Logan frowns. “That’s boring. I’m asking for handcuffs.” He winks at Taylor.
She shakes her head. “I thought we already had some.”
He shrugs. “Can you ever have enough?”
Sam is laughing, but holds her hand up. “I’m going to be boring and say the same as Mason.”
Mark leans forward. “I’m going to ask for a truce between my girlfriend and mom. They’re still fighting.”
Cass rolls her eyes. “Aren’t you supposed to take my side?”
Logan shoots at her, “You got a ring yet?”
She glowers.
He smirks. “Exactly.”
If you could only take 1 person, 1 book, and 1 CD to a deserted island, who and what would it be?
Mason shrugs. “I’d take Sam.”
“Hey!”
He adds, “You’d take Taylor and you know it.”
“Still. I have to protest under the banner of protesting. It’s my right.”
The interviewer asks Mason, “And a book? A CD?”
He shrugs. “I’d probably take a journal instead of a real book, and maybe...some Otis Taylor.”
Logan jerks forward. “I’m taking Taylor, Fifty Shades of Grey, and Beyonce’s last album.”
Taylor raises her eyebrows. “Beyonce?”
“I’ve always liked Lemonade.” He winks at her.
She sighs, then answers, “I would take Logan, the first Harry Potter book, and I’m going to mix it up with Adele’s 21 album.”
Mark yelps, shooting a fist in the air. “Yeah! Fire to the Rain!”
Sam laughs. “I’d take Mason. The last JD Robb novel, and I’d take the last Avicii album.”
The interviewer turns to Mark.
“Oh!” Mark leans forward. “Yes. I’d take,” he frowns. “Shit. Yeah. I’d take Cass--”
“Took long enough to answer that.”
He ignores her. “--and I would take the second Harry Potter book, and also Adele’s 21 album.”
The interviewer looks at Cass.
Logan waves an arm. “Does she even matter? Really?”
“You’re an asshole.”
He laughs. “I have something to say, but out of respect to Mark, I’m actually keeping quiet. For once.”
Bungee jumping or skydiving?
“Skydiving, hell yes.” Logan looks to Mason, who nods.
Mason adds, “For sure.” He grins at the interviewer. “We’ve already done bungee jumping.”
“And it was awesome, but bring on the fake flying! Fuck yes. It’s time to soar. Right, Sam? Right?”
She frowns at him. “No. Not this time. No fake flying for either of you. You can bungee jump, but that’s it. I’m not risking losing either of you. Shit.” She shudders. “We’ve been over this, haven’t we?”
Taylor speaks, her voice firm, “I agree with Sam. No flying.” She locks eyes with Logan. “Unless it’s in the bedroom, you ain’t going nowhere, buddy.”
He groans, then grins. “I’m kind of turned on right now.”
Mason what would you give Sam on Valentine’s Day?
He doesn’t think. He answers right away, “We’d go to my mom’s villa in France. I’d hire a masseuse. A private chef. She’d have any alcohol she wanted…” He trails off and looks at her. “You’d probably want to go on a long run that day, right?”
She nods, beaming. “Is that okay?”
He sighs. “I’d have to go with you.”
She nods again. “On Valentine’s Day? You bet.” She leans over and kisses his cheek. “But we could enjoy the pool at your mom’s villa.”
Sam: Which would be harder for you to give up: coffee or running?
“Running.”
Logan laughs. “She tried giving up coffee, and that only made her run more.” He snorts. “Figure out the irony there.”
Sam shrugs. “Running.”
Logan: What do you want your tombstone to say?
“He partied hard. He lived hard. He sexed hard. Now he’s going to haunt hard.” He winks.
Who would Sam snog, marry or avoid out of Brandon, Channing, or Jackson?
“Snog Brandon, though that makes me uncomfortable saying. I’d avoid Channing, because he’s Heather’s.”
She grins at Heather, who mutters under her breath, “Damn straight. I love my girl.”
Sam finishes, “And I’d marry Jackson.” She turns to Mason. “I’m sorry.”
And out of Quinn, Logan, or Nate?
“Avoid Quinn!” She groans. “I can’t answer. They’re both family to me. I just can’t. I plead the 5th!”
Logan says, “I’d snog and marry Nate.”
“Thank you, Logan. I appreciate that.”
“Anytime, my husband.” He winks.
How much did Analise know about Samantha having horrible friends?
“She totally knew!” Logan bursts out. “I don’t care what Sam might say. Analise totally fucking knew, and that made her even worse.”
Mason nods.
Everyone is nodding.
Sam just says, “Yeah…”
For Logan. If you could be Mason, Nate, or Sam for a day who would you be?
“I would be Sam for a day when she’s hanging out with the girls. One, I’d like to see what it’s like to run a freaking marathon and two, I think the girls have a lot of fun. I think they hide it from us sometimes.” He looks at Sam, then Heather. “Right? Taylor always looks like she had really great sex every morning after a night out with you guys. What do you all do?”
Taylor barks out a laugh. “Not sex! Logan! That’s cheating.”
He shrugs. “I still want to know. You have this glow. I’m jealous of it. So yeah.” He nods to the interviewer. “I pick Sam, but no screwing my brother. She can’t see Mason that day. Or me. I have to be annoying sometimes.”
AN ALTERNATE BEGINNING THAT WAS CUT
“We’ve set the date! We’re getting married this June.”
This was an announcement that should’ve been received with smiles, cheer, congratulations, the usual merriment. As my mother proclaimed her news over the dinner table, none of that happened. Silence. Pure, awkward, and dread-filled silence filled the room. No one said a thing and for that, I was grateful. Mason sat beside me. Logan was across from me. Mark. Malinda. David. And James. We were all here. The two families, and Analise had thrown that out. She was beaming. Her smile spread from ear to ear, and for a second, my usual loathing for her lessened. She truly was happy. Everyone was waiting for me. I was her daughter. Mason and Logan would follow me in whatever direction I wanted to go, if I wanted to be happy or sarcastic, and I sat there, utterly having no idea how to react.
Malinda cleared her throat. She leaned forward, a timid smile on her face. “Well, congratulate--”
“Fuck this.”
All eyes went to Logan, whose lips were twisted in a glare. His eyes locked on his dad’s and he leaned forward, his hands holding onto the table like he was keeping himself in his chair. “Are you kidding us?”
James’s eyebrow knitted together. “I don’t know why you’re responding like this. She’s been home for a year now. What were you expecting?”
“Maybe to let us know privately.”