Page 10 of Breathless

She gives me a reassuring smile and then glances at the bedroom door behind her. “Didn’t mean to throw you under the bus earlier by having Logan pick you up, but Cody had an earache that wouldn’t go away, and I had to take him to thepediatrician.”

“It’s okay. I appreciate the ride. Is Codyokay?”

After she assures me Cody is fine, she studies me a second. “Did you guys talk on the way overhere?”

I know she wants Logan and me to resolve our issues, which are basically my issues. “Not really. He kinda said we could let bygones be bygones, and we left things atthat.”

Nodding, she reaches for me and gives me a big hug. “I’m not pushing you one way or the other, but I do think you’ll feel better if you tell him what happened and clear theair.”

When she lets me go, we sit at the edge of her bed. “You’re probably right, but if I tell him what happened at Christmas, then I have to tell him everything else, and that’s hard for me. It’s embarrassing.” And pathetic. I’m quiet for a moment. “I didn’t mean to hurt him when I left. I was upset andconfused.”

“I was upset when you told me what happened too. It’s a miracle I didn’t maim him on your behalf.” She gives me another reassuring squeeze. “And you don’t have to be embarrassed. You feel how you feel. There’s no shame in caring about your best friend. You have the biggest heart of anyone I know, and he’s damn lucky to have you by hisside.”

My face flames, and I laugh awkwardly. Sometimes I still feel like that gawky teenager who doesn’t always know how to talk topeople.

“If I haven’t told you lately, I’m really honored to be in your wedding.” I bump her shoulder with mine. “Thank God Logan made Ethan hire you that summer.” Tori and I became fast friends when she came to work at the ranch two yearsago.

“If you’d told me on the day I interviewed that I’d be marrying Ethan Carter, I’d have laughed in yourface.”

She swears she hated him when they met, but I think it was lust at first sight with a heaping side ofdenial.

“And now you’re gettingmarried!”

We look at each other and squeal likemaniacs.

While my own love life is a train wreck, I couldn’t be happier for Tori and Ethan. Tori is like a sister, and Ethan’s always treated me better than my ownbrother.

Our powwow is interrupted when Mila calls for her in the otherroom.

“I gotta go make sure no one is burning down the house, but are you sure you’re okay with myclothes?”

“Sure. Yeah.” I mean, I think Iam.

“Trust me when I say you look beautiful.” She trots off with my soiled shirt and shorts to toss them in the laundry, and I take a minute to wash my hands and face in the bathroom because I feel grimy after that busride.

Staring at my reflection, I tug on my top to stretch it a little. I work out enough that I’m toned everywhere I should be, but showing this much skin makes me nervous from years of being told horrible things by myparents.

I shake my head, hating that I’m being dramatic. Tori wears tanks all the time, and she looks fine. My boobs aren’tthatmuch bigger. I just… won’t bend over. And I’ll probably be sitting most of the time for dinner this evening, so it’s not like anyone will even notice myrear.

I can do this. No one here cares what I’mwearing.

I almost smile at the rebellion. If my father could see me now, he’d break out his shotgun to scare off any boys who looked in mydirection.

Of course, he’d have to actually be here to dothat.

And degenerate fathers who ditch their families don’t get a say in what their daughterswear.

Straightening my shirt, I make up mymind.

I’m done living by other people’srules.

5

Logan

We’re shootingthe shit in the kitchen, sitting around the bar when, three big gulps into my iced tea, Ichoke.

What is Joeywearing?

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