Then & Now

Chapter Thirty-Three

LOGAN

Jesus Christ! I didn't want Maisy to have to endure him, not now! My best friend folds his arms across his chest and leans his back up against the kitchen counter, blatantly checking Maisy out and nodding his head in approval. I can tell Maisy recognizes him from the way she shifts back and forth on her feet, growing fidgety, like she's about to bolt.

"It's like seeing a fucking ghost!" Will declares with a laugh, still shaking his head in amazement. "How the hell are you girl?" He walks across the room in two steps and throws his arms around Maisy, taking her by surprise and ignoring her boundaries while tackling her in a big hug. He pulls back and turns his head towards Dawn.

"I told you it was her."

Maisy's eyes dart around Will and over to Dawn. I'm sure she didn't expect to get bombarded by these two. I know I certainly didn't. I glare over at my best friend, but he continues to ignore me as he makes small talk with Maisy.

"What are you doing here?" I interrupt, irritated by the fact that he just dropped by with Dawn when he knew she was here, but Will just chuckles. He throws his arm around Maisy's shoulders and I tense at the familiarity he already seems to have with her. Despite what we shared last night, I don't have that privilege. I can't just touch her whenever I want to, and that's probably a good thing because if I did, I wouldn't want to stop.

"Do you hear this guy?" Will asks Maisy, talking about me as if I'm not standing just a few feet away from them. "I come to see if he wants to have brunch and this is the welcome I receive!"

"I don't want to have brunch," I bristle, knowing that's not why he stopped by. "Maisy's got to get on the road and she needs me to drive her over to the garage to pick up her car."

Will's face changes and his eyes swing over to me, searching for any signs of an oncoming disaster and I drop my gaze down to the floor, not in the mood to be dissected by my best friend. The room goes silent for a minute like no one knows what to say, but leave it to Dawn to smooth over an uncomfortable situation with perfect grace.

"Maisy?" She extends her hand and smiles. "I'm Dawn."

Maisy eyes shift down towards Dawn's outstretched hand and she hesitates, like she's not sure if she wants to take it. A good second or two passes before she finally does and returns Dawn's smile with a tight one of her own.

"Pardon these two jackasses for being so rude," Dawn laughs. "You think I'd have thought things through before procreating with one of them!"

Maisy's eyes slice right through me. I can see the disgust and betrayal in them and I have no idea what I've done to deserve that kind of look, and am baffled for a moment. And then in hits me. I glance over at Dawn. She thinks...

"Dawn and Will got married right out of college," I blurt out, watching in relief as the information sinks in and her face colors over the misunderstanding. That same blush I feel like I've seen a thousand times before heats her skin and my hand aches to brush my fingers along her cheek.