“Agreed, but specifically. Has it been two years?” I found it a little disturbing that it had been so long. Logan was the kind of friend I could get together with no matter how long we’d been apart, and it was like we’d seen each other for the last time the day before. I was lucky, and I knew it.
“The last time I was in London maybe. I wasn’t in the city the last time you were in the States on business.” He shrugged and drank deeply from his beer before setting it down. “You have to tell me the full deal on Harry’s wedding and this new girl who seems to be creeping into your life.”
Warmth rushed up my neck to coat my cheeks. The last thing I wanted was for Logan to judge me for falling for Molly. Or maybe it was the sleeping with Molly part. Something had me on edge about all of it.
I shrugged. “I told you that Harry has turned into a complete asshole. I’m not sure when it happened as we’ve not really stayed in contact over the years, but somewhere along the way, he decided that cheating on his fiancée was a good idea.”
“That’s rotten.” Logan shook his head. “And especially right before the fucking wedding.”
“Right?” I leaned back in my chair, emotionally taking off a load. The rest of the evening was mine to do anything I wanted to do. Scary enough, all I could think about doing was finding Molly and dragging her into bed with me. Sex sounded lovely, but holding her close to me while I drifted off to sleep sounded even better.
The woman was quickly becoming my comfort, which wasn’t a good thing. She had a life to rebuild, and I wasn’t sure that she wanted me in it. Not that I could blame her. Her recent adventures in romance had done everything but literally rip her heart from her chest.
“And you helped his ex-fiancée out by letting her shack up with you?” His tone was even, but I didn’t like the insinuation. Molly was a great girl and only stayed because I pushed her to.
“Yeah, I did.” I tapped the table as my thought jumped from moment to moment with her. “I just couldn’t let her go back to America so torn up. She’s a unique woman for sure, and I believe that she was hurt by everything, but not devastated.”
“Really? Keep going.” He sat down and leaned toward me, his eyes filled with interest.
“Well, as fucked up as this is, I think their marriage was more of a business proposition than a real courtship.” I glanced down at my drink and continued. “I think she cared for Harry, and that they could have become something, but he was in a hurry to gain another tax deduction, and I think she enjoyed the idea of Europe and the security she thought he could provide.”
“That’s no reason to get married.” He shook his head. “My mom and dad married for practicality, and you know how that shit turned out.”
“Yeah. It didn’t.” I glanced up at him, turning the conversation back to Harry to keep Logan from dipping into the sadness of his childhood. His mom and dad divorced when he was little, and his mom took him to London, never to see his dad again.
It was great for me, because we became fast friends, but for him, it was hell. He worshiped his father. I was grateful that my dad stepped in and gave him a little bit of security, treating him like a son alongside me.
“So, do you think this is the first time that Harry cheated on the girl?” His eyebrow lifted sharply.
“No.” I rubbed my chest absently. “I think he’d done it many times before, but this time, her best friend from here in the States was there and caught him. I think having Peyton tell Molly about Harry cheating was the moment Molly had to own up to the fact that she was marrying a cock.”
“Wow.” He leaned back and gave me a quizzical look. “It seems so odd to me that she would allow him to get away with it before the wedding. Is she that desperate for security that she would ignore his faults, even those that would potentially ruin the marriage in the future?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “She’s a beautiful, talented, loving woman. I don’t know what she was thinking.”
“Oh, no.” He reached out and patted the table in front of me. “I know that look.”
“What look?” I finished my beer and got up, walking to the trash can and pitching it in. “Not sure what’s you’re talking about, old friend.”
“You’re falling for her. If I know anything, I know you.” He got up too as the doorbell rang. “That’s dinner. Don’t go anywhere. I want to dig a little into you falling for this woman.”
“All right, but no judging me. The heart doth want what it wants.” I glanced over my shoulder as he walked out of the kitchen, his voice carrying behind him as he made fun of my proper English.
Dinner sounded good, but the conversation that was sure to follow did not. Not in the slightest.
*
“Well, as I’ve said many times before, and I’ll say it again now,” Logan leaned back from the table and rubbed his stomach, “I’d never judge you. It’s impossible to look at someone’s situation and really understand the why’s and how’s. I won’t even try.”
“I appreciate that.” I ran the last bite of my garlic bread around my plate, sopping up the remaining tomato sauce from our lasagna. “I’m not sure how to explain it myself. She needed my help, and I stepped in with completely good intentions.”
“I don’t think you falling in love with her is a bad intention. It just happens.” He let out a contented sigh.
“You’re right. I certainly didn’t plan it.” I pursed my lips as the sound of Molly’s voice filled the inside of my skull. She wanted to know about my mother, and I’d denied her that one thing. It was too tender of a topic. “She asked about my mum.”
“Oh, yeah?” Logan looked a little surprised. “And what did you tell her?”
“That we would talk about it another time. I wasn’t ready to bring it up.”