Home for the Holidays

My thoughts are interrupted by a loud noise that sounds from outside of the house. Unsure of what the hell is happening, I immediately go to Angel and pull her behind me. I swear I can feel her silently shaking with laughter against my back.

“A. You’re late. You coming or not?” a female voice yells from outside. I walk over to the window and look down to see a blond woman set to haul what looks to be another rock at the house. “Is that a guy in your bedroom? What the hell, A?” I turn to look at Angel, who can no longer hold herself together. She is now laughing out loud, and hearing those sounds makes a warm feeling hit my chest. Heartburn? No, heartburn doesn't feel good.

“Logan, meet my best friend Carey,” she says seconds before she steps around me to get to the window and throws it open. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“You have a lot of explaining to do!” Carey shouts as Angel closes the window. She turns to look at me.

“I’ll see you in an hour. There will be food and coffee in the kitchen, so help yourself. I have to bring Carey up to date before she blows up all of our plans because she will if I don’t get down there. Think you can survive my family for a little?” Those plump kissable lips of hers form into a smirk. Little does she know that my family is a bunch of life-sucking vampires so I can survive anything hers throws at me. She doesn't let me answer. “See you later.” I watch as she picks up her bag and heads out of the bedroom door, leaving me alone. Something I usually enjoy.

It only makes me want to get her back to my place sooner. Where I can lock her up in my house with me and throw away the key.11Angel“What the hell is going on?” Carey says the second I step out the front door. I guess she is one of the few that hasn't seen the article online. It’s not super surprising. “I can’t…” She stops talking, her eyes looking past me. I glance over my shoulder to see my brother standing there.

“We’re going for coffee,” I tell him.

“Carey,” he says by way of greeting. She gives him a smile back. “Didn’t know you were back home.” Carey has lived next door to us since middle school.

“Take the car,” Logan says, appearing behind my brother before Carey can answer him.

“I can drive,” Carey says, holding up the keys to her truck.

“You might as well let my driver take you or he’ll have to follow. Security.”

“Security?” Carey asks before I can.

“Yes, Angel must have forgotten. It can be one of the downsides to marrying a Duncan.”

“Those are adding up quickly,” my brother mutters. I open my mouth but close it.

“Take the car, sweetness. Nick can take you.”

“Okay.” I nod in agreement. I want to ask five million questions, but I can’t because these are things I should know if Logan is my fiancé. I expect Carey to start asking questions, but she too has shut her mouth and only follows me to Logan’s car. The driver opens the door for us, and we slip inside. When the door closes behind us, Carey seems to snap out of whatever trance she was in. She always seems to get that way when Beau is around.

“What the hell is going on?” I open my mouth and suddenly remember the stupid paper Kelly had made me sign on the plane. The non-disclosure agreement. To be honest I’m not sure what that fully entails, but I’m sure it means that I need to keep our deal to myself. I should have asked more questions, but Logan was asking me about my life.

“I don’t know if I can talk about it.” Carey stares at me. I said those words, but I knew there was no way I’d be able to keep the details from her. I mean, she’s my best friend. We tell each other everything. “Okay, I’ll tell you, but it’s a secret.”

“Are you being serious right now? Like I would tell your business to anyone.”

“Right. Sorry.” So I spill. All of it.

“You got it on in your bedroom with your parents down the hallway?”

My face blooms with heat. It shouldn’t. I tell Carey everything. I was still a little shocked about that too. It had been intense. But there was this pull I felt when it came to Logan. One that I don’t fully understand yet.

“I think I’m catching feelings,” I admit. It feels good to get those words out in the open. I don’t know anything about men, or dating, or sex for that matter. I’m drowning when it comes to Logan.

“I don’t blame you. The man is hot.” Carey is looking down at her phone, and I have no doubt she is digging into Logan as we speak.