Wild Girl (Wild Men Texas #3) - Melissa Belle Page 0,60

the rough spots,” she says to me.

“I didn’t do much. You came out pretty brilliant.”

She’s too distracted to catch on to anything between Logan and me.

But Riley isn’t. “Oh, my God, you guys finally did it, didn’t you?!” she shouts from about twenty yards away.

Daddy looks up sharply from the grill, and Mama lets out a joyful scream as Logan puts his arm around me protectively.

“That’s awesome,” Ben says as he walks over to us and holds out his hand—palm up—to me.

I bite back a smile as I reach into my purse and hand him a quarter.

“Even though I didn’t actually bet,” I whisper to him.

“Details.” He pockets it before Logan can open his mouth to ask why.

Free smiles. “So cool. You two are the only couple I know that don’t make me want to hurl.”

“Thanks,” Logan says to her. “That’s quite a compliment coming from you.”

“Took you long enough,” Riley says as she comes up and hugs me. “But I bet it was worth it, right?”

I glare at her. “First of all, not that it’s any of your business or anything, but as you well know, it wasn’t the first time we’d slept toget…”

But Riley’s looking closely at my face. “Oh, it was worth it,” she says, laughing. “It was definitely worth it. Look at your flushed cheeks and those bruised and battered lips. You two must have been up all night long just screwing each other senseless…”

I put my hand over her mouth.

By now, Daddy’s really agitated. His eyes narrow in on Logan, who nods at him calmly. Mama looks over at Daddy and hurries to raise her glass of sweet tea in a toast. “To Freedom, my brilliant high school graduate, and to Macey, my oldest baby on her twenty-sixth birthday. The Henwoods are very proud.”

Then, she races over to Logan and me to give us both hugs.

“You just always loved that boy,” she says to me. “And him you. To think, he was your first time.”

“Mama!”

I turn in horror to Logan, but he’s grinning.

“What?” he says. “It’s a great story.”

I hold up my left hand and show Mama the ring on my finger.

She’s momentarily stumped. I wait, and wait, and wait.

Nothing.

I’ve reduced my mother to utter silence.

“That’s right,” Logan finally offers. “We’re engaged.”

Riley, Ben, and Free all start laughing and shouting, and then Mama lets out the loudest scream I’ve ever heard in my life, followed by a two-armed hug around Logan and me.

“Engaged?!” She turns to Logan. “You’re a miracle worker! Macey swore she’d never marry! Again,” she adds with a glance at me.

I glare at her. “Can we just be happy for me and let it go?”

Mama pretends to zip her lips. Then, she continues to talk. “Oh, what wonderful news! Isn’t it, honey?”

Daddy comes over to give me a kiss and shake Logan’s hand.

“Happy for you both.” He nods at Logan. “You’re the only man I’ve ever thought was good enough for my baby. I’m glad she agreed with me on this one.”

Oh, Daddy, you have no idea how good a man he is, and what he did for you and our family.

I take my father’s arm. “Come with me for a minute.”

Logan gives me a warning look, but I whisper to him, “He won’t say anything.”

I bring my father into the garage. “Daddy, I have something to tell you. Nobody can know. I need your word.”

My father’s eyes get big as he puts his hand on the safe that holds his gun. “You have it, darlin’. Tell me what’s going on.”

By the time I’ve finished explaining the truth about Logan and Gigi, Daddy’s slumped in a lawn chair with his chin in one hand as he stares up at me.

Over two minutes of silence pass between us.

“Gigi’s mother reminded me how we’d met,” he says finally. “At Brick’s. I nearly bolted straight out the front door. But she told me that was her husband walking through it in that moment, and I just wanted to disappear. Married? I didn’t know she was married. I swear to you, I didn’t know.”

“But you cheated on your own wife all the time,” I say, surprised how angry my words sound. “Don’t you get it, Daddy? Your actions have repercussions for more than just whatever the hell you feel like doing in that moment!”

Daddy bows his head under the chastisement. “I know. I’ve been a slow learner. I swear, Macey, I’m changing. I know you shouldn’t believe me after all these years of letting you down,