Page 62 of Oblivious Roommate

“Logan?”

I wish I had a scarf, but then I’d be half naked and wearing a scarf in the house, which would look even more ridiculous. “Um, yeah, stuff kinda… happened,” I mumble. At least I don’t have a boner, because I was on the verge of one before he announced his presence.

“It’s been brewing for a while, I assume,” Logan says in a flat voice and places a canvas bag on the floor. “I brought back the plant you gave me. I think it’s better off here,” he says when his eyes meet Cassian’s.

“It’s not like tha—” Cass says.

Logan stops him by placing his index finger across his own mouth. “It is exactly like that, whether you want to acknowledge that or not. You started pulling away from me as soon as he arrived.”

I groan because he’s got a point. I can’t even hate him for it anymore. “Listen, I was figuring stuff out…”

Logan shakes his head. “I didn’t ask for your life story.”

Harsh. But fair.

I raise my hands in surrender. “I’m sorry I raided your house. That was not cool.”

His lips turn into a thin line. “Not cool at all.”

His discomfort is obvious, so I don’t prod as he takes a step back, leaving the plant on our doorstep. He hands Cass the spare keys.

“Will we see you at the party tonight?” Cassian asks, but I think we both know the answer before Logan shakes his head.

“No, I have other plans.”

I sizzle in my discomfort. “Logan? No hard feelings? I really didn’t mean to be such a shit.” I dare to offer him my hand.

For the longest time, he stares at it like it’s a turd, but eventually gives it a curt squeeze.

“Good luck,” he says and turns around.

He makes quite a dramatic picture, walking away like that, with swagger in his shoulders and the cowboy hat a little tilted to the side.

Chapter 22

Kai might treat the entire world as the arena to display his bright personality, but tonight the counter of Rainbowology has to suffice. Still, despite the narrow width of his impromptu stage, the birthday boy bounces back and forth as he screams the words of a new Korean smash hit into the microphone. Quinta stands on the floor behind him with eyes wide as saucers, going rigid and lifting her arms each time Kai steps a bit too far back. He must trust that famous luck of his a bit too much.

She’d try to grab him if he fell, and I’m glad handling a drunk dude is not my responsibility. I might change my tune if Cass gets too much booze in him though.

We’ve barely arrived, but the party is already in full swing. I don’t know if I’m relieved or disappointed that we haven’t been noticed yet. On one hand, I’m nervous about being out in public with another man, but on the other, I can’t wait to boast about my date. A true conundrum as Aaron might call it.

But with the dress code demanding everyone wears pastel hues, we kind of melt into the crowd in our identical pale blue shirts—a two-pack from Walmart I got earlier today. The decorations are all so bright and bedazzled I suspect Kai has made them all himself, but the low light tones them down a bit. It also hides the way I touch Cass.

I’m not sure what to think. It’s almost as if I’m both out and not at the same time.

When Kai finishes his song, the music turns into an instrumental background for everyone singing ‘Happy Birthday’. Levi walks out from the back with a large white sheet cake covered in colorful sprinkles and a large 20 written with colorful icing. Bright dots erupt from a sparkler when Levi flicks a lighter close to it. He puts the cake next to Kai who sits on the counter, and we all clap once the song’s over.

When my eyes briefly meet Levi’s, I’m certain he notices how close I am to Cass and lower my gaze without thinking, only to scold myself for it. Really? Levi would call my behavior childish. He probably already thinks that about me, but there’s nothing I can do to amend that after telling him to break my leg, and then crying in front of him and asking if I can use his phone to call my mom.

“Aww, you shouldn’t have,” Kai says into the mic, and I look up in time to see him kissing Levi’s hand with a bright smile. He has glitter on his cheeks, and it transfers to his boss’s skin.

Levi just laughs and pulls on one of Kai’s powder-blue ponytails. “You better eat it all, because you know how I feel about leftovers.”

Going by how skinny Kai is, he will have to feed at least a piece to every single guest if this cake is to disappear.

“You didn’t call me yesterday,” someone says right behind me, and it takes my mind a full second to realize that it’s Aaron. Appearing out of nowhere as usual.

He’s not wearing pastel colors, but he did make an effort by putting on all of his beigiest clothes. In contrast, the glittery party hat on top of his head is almost too loud in its shade.