The Promise of Us (Sanctuary Sound #2) - Jamie Beck Page 0,67
surviving a trauma. “I guess it’s a good thing Ben and I both canceled last night.”
“I’ve never been so happy that Benny blew me off.” She laughed. “And apparently Ryan enlisted Logan to keep you occupied, so it all worked out for everyone.”
“It did indeed.” Claire kept smiling, although her heart sank. Yesterday hadn’t been a spontaneous adventure Logan had planned just for her. He’d been doing a favor for his friend. And she’d gone and slept with him because of it.
Steffi grabbed for Claire’s hands. “It goes without saying that I want you to be my maid of honor. Will you?”
“Of course! I’d love to.” She hugged her friend.
Steffi eased away again, this time with a slight grimace. “Before you say yes, I have to confess I’d also like Peyton to be in the wedding party.”
Claire should’ve seen that coming, but she was still reeling from the truth behind yesterday’s misadventure.
On cue, Logan descended the stairs. “I thought that was your voice, Steffi.”
Claire stiffened and watched Steffi’s jaw unhinge as if it were happening in slow motion.
Steffi darted a glance between Logan and Claire. “Logan?”
“That’s my name.” He winked. “Why are you here so early?”
“I could ask the same of you.” Steffi’s brows rose as her hands gripped her hips.
“Touché.” Logan leaned against the newel, casting a glance at her left hand. “Congratulations, by the way. Where’s Ryan?”
“At home with Emmy.” Steffi frowned without elaborating about the engagement. “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing,” Claire said at the same time Logan draped an arm around her shoulders and said, “Breakfast. Want some?”
“No thanks. I came to tell Claire my news and ask her to stand up for me, but now my mind is blown. I need to regroup.” She kissed Claire’s cheek, her gaze unfocused yet concerned. “I’ll call you later.”
“Steffi,” Claire said, about to say that this wasn’t how it looked. Except it was exactly how it looked. Heat filled her face. “Congratulations. Please give Ryan all my love.”
“Not all of it,” Logan interjected playfully.
Steffi shook her head. “I’ll let you two get back to whatever you were doing when I interrupted.”
“Thanks. Claire and I do have unfinished business.” Logan waved and strolled back toward the kitchen, calling, “Bye.”
Steffi opened the front door and then said sotto voce, “We will talk later.”
“I’ll call you.” Claire closed the door and sighed. She turned and looked toward the rear of the house, then went directly upstairs to shower. She needed privacy to process what she’d learned and figure out how to deal with Logan.
When she emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in only a towel, she discovered him waiting for her in her room, sprawled on her bed.
“You showered too soon. I have plans for us to get all sweaty again.” He smiled and beckoned to her, but she backed away.
“That’s not happening. And I really don’t appreciate how you barged downstairs after I asked you to wait upstairs.”
“Hide.” He sat up and crossed his arms. “You asked me to hide.”
“Well, maybe I’d feel bad about that right now if I hadn’t just learned that yesterday’s excursion was all about you doing a favor for Ryan instead of you planning something special for me.”
“That’s not true. Yes, I did Ryan a favor, but I didn’t have to take you all the way to Newport to keep you from Lucia’s. I did plan that trip just for you.”
“So last night was for me, too? And this morning, also for me?” Claire headed to her dresser to fish out a pair of sweatpants and a sweater, muttering, “Now Steffi thinks I’ve been played, and Peyton will have questions, too. Pretty soon the whole town will be talking about this and wondering when you’ll be breaking my heart. I’m so sick of being ‘Poor Claire.’”
Logan scratched his eyebrow. “I don’t know what’s more depressing: how little you think of me or how little you think of yourself.”
She whirled around on him. “If I’m insecure, it’s directly related to what happened with Todd, and we both know who’s to blame for that.”
“I’m not interested in blame, Claire. It’s pointless and, frankly, boring.” He stood and finished buttoning his shirt. “We all make mistakes. We all get hurt. We all have to overcome and move on. I know you know this. You told me you were over Todd, but things keep circling around to him. For the life of me, I’ll never understand why he’s a stumbling block you can’t get over.”