Page 30 of Everything Has Changed
His lips part to say something, but my view is cut off from him as a shot glass is pushed in my face. I pull back, disconnecting the hold Logan still had on me, taking in Piper standing next to us.
“This is for you. Drink up, girly. You got some catching up to do.” With that, she tosses back one for herself in her other hand.
I grab the shot, mostly because the way she’s moving has me worried she’s about to wear it.
She nudges it to my lips and I toss it back as I wonder how many she has had since she left the table. The glassy look to her eyes tells me more than the one I just witnessed.
“Perfect. You have two minutes to get ready. I put us down to start karaoke tonight. Woohoo!”
“Piper!” I screech as she skips her way back to our table, where I can see my brother and Matt have returned. “Sorry about that. I should go check on her.” I gesture toward my friend, worried when I look up to meet Logan’s eyes about what I might see. But there’s no need when I see nothing but humor and curiosity.
“Honestly, I think I really want to see this performance you’re about to give.”
11
Logan
“Ihad so much fun tonight.” Piper’s head lolls against Jackson’s shoulder, turning her face to the sky when they step through the front door. “Oh thank god, fresh air.”
The green tint that was starting to overtake her face begins to lessen almost instantly as the cool breeze reaches her face.
“I told you we needed to step outside and take a breather, but you wouldn’t listen to me.” Gwen opens the back door to Jackson’s truck. “I’m pretty sure you shouted something about more shots.”
Piper clutches her stomach, her eyes squeezing shut. “Shh, don’t speak those devil words to me.”
Jackson glares at his sister, though it holds zero heat. Her responding giggle has him rolling his eyes as he lays Piper down in the back seat.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come home with me?” Gwen brushes the hair that has fallen into Piper’s face away.
“Yes,” she slurs. “My bed is much better.” Her eyes flutter closed, this time staying shut as her breathing evens out.
“That didn’t take long,” I mutter.
“Great, now I’ll have to carry her in.” Jackson’s words sound annoyed, but the look on his face says otherwise as he keeps an eye on the girl in his backseat.
“You were going to have to do that either way. At least now she can’t talk back, so that’s a plus for you.”
He just grunts in response as he gently shuts the back door closed.
“Do you still have the spare key?”
Jackson jiggles his keyring in the air.
Gwen wraps her arms around her brother, and he does the same. “Thank you again.”
He waves his hand to swat away her words as he takes his place behind the wheel. “I’ll text you when I get her home.”
“And when—”
“And when I get home. Love ya, kid. Make sure Mr. Mayor gets home safely.”
We watch as he maneuvers his truck out of the parking lot and down the street. A left toward the residential area, a right toward Main Street. We take the right after his truck lights disappear from view.
“So that was an eventful night.”
Gwen groans, her hands covering her face for a second before she slides her fingers through her long red hair. I itch to do the same. To test my theory that the strands were as soft as they looked, almost like silk.
“They aren’t always like this.”
