Page 56 of Until Nalia
“Where’s Billie?” I ask Logan when he stops to lock the door, and I realize that I didn’t see her.
“She asked if Cat could sleep over tonight, so they went to her house with Dozer to pick up some clothes.”
“Come on, guys, we have places to be,” Missy shouts. I turn to find her hanging half out the window while motioning with her hands for us to come her direction like a teen in a ’90s movie.
“Is she always so…”
“Animated,” Logan finishes for me, and I nod, thinking that is an understatement, as he takes my hand and helps me down the steps I don’t actually need help navigating. “Yep.”
“Wow.”
“The first time Hanson brought her around, I was sure she was on something. Turns out it’s just her.” His hand squeezes mine. “She’s sweet, though.”
When we reach the car Logan opens the back door and the guy behind the wheel turns to look at us. Like Logan he has a full beard. Unlike Logan, his hair is long and blond, and his eyes are dark and filled with curiosity, but apprehension. “Honey, this is Nalia, Nalia, this is Hanson if you two haven’t met.” Missy introduces us I climb across the back to the seat behind Hanson’s.
“Nice to meet you,” I tell him, and he grunts a quiet ‘hey’ or ‘yo’, it’s hard to make out.
“Okay,” Missy says, typing on the screen on the dashboard, putting in an address. “One more stop and we’ll be on our way.”
I look at Logan.
“We’re picking up Benett,” he tells me, reaching across the space between us to touch my hand that is resting on the seat at my hip.
“Have you met Benny?” Missy asks me.
“I don’t think so.”
“You’ll love him, he’s the sweetest.” She rests her hand on Hanson’s arm. “Obviously not as sweet as my Hanson.”
Okay, I’ve read the grumpy sunshine trope a few dozen times, but I’ve never imagined how that might play out in real life. I guess I’m going to get a front row seat to it tonight, and I have to say I’m not sure I’m really excited about it.
“So, tell me,” Missy says, turning around in her seat to look at me as Hanson pulls out onto the street. “How did you meet Logan?”
Oh god, I don’t want to do this, not anytime but for sure not right now when I’m still trying to figure out for myself what is happening between Logan and me.
“She brought her car into the shop,” Logan answers.
“Aww, that’s how I met Hanson.” She smiles, reaching over to touch the back of Hanson’s neck, then looks at me. “The van that I use to haul all my stuff around for work needed a custom wrap, so I called a number given to me by a friend, and next thing you know, I’m dating this guy.”
“What kind of work do you do?” My guess is a hair stylist, makeup artist, or maybe Miss Tennessee. I can totally picture her on stage, wearing a crown with a sash across her body, holding two dozen roses, talking about how she’s going to save the cows or whatever Miss Tennessee’s cause is.
“I’m a real estate agent.” She smiles at me. “I’m the number one seller in Nashville and number eight in the state.”
“Really?” Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. I bet she’s amazing at approaching clients and closing deals with her bubbly personality. “Do you know April Mayson?”
“Are you kidding? Of course, I know her. How do you know her?”
“She’s my cousin,” I tell her, and she throws her head back laughing.
“I knew I was going to like you," she tells me. Then she shares how she met April, and that before April got married, they used to hang out, but they don’t see each other as often anymore. It's not a surprise now that April is married to Maxim and they have a kid. She spends all her time with her husband and son.
Before long we are stopping in front of a small bungalow type house with a neat little yard and a Harley parked out front next to a fancy pickup truck. When the front door opens a good-looking guy with a shaved head and a scruffy jaw step outside and Missy rolls down her window shouting.
“Benny boy, I’ve missed you.”
“Missy.” He lumbers towards the car, shaking his head, and she laughs loudly.
Opening the back door, he bends down and looks inside at Logan and me.
