Page 68 of The Lost and the Found

I left them to talk about the game playing on the TV overhead and went about my closing duties. And just as Logan said, even though he was talking to John, I felt his eyes on me as I carried the dirty dishes into the kitchen and set them in the sink for the dishwasher.

I walked out after smiling at Sally, our cook, and froze in my steps at the threshold. John saw me first, and he was shooting me an uncomfortable glance while I took in the scene before me.

Isabel was there, giggling and touching Logan’s arms, even with her boyfriend no more than twenty feet away, looking over at her with a scowl on his face. I doubted he would say anything to Logan, seeing as Logan was probably the biggest man in the room.

Logan, for his part, looked annoyed with Isabel’s attention. When she made a move to rub his biceps, he moved away and gave her a severe frown.

It didn’t matter. I still saw red.

I walked over to the pair with purpose and moved myself between them. Logan looked at me with amusement, while Isabel looked with annoyance.

I assessed her coolly. “I think your boyfriend is trying to get your attention.”

She let out a huff and walked over to him, her cheeks red. Logan wrapped his arms around me, and even though I wasn’t one for public display of affection, I let him.

John smiled, pretending to wipe down the already clean bar top, and let out a whistle. “That was beautiful, Hayden. I’ve never seen Isabel so angry.”

I rolled my eyes. “She had it coming.” Then I turned to Logan. “Don’t let her touch you again.”

His smile couldn’t be more smug. “Okay,” he agreed quickly. No hesitation. Then he made a show of kissing my neck, and I giggled like a total loser.

That didn’t stop me from tilting my neck to the side, giving him easy access. I caught Isabel’s eyes then. Her boyfriend was saying something to her, and he looked pretty pissed off, but she wasn’t paying attention to him. Her eyes were on me, shooting daggers. Mine weren’t friendly, either. I wasn’t the one making a play for her boyfriend.

The thought had me freezing up. Was Logan my boyfriend?

He said we were in a relationship, but I didn’t really think to put a label on us. And there was just something about calling Logan my boyfriend that intimidated the hell out of me.

He patted my bum. I knew he felt me tense up, but he didn’t say anything about it. Instead, he pulled my earlobe between his lips and sucked. “Finish your work, baby. So that I can take you home.”

I nodded and pulled away, only to stop short when I locked eyes with Dave from across the room. He decided to come out of his office after all. “Hey,” I said. I didn’t know why I was feeling so awkward, only that I knew Dave still liked me, and here I was flaunting my new relationship in his face.

He nodded, and I went back behind the bar, checking stock.

Dave walked over to Logan and introduced himself. I kept myself busy, but I had one eye on them as well, their conversation jumping in and out of focus. Just as I saw them shaking hands, John walked over to me.

“Relax. It’ll be fine.”

“You think so?”

It wasn’t a secret that Dave had asked me out, or that I had rejected him. Dave had everyone convinced that he was in love with me, but I knew otherwise. He didn’t know me well enough to be in love with me. And I wished he would get over it.

“Yeah. There’s no blood yet, so I don’t think you have to worry for now.”

“That’s so reassuring,” I said sarcastically.

He smiled and patted my hair. “Come on, let’s finish quickly. I’m sure Dave will let us out when the last customer leaves.”

He indicated to the lone guy in the corner, nursing his drink. I nodded and we got to work.

* * *

Dave watched quietlyas Logan bundled me up in the winter coat.

“Thank you,” I said, when he had it zipped up all the way.

Logan tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ears, blessing me with one of his devastating smiles. “Of course. Remember what I said?”

He said a lot of things. I thought back to when he did this for me before. “That you like taking care of me?”

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