Page 15 of Everything Has Changed
“Do you have somewhere better to be?” Mom scoffs. Clearly, that’s the most absurd thing she could ever imagine. Who would prefer to be here walking into the lion’s den as opposed to literally anywhere else?
Me. Definitely me.
My mind wanders to strawberry hair and green eyes. A smile that could make the lowest man feel like he won the lottery when he’s lucky enough for it to be aimed at him.
Yeah. I would rather be flirting with Gwen any moment of the day, which feels weird to say. I always thought of her as a friend. Sure, a really cute one, but I never thought to cross that line in high school. Maybe it was because I had my focus skewed by Camila and my parents and the duty that I was always reminded of.
“Actually, I need to meet up with Gwen to discuss ideas for the festival. You know, the task you volunteered me for without running it by me.” I tap my chin. “Huh, seems like a running theme lately.”
Mom begins walking toward the formal dining room, her heels clacking along the flooring, because of course she’s wearing uncomfortable shoes in her own home.
“Logan, don’t be like that. It’ll give you a purpose, so the town will see that you are a hard worker while also showing everyone you care about Willow Grove. It’s a win-win all around. And Gwen is a wonderful girl. She probably already has her plans, knowing her.”
She brightens with a wide smile as we enter the dining room, her mask slipping on perfectly.
“Look who I found,” she calls out while making her way over to her designated seat next to my father.
“Nice of you to finally join us,” he harrumphs as he pours more red wine into his glass. His free hand gestures to the chair across from him without looking up.
I can hear the unspoken words in the silence. Sit, or else. I’m not sure what thator elseactually means at this point in my life, but I’m not exactly in the mood to attempt finding out.
“We were beginning to think you were going to bail on us.” Camila tacks on a smarmy laugh as I take the only empty seat next to her. “But I knew you would come through.”
“You make it sound like I had a choice.” I pour myself some wine as well from the bottle my father leaves in the middle of the table.
“You don’t.” My father sounds bored in his admission. At least he’s not lying to anyone. But why put up a facade when everyone in the room knows the truth behind everything?
“At least we are being honest about it.”
“I’m not in the mood for your attitude tonight, Logan.” The sigh he releases causes the tall candles in the middle of all the food to dance in the breeze. “We have to get on the same page so you understand what is expected of you going forward.”
I look over at my mom, who is expertly avoiding eye contact as she passes around a bowl of mashed potatoes to Camila. “Family dinner with a side of an agenda. Just like old times.”
“We have to show a united front if we want this merger to go off without a hitch. If the town sees that our family feels comfortable with this, they will follow suit.”
“Then why is she here?” I nod my head to my right, but they don’t need me to point out who I’m talking about.
“After the last few years, Camila is more a part of this family than you are, Logan.”
“Richard,” my mom chastises him in a small voice. As if the dig hurts me, but after all this time it’s the least of the wounds he’s inflicted on me.
Camila turns toward me in her chair, her knees close enough to brush against my thigh. Even from my periphery I can tell the skirt she’s wearing is cut short thanks to all the skin on display.
“I’m here for you, Logan.” She reaches out to stroke my hand lying on the table. My skin prickles with unease, and I quickly remove myself from her grasp, placing my hand on my lap.
“I don’t need you here, Cami.”
“If you want to keep everything going smoothly in the transition, yes, you do.” Father grumbles into another sip of wine. He has barely touched the food on his plate, but the glass of wine has stayed glued to his hand. “Like I said, she’s part of this family. But, also seeing as she has been in every single meeting and contract negotiations, unlike you, it would be wise to keep her by your side.”
“This doesn’t have to be hard, Logan,” Camila purrs, leaning over so that she can whisper, “Unless you want it to be.”
I flinch back, trying to get as far away from her as possible, glaring over as she grins back at me. The sharp edge of her lips cocks up toward the glint of mischief in her eyes.
After the last few days of seeing green, the blue in hers feels wrong on more levels than before.
“I agreed to come back and serve this town. I didn’t agree to whatever this is.” My gaze stays on my parents as I wave my hand to my right.
“You should know by now that all of it goes hand in hand,” my father states. “We have more important things to discuss than your aversion to beautiful women.” The smirk he sends Camila’s way makes my skin crawl.
