Henwood.”
Stern Ginny is so much harder to lie to than Sweet Ginny.
“Yes, it’s fishy, and I know why.” I run a tortilla chip through the salsa bowl but don’t actually raise it to my mouth. “Logan and I got locked in Jane Austen’s cell yesterday, and…”
“How the hell did—”
“Riley and Blake.”
Ginny puts her hand over her mouth, but a laugh escapes. “Is that their five-year-old way of trying to get you and Logan to talk?”
“It’s their five-year-old way of being annoying.” I take another chip and drag it through the salsa, and this time I just leave it in the bowl. “So the thing is…Logan and I almost kissed, Gin. And when I say almost, I mean if my daddy hadn’t stormed through the door like his hair was on fire, well…who knows what would have happened.”
Ginny eyes are huge. “He almost kissed you? Or you almost kissed him?”
“Both? But he was definitely not holding back. Thank God my father interrupted because now, at least, Logan can keep a clear conscience.” I furrow my brow. “He can, right? I mean, he didn’t cheat on Gigi. Not technically.”
“No, he didn’t.” Ginny doesn’t sound convinced. “But he clearly still has feelings for you, Mace. Did you try to talk to him?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know what to say. We had nothing to do in the cell, so I was reading this diary entry of mine to him, and it got us all hot and bothered. I think it just made us remember old times. Plus, I mean, isn’t the ball kind of in his court? He’s the one with the fiancée.”
“True. But you’re the one who always said you were never getting into a relationship. He probably thinks you’re still in that place.”
“Maybe. I kind of confessed I was feeling lonely these days.” I reach into my purse and pull out the bull ring. “And he gave his wedding ring back to me after we returned from Vegas. Like it wasn’t hard at all.”
Ginny takes the ring out of my open palm. “Such a perfect ring for Logan. Strong but vulnerable. I wonder what kind of band he’s going to wear for this wedding.”
I don’t know, but seeing it on his finger may well stop my heart from beating.
I’m going to throw up.
“Please Gin. Change the topic.” I take the ring back from her and hide it away in my purse. “Talk about you for five minutes. Or five hours.”
“Well…” Her face lights up. “I do have something to tell you, but I don’t think you’re gonna like it much. But you’re the only person I can tell, and I have to confide in somebody.”
“What is it?”
“Okay.” She lowers her tone. “You know Nickel?”
Oh, God. She slept with him. When? And I didn’t stop it. What kind of a friend am I? I should have been at her side day and night instead of consumed with my own problems.
“He stopped by last night,” she says, confirming my absolute worst fear.
“You slept with him?”
“No!” she says, and I exhale. “We just played guitar and sang and talked all night, well, until three a.m., and then he left. Dave was out drinking, whatever.” I can tell how this hurts her, but she moves on. “Nickel came by with the final playlist for the reception. And we got to hanging out, and we just have so much in common. I didn’t know boys could be this interesting!”
I rest my cheek on the palm of my hand and review what’s happening right now.
Ginny’s more excited about a new boy than the man she’s due to marry in four days.
And I narrowly avoided kissing Logan right before his wedding to another woman.
Things are shaping up to be far more interesting than I’d like them to.
Logan
The bachelor party for Dave is never-fucking-ending. We’ve been at the bar for hours, and once I nixed meeting up with the girls, all Dave wanted to do was stay here and drink. Listening to a drunk Dave whine about the wedding is worse than when he’s sober.
“You need to talk to her,” Blake says to Dave. “You and Ginny aren’t on the same page right now, dude.”
Dave does his usual when he’s uncomfortable. He reaches for his drink.
But I’ve had enough.
I grab it out of his hand and hold it out of reach.
“Talk to her, you fool,” I say. “Before you rush down that damn aisle.”
“Oh, you should fucking talk,” Dave says to me angrily. “You’re getting married just as