Wild Girl (Wild Men Texas #3) - Melissa Belle Page 0,58

sure you’re all right? Logan’s in Florida about to marry Gigi. Is this because of the Darcy Gazette story and how you think you’re cursed? Poor child. Sometimes children of alcoholics feel an enlarged sense of responsibility from having to grow up too fast, or they blame themselves unfairly for things that are not their fault.”

“Yes, you’re correct about that, Mayor Huggins. But that’s not what this is about.”

I hand Logan the phone, and he tells the mayor that he and Gigi broke up.

“I mean, I never liked Gigi much myself,” I hear Mayor Huggins say through the phone. “You and Macey are perfectly matched. I don’t know what you were thinking, son. Not much, I see.”

“Tell him the truth,” I whisper.

Logan shakes his head at me.

“I was…stupid,” Logan says finally.

The mayor laughs loudly. “Well, isn’t that the truth? At least you came to your senses, boy!”

Logan hands the phone back to me.

I cover it with my hand and say, “Why didn’t you tell him everything?”

“Because your father has enough problems,” he says. “Let’s keep this between us and my parents. They’ve already agreed.”

“But that’s not fair to you,” I whisper. “Everyone will think you were really with Gigi.”

“I don’t care what anyone thinks but you.” Logan leans over to kiss me.

“I love you so much,” I say as I kiss him back.

“Hello? Hello?”

Whoops. I nearly forgot about the mayor on the line.

“Sorry, sir. So you’ll do it?” I say into the phone. “It’s my birthday, too. What a great present you’d be giving me.”

“It takes three days for a wedding permit,” he reminds me.

“I know, sir, but I’m sure with your status, you can pull some strings. You’ve pulled strings before for people on military leave and other emergencies.”

“But this is a holiday,” he continues to complain. “I was just about to get the grill fired up.”

“It’s the holiday,” I remind him. “The entire town had been preparing for a July fourth wedding. This is Darcy’s last chance to use the legend for anything and everything you’ve always used it for. After tonight, Jane Austen’s ghost is locked up. Forever.”

Logan gives me the thumbs up as I reduce Mayor Huggins to silence.

“You know you’re right,” the mayor agrees after a long pause. “The press was furious that Logan and Gigi skipped town after planning to marry here, and that Ginny and Dave debacle was simply awful.”

I hold my breath.

“Yes,” he says enthusiastically. “I think a wedding tonight is exactly what our town needs. It will help tourism, not to mention our reputation. If y’all can swing by my place, I will personally administer your license myself. I’ll even call Reverend Sands and make sure he’s free. We’ll fill up the chapel. The entire place. It’s our last chance before the ghost legend comes to a close. I think seven o’clock is the perfect time for a wedding, don’t you?”

I thank him profusely and hang up. Then, I check my voice mails.

“Oh no,” I say as Logan drives us toward my place.

“What?”

“Mama ran into your mother at the theater this morning.” I repeat the message word for word as I listen. “She was shocked to see Brenda Wild because she was certain that she was in Florida, which is over four states away.”

Logan grins. “I’m sure that was a fun conversation.”

“Brenda told her very little except that she and your dad just got in after flying the red-eye, and she was on her way home to call everyone who has plane tickets and make sure they don’t use them. Mama’s dying to find out the details. All she knows is the wedding is off, which she thinks is a very good thing because she never did think Logan and Gigi were right together.”

Logan stops at the red light. “Sum it up, Mace. I don’t want to feel like she’s here in the car with us.”

“Right. So now that Mama knows I’m not going to Florida, she wants me to stop by their house for an alcohol-free barbecue this afternoon to celebrate my birthday.” I look over at him. “Do you want to show up at the Henwood den and invite them to our wedding tonight?”

“As soon as we change and get our marriage license in place.”

“By the way, I’ve thought about it, and I’ve decided to hyphenate my name with yours,” I say to him. “So call me independent or whatever, but that’s my final offer.”

“Macey Henwood-Wild,” Logan says, trying it out. “They sound damn good together.”

I squeeze his hand.