Page 65 of Consuming Logan

Graham stayed quiet. Logan waited for him to say something witty. His best friend, much like Lina, could be counted upon to lighten the mood in the most dire of situations.

“Shit,” Graham hissed, “are you going to be able to perform a surgery again?”

Well, wasn’t that a kick in the wrinkled sac? Logan did not feel giddy in the least.

Holding up a half empty bourbon bottle, Logan gestured to Graham.

“Why not?” came the response.

Reaching for two tumblers, Logan poured them each a finger of the amber spirit.

Being a little taken aback to have yet another physician question if he’d ever return to the operating room, Logan tipped his glass. “Here’s to the unknown.”

They both downed the liquid in one continuous swallow. Logan gave a slow release relishing the burn, while Graham frowned.

“I don’t know how you and your mom drink this stuff. Its battery acid minus the jumpstart.”

“Speak for yourself,” Logan jibed, pouring himself another finger or two.

Graham’s expression sobered. “How’s Ava and the baby?”

Logan gulped his drink, and then slammed the glass on the counter. “Babies.”

“No way.” Graham said, eyes wide.

Logan tilted his head. “Oh, there’s definitely a way. We found it and deposited not one, but two babies along the trail.”

Graham choked. “Oh man, talk about rub a duck, duck. Congratulations, Logan. You deserve this.” Yeah, right. “How you doing with the news? Any old skeletons rearing their head?” Logan heard the concern in his friend’s voice. “Does Ava know about Brooke, the baby, and the rumors?”

Logan knew where the conversation was going. Brooke and Dusty. Not wanting to engage or be drawn into a discussion about former lovers and friends, telling her about Brooke’s infidelity would only raise more questions. Questions no one could answer.

“Not going there with you.” The bourbon kept the lid tight and sealed on all that old garbage. Logan scooped the mail from the counter and started thumbing through the letters.

Bill, bill, bill. Ava managed all the household accounts, so he rarely noticed which bills they had or what needed to be paid. It amazed him how dependent he’d become on having her in his life. Shit, what would he do if he ever lost her? He’d die. Even if he still drew breath, he’d be a dead man walking.

He stopped. One letter was addressed to him with no return address. Curious he opened it, unfolding the single eight and a half by eleven. At first the message didn’t make sense, and then the message became crystal clear. Slowly ice formed in his bloodstream.

“Logan?” The air began to burn in his lungs. Blood pounded in his veins. “What is it?”

He turned the letter so Graham could read the one line.

YOU CAN’T HAVE HER EITHER.

Graham jerked like he’d been punched. “Shit, man. This have something to do with what happened between you and Dusty?”

Could Brooke’s lover, his former best friend, have had a hand in the attack?

“Graham stop bringing up old shit. People barely remember I was with Brooke.”

“Well, somebody clearly does.”

“There’s another explanation.” There had to be. Otherwise, who would come after Ava because of his tragedy with Brooke?

“Dusty disappeared after those rumors surfaced, he was a suspect in the car accident. What if the rumors were true, Logan? You need to figure out the connection between the past and present, my friend.”

Logan thought the same thing. He’d lost Brooke, but no one would take his Ava.

Chapter 25