Page 37 of Game On

I needed to get out of this house and away from all her passive-aggressive looks and noises. It was getting on my nerves.

I put the curling iron back underneath the sink and swore silently when the doorbell rang. I checked my phone and saw he had texted, but I hadn’t seen it in time. Great, now Logan had to deal with my mother.

I ran down the steps, trying to head her off, but no such luck. My jaw dropped when I saw my mom laugh at something he said. Logan’s smile was infectious, and he was already charming the pants off of her.

Logan wore a cream-colored cashmere sweater and dark wash jeans that looked painted on his thick thighs. He had cleaned up his beard and styled his bright red hair to perfection. What right did he have to look that damn good for a non-date? Frankly, it was rude.

I wondered if I was dressed up enough. I assumed we’d go to whatever hole-in-the-wall Mexican place he could find and had dressed casual for the occasion in jeans, a camisole, and a loose plaid cardigan. He looked like he might take me somewhere fancy.

“Hey, you look great,” he told me as he noticed me for the first time.

“Lily, I can’t believe you haven’t introduced me to this young man.”

“Mom, this is Logan. Mari works for him now. He plays with Veronica’s boyfriend on the hockey team.”

Mom snapped her fingers. “That’s why you look so familiar!”

Logan smiled from ear to ear. “That’s me.”

He was being so charming. What was happening?

I grabbed my jacket, and Logan helped me into it. He lifted my hair over the collar in a gentlemanly move I hadn’t expected.

“Have fun, you two!” Mom said in a voice that made me think a changeling had replaced her. My passive-aggressive mom had just been so judgmental to me, but upon meeting Logan, she did a complete one-eighty. Logan was nice, but he wasn’t that charismatic.

“I’ll have her home by midnight, Ms. Mathews,” Logan said to my mom.

Mom waved him off. “You have her home when you’re ready. Mari’s got the kids. You take all the time you need.”

What the heck? Who was this woman, and where had my mom gone?

Logan led me over to the door, and we walked out together. I was still reeling from how my mom acted like a completely different person in front of him. It made little sense.

“What’s wrong?” Logan asked as we walked over to his car.

“Nothing.”

“You sure? Your mom seemed nicer than how you spoke about her.”

I frowned. “I don’t know who that woman was, but that was not my mother.” I eyed him suspiciously. “You don’t have secret ginger powers, do you?”

He laughed and opened the driver’s side door. “Nope! Get in the car — let’s roll.”

I got into his car, and we drove off. “Where are we going?”

“Rittenhouse Square. Benny recommended a place that has authentic food.”

“The best places are those little hole-in-the-wall places with fluorescent lighting.”

He laughed and rubbed his bearded jaw. “I don’t disagree with you, but I wanted to treat you to something nice. I know Liam was a handful, and you really helped me out.”

“He’s such a sweetheart.” I reached out and put a hand on his thigh. “Whatever you think, you’re doing great raising him.” He nodded, and I pulled my hand away from his thigh, sensing his nerves. “Thanks for the night out, though. It’s nice to get out and be kid-free once in a while.”

He grinned at me but continued to drive into Center City.

When we got to Rittenhouse Square, Logan found a parking garage to park his car. We got out and walked over to the restaurant.

The exterior was a beautiful historical craftsman style-building, like most of the architecture on this side of the city. Logan held the door open for me, and we walked inside. The interior was as beautiful as the outside, but this place was fancy, and I felt underdressed.