Page 35 of Knowing Amelia

“Okay.” I hold up my hands to stop him. “Got it.”

Logan gives me one beat before changing the subject. “So, how long do you think you’ll stay?”

“Not long. I just wish what I want to do and what I should do could be the same—for once in my life.”

Shifting into reverse, he asks, “And that means?”

I slouch against the old vinyl of Logan’s truck. “I want to stay. I can see myself staying here… for I don’t know how long. A while. But my responsibilities, Ben, my family… I should go home and work.”

“Why is it wrong for you to stay here? Why should you go home?”

“That’s what I’ve committed to do.”

“Yeah, but things change. Your grandmother died. You inherited a house. Your situation has changed. You have two choices: stay or go. Neither is a bad choice or a wrong choice. If you want to stay, then maybe that’s the right choice for you. No one can tell you that but yourself. Not even your dad. Not even your best pal Ben.”

He makes it sound easy. How does his brain work? Logan just goes around making sense of chaos? Turning mountains into speed bumps.

I blow out a tired breath. “You are an interesting person, Logan.”

But that only makes him laugh. “Thanks. I think.”

Fifteen

“I normally shop in Cody once a month,” Logan says as I reread the price of eggs. “Really, Farmer’s isn’t that bad. Joe—the owner—he’s got to make a living too. And he’s good about taking people’s tabs and billing them later.”

“Not knowing how long I’ll be here makes shopping more difficult.” I’m still deciding if I want to spend an obscene amount on half a dozen eggs. As well as if I’m going to call Ben to tell him I need a few more days. “Why don’t you grab your things and I’ll get mine? I’ll meet you at the front?” There’s no sense in him waiting on me.

“Sure.” He snatches up the carton I’ve been staring at and heads down the next aisle.

I skip the overpriced eggs and move on to the staples, like Cap’n Crunch, wheat bread, and milk. But Farmer’s doesn’t carry Cap’n Crunch. The cereal aisle isn’t even an aisle. It’s a stand in the corner. I settle on the chocolaty goodness Logan brought me that morning. I move on to peanut butter and choke back a curse word at the price. Costly strawberry jam ought to wrap things up. This will do for another day or two. At least Logan won’t have to provide every meal for me. I can live on PB&J and cereal until Ben comes or I find my way home.

I scan over my cart, feeling the eyes of a stranger on me. It’s not the first time I’ve caught the woman looking. But whenever I make eye contact, her lips twitch and her eyes fall to the ground.

I walk over to Logan as he searches the cold lunchmeat. “Hey.”

“Did you find everything?”

Ignoring his question, I give a slight jerk of my head in the woman’s direction. “See that lady?”

“Marlene?” he questions, peering over, then he lifts his hand and waves hello. She gives an erratic wave in return.

I slap the man’s hand down. “What are you doing?” I whisper.

His gaze drops to mine. “I’m waving to Marlene.”

“Why is Marlene staring at me?”

“Oh, that. Liv, you’re new. This isn’t a big city or even some small town of twelve thousand. This is Rendezvous, population of three hundred thirty-three⁠—”

“I thought it was thirty-two.”

The left side of his mouth pulls up. “Yeah, but my friend Callie is having a baby soon.” His head dips, his eyes on mine. “The point is, you stick out. She’s probably trying to figure out how to approach you.”

Before I can protest, Marlene inches her way over to us. “Hi there, Logan,” she says, but her eyes dart to me.

“Hey, Marlene. How are you?”

“Very well. Thank you. I didn’t get a chance to meet your friend yesterday.” She smiles at me.