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“You ever play with them?” I asked Jax.
Logan sighed quietly, and I became overly aware of his stiff shoulders and locked jaw. He definitely didn’t want to talk about it.
What was there? Whatever story he had, he wasn’t ready to share. Or maybe it wasn’t me he was worried about hearing, but his son.
“Nah, Logan wouldn’t allow it. Said I was too young.” He made a face. “I think he just didn’t want me to see how he lived it up—the cash he and Caleb made, and all the girls.”
I placed my hand over Logan’s in an attempt to soothe his unease. “Understandable. Caleb seems pretty happy now, between Hilary and Haven keeping him occupied,” I said, trying subtly to steer the conversation from poker.
It seemed to work. Logan’s expression softened, and he gave my hand a gentle squeeze.
“Yeah, Caleb’s happy…for now. He sure has a thing for your friend. I hope she doesn’t screw with him. Poor guy never even talked about settling down before her, huh Logan?”
Logan looked to me with a secret smile. “The right woman can change a man.”
Jax snorted. “Or ruin him. Caleb’s a tricky guy to pin down, but I do remember him once saying he wanted a little boy like Oliver here. Hope he gets that someday.”
My entire body stiffened. Where’s he going with this?
“Caleb’s nice,” Oliver threw out before shoving a giant piece of bread into his mouth. My giggle couldn’t be contained, but the anxiety from how far Jax would go still had me on edge.
“A family would do him good—settle him down in one place, finally,” Logan said.
One place. “You don’t think Caleb will stay in Harmony?” I asked casually, relieved I sounded unaffected by his statement since I was anything but. He couldn’t leave—ever.
Logan shrugged as he took a drink. “Hard to say, but I doubt it. He always gets bored eventually. Haven’s been good to him, though, so we’ll see.”
“Hilary’s worth sticking around for,” I reasoned. “He knows that.”
“Is she?” Jax prompted.
I lifted my chin slowly and held his amused gaze. He was toying with me.
“Absolutely,” I defended.
“She looked a little green around the gills when she was over this morning. And a little…what is it you girls call it…bloated?”
Game on!
“She looked beautiful, as always. The girl you had up in your room today, however…she looked—”
“You’re right, she looked beautiful!” Jax blew out, waving a figurative white flag.
A triumphant grin curled my lips as I raised my brows at him. Just try me, they said clearly.
“You had a girl over today?” Courtney asked, her voice low and hard.
My smile fell away. I felt bad for her, but it was for the best that she knew exactly what she was getting with Jax. I honestly thought she’d already known until I heard the abrupt screech of her chair as she jerked up and marched out. It was clear she wouldn’t be back.
“See ya later!” Julia called after her, her voice riddled with amusement.
“Don’t be a cow. You’re just jealous you got dumped,” Jax spat at his sister.
Dumped? Mark left her? No way!
She was the next one to fly up. “Screw you!” With a quick kiss to Oliver’s cheek, she grabbed her stack of books and headed out of the room.
I rested my elbow on the table, two fingers rubbing slow circles into my temples. I’d never again dream of what having siblings was like.
“Aunt Julia’s mad,” Oliver pointed out.
Logan explained to Oliver that she was fine. Their conversation bled into the background as my thoughts ran wild. Why would Mark dump her? He was lucky to land a girl like Julia to begin with. I'd figured she'd caught him cheating, but apparently I was wrong.
I leaned over to Logan. “Mark left her?” I asked softly.
Jax chuckled, eavesdropping. “I take it Logan didn’t fill you in on that, huh?”
“On what?” I asked, eyeing Logan for an explanation. He gave nothing away.
“Mark made his choice,” Logan said smoothly. “Julia will get over it.”
Get over what? Did Logan do something?
Before I could ask what that meant, an impish spark appeared in Jax’s eye. “Ah, yes, just like Hilary’s going to make a choi—”
“Drop it!” I snapped, slamming my palm down on the table.
I reared back, stunned at my own actions. A gasp from Oliver seized my attention, and when I looked to him, I winced at his wide doe eyes.
“I’m sorry,” I said breathlessly, ashamed. “I didn’t mean to yell.”
Oliver nodded, but looked to his father for reassurance. I shrank further into my seat. Where the hell had that come from? I never yelled like that.
“Dinner was delicious, little man. Thanks,” Jax said to Oliver as he stood, rueful eyes on me, before strolling out.
He was smart to duck for cover. I’d be having a very long, very loud conversation with him shortly.
Logan said nothing, the silence unbearable until his chair scooted away from the table. I couldn’t even look at him; all I felt was shame. Was he angry?
“Are you finished?”
I peered hesitantly up at cool eyes shielding profound emotions behind them. Did he mean with my dinner, or my out-of-line outburst?
“Yeah,” I mumbled, lifting my bowl. He stacked it on top of his own before standing and disappearing from the room with Oliver.
I sat sulking in my chair, my head in my hands. Logan didn’t return, and finally I realized I couldn’t sit there all night, as much as I felt rooted in place.
With a heavy head and slow strides, I passed through the foyer just as Julia was heading upstairs with her books. “Is Logan up there?” I asked.
She gave me a sympathetic smile and nodded. “Yeah, he’s giving Oliver a bath and getting him ready for bed.”
“Okay.” My head dropped again. He was mad, Oliver was scared, and I was ashamed—perfect ending to my first real West family meal. Did I just put the kibosh on the honeymoon phase of our relationship?
I slumped down in the armchair in his living room, refusing to leave before I’d apologized properly.
I waited for almost an hour, debating between going upstairs to apologize again to Oliver before he went to bed or going home. My head shook; leaving wouldn’t help matters. I’d messed up, I’d screamed at the dining-room table, and I needed to deal with the consequences.
When Logan came down with a frown on his face, I felt worse. How that was possible, I wasn’t sure, but it was the truth. He stood in the doorway, which felt miles away both physically and emotionally. Looked like our first fight as a couple was about to hit.
I stood nervously, my clammy hands clutched behind my back.
“I’m so sorry. Jax just had me rattled, and…” I sighed, composing myself. “I don’t know what happened. I swear I just snapped. That’s not like me. Is Oliver all right? Did I scare him?”
Logan nodded once. “He’s fine. Worried about you is all. I’d hoped you’d come up to see him to bed.”
My heart dropped. “Oh, I wanted to, but I thought…I didn’t want to make it worse. Is he still awake?” I moved forward.
