Page 26 of Breathless

With a pained groan, he holds up his hand. “Hold up there, Bitsy. That’s, um, that’s not for Tori.” He winces. “Those are things she wanted me to getyou.”

“Because I need tampons? Because she’s worried about my flow?” I’m laughing as his face turns redder and redder. “Wow, there is a first time for everything. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blushbefore.”

“I’m not blushing. Men don’tblush.”

“Whatever. Your face is overheating, and it’s hysterical.” I glance around at the store, biting my lower lip to stop smiling. I’m almost too shocked by the list to be embarrassed. “Can you please explain what’s goingon?”

He takes off his baseball cap and thrusts his hand into his hair, making it stand up on top. It’s adorable. “Tori thought that since you couldn’t get your stuff from your grandmother’s house you might need some essentials. Toiletries. Underwear. You know, since you probably haven’t heard fromSilas.”

My smile drops. “Oh.” I drop my head and stare at my flip-flops, a rush of emotion hitting me. “No, I haven’t heard from mybrother.”

How pathetic is that? The only member of my immediate family in the state of Texas has completely deserted me. Even if Silas is a turd on most days, the little girl in me who always looked up to him iscrushed.

This is bad karma. I blew off Logan. Now Silas is blowing me off. My heart hurts overboth.

Things with my brother are probably a lost cause. Silas does what he wants, and that’s that. He’s just like our father, who never gave a damn about anyone buthimself.

As for Logan, after what he said yesterday, I’m even more confused in some ways. Did I misunderstand that conversation I overheard lastwinter?

“Hey.” Logan lifts my chin. “Let’s unpack the ‘Silas is a shithead’ issue later. Tori said girls like shopping and that retail therapy is supposed to make you fart rainbows orsomething.”

I don’t expect to laugh, especially when I’m feeling this low, but that’s the effect he has onme.

“I do like shopping, and I could use a few things, but you don’t have to do this with me. If you’d prefer to drop me off and come back in an hour, that’s fine. I could meet you out front when I’m done. I’m sure you have more important errands torun.”

“Nope. My only goal tonight is to make sure you have everything you need for three days at thebeach.”

I’m way too excited about what that couldmean.

Spending time with Logan during my visit is the worst idea ever, because when sweet, thoughtful Logan comes out to play, I melt into a puddle ofgoo.

It’s moments like this over the years that endeared him to me even when I knew I shouldn’t get too attached. Because the second I hear about him sneaking off with some random girl, my heart will getpulverized.

Because Logan will eventually get that itch, and he has several women sniffing around who would be more than happy to scratchit.

I school my features and force that treacherous thought out of my mind. For now, for tonight, I want to enjoy hanging out with my best friend. Before everything blows up in my face. Because itwill.

“Plus,” he says, tugging on a strand of my hair, “this is my treat, so go crazy. Buy the whole store. Make me regret that time I shoved mud down your shirt when you were akid.”

Laughing, I nudge him out of the way and push the cart. “No way you’re paying. I can afford to get myself some toiletries, for Pete’s sake.” I think. “Although that was a mean thing to do. The mud was cold. Why’d you do it anyway?” He never would give me a straightanswer.

I stop the cart in front of a wall of swimsuits. Lordy, I hate squeezing my body into shiny strips ofspandex.

His footsteps stop right behind me. “You asked me what a boner was in front of JessicaHolliday.”

I spin around. “I did no suchthing.”

“Did too, you littleperv.”

Suddenly, the memory is crystal clear. Cringing, I shrug. “I might have, but honestly, I didn’t even know what a boner wasthen.”

His eyebrows lift. “Exactly. You didn’t know it was embarrassing for a thirteen-year-old boy in front of hiscrush.”

“Aww.” I reach up and pat his chest. “Young love thwarted before itbegan.”

He endures my teasing with a droll expression on his face, and I laugh harder. Returning my attention to the swimsuits, I toss three in the cart to try on, not really caring what they look like since I’ll wear a T-shirt over themanyway.

As we meander down the store, I call out behind me. “Didn’t you hook up with Jessica a few years later anyway? You can’t complain if you still gotlaid.”

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