She shakes her head and fear flashes in her eyes. “You probably say that to all kinds of women.”
“For the love of—” I inhale a deep breath and force myself to calm down. “I’m not a womanizer. I don’t make a habit of marrying women in Vegas and following them to their hometown. You’re the only woman I’ve ever done that for.”
“How do I believe you, when I don’t know you?” she asks in a quiet voice.
I step forward. “Because you trust me until I give you reason not to.”
She looks up, and I take another step forward. Her eyes plead with me to make her cross over her bridge of doubt. In her eyes, I see a scared woman who’s afraid of what will happen if she takes a risk. But I can’t be the one to force her. She has to want to do it for herself.
“I’m not sure I can.”
“Why not?” I’m chest to chest with her, my hands begging to touch her. “I won’t hurt you.”
Her eyes meet mine. “And I’m sure that’s what my dad told my mom once upon a time. But he didn’t have to see the look on her face when I told her he was with another woman. I’ll never forget that face.” Tears well in her eyes and she places her hand on my heart. “I’m sorry, Logan, I just can’t.”
She walks around me, down the hall, up the stairs, and a second later, her bedroom door quietly shuts.
I blow out a breath. All I can say is I tried. Tomorrow I’ll tell Craig and the team that we’re headed back to Vegas. I’m not gonna find what I came here looking for. I need to put my time in Sunrise Bay aside.
Chapter Nineteen
“About damn time.”
Nikki
I sit on the bed and stare at the wall. The image of Logan’s blue eyes, which usually sparkle with genuine kindness, falling into despair after I told him I couldn’t step forward and meet him halfway is burned into my brain. I toe out of my shoes, annoyed that my dad is ruining this for me because of my trust issues.
I pick up the phone and call Molly. She answers on the first ring.
“Hey, girl.” From the sounds of it, she’s still at the brewery.
“Busy?” I ask, shrugging out of my yoga pants and panties, replacing them with my pajama set bottoms.
“For you, never.”
“No need for work to interfere,” Cade says in the background.
“Don’t worry, I flipped him off for you.” She laughs. “I’m going to take this in the office.”
Molly’s complete disregard for my brothers being her bosses pulls a smile out of me. I hear a door close, and the sounds of glasses clinking and people’s laughter in the background disappears.
“So what’s wrong?” she asks.
“Why do you assume something is wrong?” I put her on speaker and tear off my shirt before putting on my pajama shirt and buttoning it up the front. After a good night’s sleep, I’ll be able to regroup with Logan.
“You have that sound in your voice.”
“What sound?”
“Just tell me. I’ve been your best friend for way too long not to know when something is going on.”
I roll over on my back and take the phone off speaker in case Logan comes upstairs. “Why am I so messed up?”
She laughs.
“I’m serious, Mol, what is wrong with me? Relationships terrify me.”
“I assume this is about Logan?”
“No, it’s about the mailman. Yes, of course, it’s about Logan.”
“If you’re gonna be snippy, I’m not gonna help you.”
She’ll always help me. We both know that, but I’m not going to call her on it right now, just in case.
“He wants to pursue this. He told me that the whole reason…” I forgot that I never told Molly about the arrangement we made. It’s been our secret. I know I can trust Molly, but I never wanted to chance the truth coming out for Logan’s sake.
“Whole reason what?”
I sigh. “When Logan first came to town, he said he wanted to pretend that we were happy until the fight was over. That he didn’t want the bad press distracting him. In exchange, he’s giving me contact with five celebrities to interview on the podcast.”
“Interesting,” she says.
“What?”
“You honestly believed him when he told you that?” She laughs.
“Why would I not?”
“I know your dad did a number on you. I understand that. Everyone does. Plus, the way he never comes up here to see you guys and stuff. But you’re being blind to what’s going on. Look at your wedding picture, Nik. Or how about the way Logan’s eyes always follow you through a room. Or how it looks like he hangs on every word you say. That whole deal you two made was bullshit.”
I sigh and throw my arm over my eyes. “That’s what he told me tonight. That he came here because his gut told him he should be here.”
“Aw, I really like the guy.”
“You liked him before I married him,” I say dryly.
“Technically, I liked the way he fought, not actually him.” She covers up the receiver. “It’s Nikki.”
“Is that Cade again?” I ask.
“Jed.”
“I’ll let you go. I don’t want him to—” I hear them wrestling over the phone.
“Sorry!” Molly screams in the background which means…
“Nik, get your head out of your ass. Our dad’s an asshole, so what? I’m a decent guy,” Jed says.
“That’s the argument you’re going with?” Molly says behind him.
“I am a good guy.”
“Um… you’re a great flirt,” Molly says. “Give me the phone. I’m the one who can talk sense into her.”
“No way. I’m her brother, we share the same dipshit father.”
They continue having their own conversation.
“I’m gonna go, you guys,” I say.
“Give the guy a chance,” Jed says. “Hell, give any guy a chance to prove you wrong. If Logan’s that bad of a guy, I’ll be here for you and I promise to pick you up and dust you off.”
“You should be offering to kick his ass if he breaks her heart,” Molly says.
“Have you seen the guy?” Jed asks incredulously.
“I’m fine, honestly. I just have to think this through.”
“Get out of your damn head and do what you want, regardless of the repercussions,” my brother says, then I hear them wrestling with the phone again.
“Hey, he’s gone now. Just look at your wedding photos, Nik. It’s all there.” Molly’s voice is genuine and heartfelt.
“Thanks.”
“Break’s over, Molly, get your ass out there.” Cade’s booming voice chimes in behind her.
“He must’ve gotten into a fight with Presley because he’s in a bad mood tonight. Gotta go. Call me if you need me again.”
I laugh. “I’ll be fine.”
“Just look, Nikki. I know it’s scary but have faith.”