He shrugs, drinking his beer. “It happens, right? Life doesn’t always go according to plan.”
No. It doesn’t.
This man will be fine, I can tell. The sadness isn’t fully there, having already been over the fact.
I go to open my mouth, to give him more sympathetic words, but a shadow casts down over us. Not sure how, but I knew who that shadow belonged to.
Martin chats about something else, changing the subject of his divorce, but I’m too lost in Logan to pay attention. “You know what I mean?” Martin finishes.
Logan drops money on the counter for the bartender as he lingers on the other side of Martin.
“I’m sorry. What was that?” I ask, darting my focus back to him.
He laughs, continuing, but I peer back at my brooding neighbor, who is now leaning elbows onto the bar counter. He’s pretending like I’m not even here.
“What do you do for work?”
My eyes fall back on Martin. It’s awkward now, Logan being too much of a distraction as I trace him up and down from what I can see over the talkative stranger.
I’m mentally cursing myself for getting into these situations.
“I’m a baker at the café around the corner.”
“Is that right? Are your desserts as sweet as you?”
A low growl rumbles from Logan, and a chuckle from Lana sounds in my ear. No doubt she’s listening to this entire conversation taking place. Martin is oblivious, still focusing all his energy on me.
I let out a playful laugh. “People say they’re delicious.” I take a drink wearing a faint smile, noticing Logan shifting where he stands.
I’m playing with this man and maybe it’s the wrong thing to do.
Martin straightens with confidence like he just scored a point, and Logan sets down his beer calmy, but I don’t miss the slight twitch of his hand on the bottle before releasing it.
He leans down, fully facing this guy who is still talking. “You’re in my seat.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, watching the exchange.
Martin turns slowly, eyes rising, then gets up, squaring off with my much bigger and taller neighbor. “You weren’t sitting here, man. What the hell is your deal?”
Logan’s menacing glare burns through him. “Get lost.”
With a little effort, Martin glances at me. My sympathetic smile being all the hint he requires before he leaves.
A satisfied Logan takes the recently vacated stool.
“Why did you do that? We were just talking.”
His intense stare meets mine, sending a thrill through me. “Why aren’t you answering my texts or calls?”
Ahh. That.
It wasn’t fair to him, but somehow crawling into a shell was the only way to cope. “I needed some time to process.”
“Yeah? Well, while you wereprocessing,I had to wonder if you were okay.” He mocks me, taking a sip of his beer, then taking interest on the wall in front of him.
“If I wanted time alone, I don’t need to explain myself. Especially not toyou.” Not sure why I emphasize thatpart. Besides Lana, Logan has been my rock here.
“That’s a selfish way to deal with your problems.”
