Page 80 of Yours To Hold
Grabbing a beer, I sit on the couch opposite Logan. Its layout is identical to Gramps’s house, except no upstairs. The kitchen and living room are in the center of the house with a bedroom and bathroom on each side. I know Logan likes it because he has his own space away from my brother and Nash.
Logan pins me with a look, sipping from his own drink. “But when have we seen you outside of the bar lately?”
“I’m sorry the single dad life doesn’t work for your busy schedule.”
“Yet, we’ve never had trouble getting you to come over for guys’ night before.” Peter drops onto the loveseat with Nash.
Sometimes I really hate how observant family can be. Before, it used to be if I wasn’t at the bar, I’d be at home with Willow.
I grab a piece of popcorn off the table and chuck it at Peter. “Maybe if you weren’t so damn busy with your music festival, I’d have some time away from the bar.”
“Hey! Blame Nash!”
“Why me?” Nash throws his hands up in defense. “I told you that you didn’t have to help.”
“If I wasn’t helping, I’d never get to see you anymore.” Peter drops down into his lap. “You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
I’d be grossed out by their level of affection, but Peter was a moody bastard until Nash came back into his life.
“Willow wanted to have a girls’ night with Gemma and Ivy before she gets her tonsils out on Monday.”
“Shit. She has to have it done?” Logan asks.
“She does. She’s scared of hospitals.”
“Fuck,” Logan mutters. “Is it because of me?”
I nod. I don’t want to lie to him, but ever since Logan came home, she’s been scared of them because he’s been in and out of them for surgeries to repair his leg.
“I can talk to her if you need me to,” Logan says. “Hand me a beer.”
“She’ll be okay. That’s why she wanted Ivy and Gemma over tonight.”
“Anything going on with you two?” Peter asks. He eyes me like he knows something.
What might he know? I have no idea. I’ve been careful, never wanting to mention Ivy’s name for fear of someone picking up on what’s going on between the two of us.
“She’s Willow’s nanny.”
“So?” Nash asks.
I wave a finger between the two of them. “Do you two share the same brain now?”
“We’ve all been thinking it,” Logan agrees, taking a long pull on his beer.
“I don’t know where you fuckers think I’d have time to have a girlfriend. I’m either at the bar or with Willow.”
“But you could date someone,” Peter says. “Just not Ivy.”
“I’m not dating Ivy.”
“Good,” Logan agrees. “There was a huge thing in high school because one of Gemma’s friends liked me before I left for college and spread a bunch of rumors then ended up sleeping with Gemma’s boyfriend.”
Jesus. Now I feel like a shitty brother because Logan knew about this and I didn’t.
“Nothing is going on.”
The lie tastes like lead coming out of my mouth.
