew you to Vegas for your sister’s wedding. That’s kind of a big deal, Jordana.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, unable to dispute it; her arguments were getting weaker and weaker.
Neil assessed her as though he knew he was winning this debate. Rocking back on his heels, he grinned. “Exhibit C. Before this misunderstanding, I’d never seen him so damn happy. All because of those few weeks with you. I’m sure it scared the hell out of him, knowing how fast things were moving. And when the man is scared—and trust me, it’s a rare occurrence—he tends to shut those closest to him out. It’s his way of processing change. In his mind, everyone is on a need-to-know basis until further notice. Does that make any sense?”
How she wished Logan could’ve told her these things. Blinking, she answered quietly, “A little.”
“The elopement rumor had a bit to do with it, I’m guessing. It freaked him out he was suddenly was the headliner for the first time in a long time on the gossip market. Then his mom interrogated him before he even had a second to digest it. I was there; she was ruthless. The best way he knows how to handle it is on his own. Again, the need-to-know thing. That’s the way it’s always been for Logan.”
She gave a sigh. “His inability to share is one of the reasons it won’t work, Neil. I can’t be with someone who is closed off, who needs all the control. I want a fair relationship. I want more.”
He gestured helplessly. “You can’t expect someone like Logan to switch his mode overnight. Maybe he wasn’t clear the last time you spoke, but he cares about you more than you know. And he’s not a player.”
“But—”
“A player has no heart,” he cut her off, slightly raising his voice. “A player has no remorse for the hearts he’s broken.” He pointed at himself. “That’s me. I’ve jumped from one woman to another in the same week. Not Logan. When he cares about someone, it’s real and it’s sincere and he’ll do anything for you. You can trust him.”
Could she do it? Risk everything and try again with Logan? She glanced at the flowers on the table. Her heart whispered yes.
Neil tracked her gaze. “Did he send those?”
She nodded, sighing and rising to pluck the note. “With this.”
He read the card. “I’ll be damned. I told him not to…”
“Told him what?” She watched him hesitate.
“Nothing.”
She took back the card and shrugged. “So he’s sending a driver to take me to the Bridges of Marin County gala, and you happen to show up on the same day. I assume that’s where you’re headed too.”
“What a coincidence,” he told her, smiling.
She cocked her head. “He really didn’t send you here to do this?”
“I swear he didn’t. I haven’t even spoken to him for a few days. Never a good idea to poke a lion with a thorn in his paw, know what I mean? I’m a one-man show.” At her skeptical look, he raised his hands in defense. “On my honor.”
“I’m inclined to believe you,” she said, cocking her head. “Even so, I’d feel weird arriving at this gala by myself.”
“I stroll in solo all the time. Logan’s probably going crazy wondering if you’ll show up. Imagine how happy he’ll be once he sees you. Plus, he’s leaving for Hong Kong in the morning. If you don’t go tonight, you’ll have to wait at least two weeks to see him.” He flung himself on the sofa and draped an arm over the top and then checked his watch. “And you don’t have to go by yourself. You can come with me as my date. Find your prettiest dress and be ready in an hour. It’s okay if you take longer. I drive fast. We’ll tell the chauffeur to take a hike.”
“You’re serious,” she laughed.
“And you’re wasting prep time.”
Her heart thrilled at a reunion with Logan, but she hesitated. “I don’t even know what I’d say to him.”
“Knowing Logan, you probably won’t have to say much at all. He’ll take one look at you and drag you out of there. Then you two can” —he used finger quotes— “talk all night.”
She shook her head with a chiding smile. “You’re sort of a new twist on a fairy godmother, you know that?”
“Yikes. I hope that’s the first and last time I’ll ever be called that,” he remarked dryly while she headed toward her closet.
“Would Logan do something like this for you?” she asked later on as she got ready in her bathroom. “Would he plead on your behalf to win your girl back? Take her to a party for you?” Inserting another bobby pin in her chignon, she smiled, anticipation rising with every minute.
“Nah. He’d probably put up with my bad mood and leave it alone. He doesn’t push any opinion on me unless I ask for it, especially when it comes to my, uh, love life.”
She peeked her head out. “Why do you say it like that?”
“It’s hardly love in that part of my life, sweetheart.” He grinned.
She rolled her eyes. “I see. You just haven’t met the right girl.”
“I’ve met quite a few right girls. It’s just when I meet them, I go left.”
“Geez, and I thought Logan was jaded.” Makeup and hair done, she went to find the matching shoes.
“It’s not jaded,” Neil countered. “It’s how I see relationships. They’re not for me. I don’t like the idea of being tied down to one woman for a lifetime.”
“Who said anything about marriage? I was talking about love, Neil.” She hopped on one foot to slip on her shoe.
“Oh. Well, most women automatically mean marriage when they talk about meeting the ‘right’ girl.”
“I’m guessing there’s no one special in your life, then?”
“All women are special, Jordana.”
“Spoken like a true player!”
He let out a hearty laugh.
“Do you see a car out there waiting for me?” she asked.
Seconds later, he replied, “Nope. He’s still not here. It’s all right, though, you’re coming with me. Those services can be unreliable anyway.”
“Okay, counselor, I think I’m ready.” On the outside at least. Though Neil had convinced her Logan deserved a second chance, a knot of uncertainty had nestled in her stomach and refused to leave. Going without speaking to Logan first didn’t feel quite right, but she didn’t want to miss this opportunity to see Logan before he left. She took a deep breath, grabbed her clutch, and walked out.
Neil’s grin softened to awe as she stopped, turned, and looked at him over her shoulder. The color, dark like eggplant, nearly black, was a stark contrast to her skin. The neckline was square, low, with thin straps at her shoulders. The gown was unabashedly open in the back, while the silk material flowed to
the floor, mermaid style. Out of all her gowns, this one was her favorite.
“You’re a knockout,” he announced as he pushed up from his chair. “No wonder Logan is depressed.”
She laughed as they left her apartment.
Chapter Twenty
Because he knew he’d be letting down more than a handful of people—including Miranda, who’d never forgive him if he missed two years in a row—Logan arrived at the museum, but in no mood to mingle. More than anything, he wanted to go home, pour a glass of something bitter and strong, and drink himself to sleep. Although he’d tried to forget about Jordana with all his might, so far, he’d failed.
At times, angry disappointment gripped him with viselike strength and the only thing that kept him from losing his mind was work. He logged thirteen, fourteen-plus hours a day at the office. There were times—the ones that snuck up on him at random, especially at night at home—that left him drained and listless.
That was most maddening of all and showed how much Jordana had affected him more than any woman before her. She’d gotten under his skin, so close to his heart, and expelling her was taking way too fucking long.
As he walked into the party, he smiled as a few people greeted him. His expressions and greetings were automatic. Polite but detached. Copied and pasted from the last event he’d attended. A few ladies arched interested brows, purring that he’d apparently come alone. If only one of them could view beneath the façade and give him what he really needed. Jordana had done that, but she’d been nothing but a fantasy.
“Logan,” smiled Iris Eckhart, a well-respected psychiatrist in the area. “How are you these days?”
Miserable as hell, if he were to be frank. As a shrink, maybe Iris had seen past his social mask and observed his pain. Was he that transparent? Or was the attractive redhead regarding him as a project? It was rumored she liked men who were quiet, standoffish, broken, or even antisocial. They intrigued her like riddles. He wouldn’t have categorized himself with any of those characteristics until now. Occasionally, he ran into her at these functions and she’d make suggestive comments about going home with him. He enjoyed flirting with her—she was pretty sexy for a shrink, after all—but he never took her back to his place.
Maybe tonight he would.
She gestured to the bar. “Join me for a drink?”
He stopped, instinctively wanting to brush her off. Nonetheless, solitude hadn’t been much of a benefit to him lately. Maybe he’d been going about this all wrong. The surest way to get over someone was to get under someone else. Logan gave what he hoped was a charming smile, even though it felt unnatural. “I’d love to.” He walked with her toward the bar. Where was Neil? Probably sick of his cranky attitude and avoiding him. Not that Logan could blame him. He was well aware his bad attitude and surly disposition had people keeping their distance. Even Ashtyn walked on eggshells around him lately.
Something had to change. He had to change.
Well, he’d have a few drinks, have a few laughs. Take Iris home and see if sex with another woman purged Jordana from his mind and soul once and for all.
***
Jordana thought she’d be more intimidated by her surroundings as she and Neil walked in. He stood beside her like a guardian, sharp and self-assured in his tuxedo.
“Do you see him?” she whispered.
“Not yet. Don’t worry, he’s here.”
“Well, you don’t have to be at my side with every step. Go do your thing. Hunt for some left girl prey.”
Neil laughed, and at that moment, she spotted Logan, and her stomach dipped to her knees.
He wasn’t alone.
The woman he was talking to practically batted her eyelashes at him with every move of his mouth. He leaned in, spoke something in her ear. Jordana’s heart pounded, feeling like she had to catch her breath. Neil’s strong hand curled around her arm and she lifted her gaze.
“Forget her,” he told her gently.
Easier said than done. She swallowed. Maybe he’d assumed she wasn’t coming and found a date, after all. Nervousness made itself known with full force. “I…I’m not sure I can do this now.”
“Why? Because he’s talking to another woman? I know you’re not going to let that stop you. You’re stronger than that. Stay here.” Neil winked, set his drink down, and sauntered over.
She fiddled with her hands, watching him interrupt Logan’s conversation. To his credit, Logan seemed pleased to see his friend, instead of annoyed by his interruption. The willowy redhead, however, was another story. She definitely looked peeved their private discussion had been interrupted. Showing no shame, Neil put his arm around Logan’s neck and tugged him away.
As they came closer, Logan had yet to set his eyes on her, intently listening to whatever Neil was saying. Heart fluttering, she turned around, biting her lip.
“Savant, I’m telling you, forget Iris. I’m sure you’d much rather speak to this lovely woman right here,” she heard Neil say behind her.
With a slow turn, she faced them, breaking into a smile at his nearness, hit with a wave of acute yearning. Logan’s amiable expression switched to a cold blankness, rocking her confidence. “Remember me?” she joked, her voice a little shaky.
Neil slapped his friend’s back. “Well, three’s a crowd, and I know when I’m not needed. If you need any condoms, though, just shout.”
Jordana gasped. “Neil!”
He chuckled and walked away.
Logan’s lips parted and his chest expanded as he took in two long breaths, looking irresistibly handsome in his tailored tux. So virile and polished, as if he hadn’t lost one minute of sleep since they broke up. Slowly, he raked his blue gaze from her feet to her face, and a distinct tingle snaked up her spine. As he finally met her eyes again, his voice came out hoarse. “What are you doing here?”
She gave a shy smile, unable to quell a sense of uneasiness. “Surprise.”
For an indeterminable amount of time, they stood there, neither saying a word. Searching his features, she wished he would say something so she knew where to begin.
When he blinked and straightened his broad shoulders, the energy between them shifted. As if he put up a wall. “You came with him?” he clipped.
“Yes. The car n-never showed.”
He raised a brow, tucking a hand in his pocket. “Because I canceled it. Was it Neil’s idea to bring you?”
Now she knew for sure he hadn’t sent his friend to her house. She swallowed at his tone, not sure what to think about him canceling the ride. “Well, in part. It’s kind of a long story. He came by my place and convinced me to come with him, but I was going to anyway. I wanted to talk about that second chance.” The expression on his face was so unreadable, and she hadn’t been prepared for…this reaction. But she had to say something. “I was hurt, Logan. Deep down, I knew you didn’t mean the things you said that day in your office, but I was so afraid to trust you. Neil convinced me I was wrong. I’m sorry.” Heat crept up her face, and she felt awkward discussing their argument with so many people around, even though no one paid them any attention. “Can we go somewhere private?”
He lifted one shoulder. “You said what you came to say. There’s nothing to discuss.”
She was stunned. Nothing? Just like that? “Logan—”
“Look, I’ve moved on. You came here for nothing, Jordana.”
She blinked in astonishment at his cold cutdown. However she’d imagined this conversation, this was not it. Obviously, something changed between the time he’d sent the flowers and now. The woman he’d been talking to earlier, maybe? Still, she didn’t want to give up. “Won’t you even consider hearing me out? I came to rectify how I handled things. You’d apologized, explained honestly, and I should’ve believed you.”
“Suddenly you believe me now?”
At a loss, she didn’t know how else to reply except with a small, “Y-yes.”
He moved his profile with sharpness, a tic in his jaw, as though restle
ss to get on with his evening. He met her gaze again, but his eyes were neither warm nor tender. In fact, he stared at her with near contempt.
Did he resent her for how things ended? “Logan, I reacted blindly over a misunderstanding. We’ve both hurt each other, but I think we have something special, worth starting over for. Don’t you?”
He glowered at her, and she realized her words were not getting through to him. It was as if every note of her voice made him more resistant, more impatient.
Neil gave the impression Logan would drop to his knees for her. He’d been wrong.
He took a step closer, and she had to crane her neck to meet his disdainful gaze. “You’re something else, Jordana. Showing up like this as if you’re so magnanimous, gracing me with your apology. Telling me you believe me now, when you should’ve trusted what I felt for you then. Felt, by the way. Past tense.”
A rush of heat, then cold swept over her body, and her throat closed up. “I don’t understand,” she choked out.
His dark brows slanted down. “Pardon, I thought I was being direct. It’s over between us, and we’re both better off for it. Sure, I like to have fun, but I hate playing games. Especially with a woman who doesn’t know who or what she wants.”
Frustration built on top of her confusion. “What are you talking about?”
Nearly nose to nose with her, he spoke with an eerily controlled voice. “If you’d just been frank with me from the beginning, I would’ve understood. Instead, you played some game of wanting more. That’s what pisses me off the most. That you weren’t as honest with me as I tried to be with you. There I was, feeling guilty for saying something stupid, trying to think of a way to get you back, when you were never mine to begin with.” Watching her with exasperation as she stared up him blankly, he shook his head, lip curling. “You can stop the pretense. It’s not working. I know about your fiancé—or whatever the hell he is. By the way, were you ever going to tell me or were you just praying I’d never find out?”