“Jojo. Hey.” I’m so damn excited to see her, she’s in my arms before I realize she might not want me hugging her. And ain’t that a kick to the nuts. I let her go and step back. “Sorry. Don’t know if you’re still sore oranything.”
She shakes her head. “I’m better.Thanks.”
“How’d you gethere?”
“Kat dropped meoff.”
When we get to the kitchen, Ethan and Tori bound over to give her gentle hugs. Zach tugs on my shirt, and I clear my throat. I don’t know why, but I’m nervous as hell at the thought of introducing the kid. It’s not fair that he gets any residual shade because his mother went off the deep end, though, and I’m really hoping Joey feels the sameway.
“This is our brother Zach. Zach, this is my… my best friend Joey.” I almost call her my girlfriend, but right now, I’m not sure she is. It’s gut-wrenching to think we might not work out, but I don’t want to pressureher.
I hold my breath as he grins up ather.
Her eyes soften. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Your brothers have said such wonderful things about you. I know they’re really happy to have you here on theranch.”
The kid looks like he falls in love with her a little.I know how that feels, buddy.Of course she put him at ease. I don’t know why I doubtedher.
After a few minutes of conversation, Joey leans over to me. “Can wetalk?”
“Of course.” My heart beats erratically, and I wipe my palms on myjeans.
When we reach the living room, she settles on the couch. I join her, anxious as hell to hear what she wants tosay.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been ready to talk. Mostly, I haven’t felt like myself. But thank you for the gifts. They’ve beenthoughtful.”
“I’m so relieved you’re feelingbetter.”
“Logan, I want you to know I’m not trying to punish you. I understand why you did what you did.” She sounds so resigned, the tone of her voice morose, and the hope in my chestdeflates.
“But?”
“But I’m not going to lie. It really hurt my feelings that you didn’t tell me about Zach. That you had a second job. That you were helping this… this woman. You have so many secrets, Logan.” Her eyes shift to the ground. “How can I trust younow?”
Fuck.
God, she’s right. Why would she trustme?
Her hands twist in her lap. “Samantha told me you went to her place on Sunday night after the pharmacy. She was telling the truth, wasn’tshe?”
One look at my face, and hers falls. But she has to know that Samantha made it sound salacious. “I went for Zach. She told me he was sick. I never touched her,Jo.”
“I figured. Eventually, I mean. I just… How could you do that, be there for her, and then not tell me? Spend time with her and then crawl into bed with me and not mention it. That’s what I can’tresolve.”
Isaiah was right. Joey needed to hear this fromme.
“Baby, I almost did so many times. Remember when I said there was some stuff I wanted to talk to you about? That day even. The morning we fucked likeanimals.”
She blushes. “I remember. Yes, you mentioned that right after you got texts from her and allowed me to thinkSamwas aguy.”
Fuck me. This is not going how I intended. “Babe, come on. I was going to tell you. I swear to God. Ask Isaiah.We—”
Her brows furrow. “You told Isaiah about Samantha? You wouldn’t tell me, but you toldIsaiah?”
Shit.
I close my eyes, hating that I didn’t have the good sense to confide in her. I could have warned her not to text me about it. Told her I was worried about someone finding out and concerned that Silas might hack her phone again. Why didn’t I trusther?
“It’s not like that. I got really drunk one night. I was so fucked up about my dad and about Zach, and worrying over how I’d tell my mom. And he happened to swing by. He found me completely shit-faced and prodded it out of me.” I sigh and rub the back of my neck. “That’s who I was talking to last winter. That conversation you overheard at the River Walk, the one that made you think I was calling you a burden. I was complaining to Isaiah aboutSamantha.”
