Crazy Little Thing Called Love (31 page)

“And what if I want to discuss it now?”

“Not an option. You're being irrational. I've never seen you act like this.”

“I could say the same thing.”

Mindy's husband opened the door to the back porch, looking inside, oblivious to the ongoing argument playing out in his living room. “Amberjack will be ready in ten minutes!”

Vanessa backed down the hallway. “As I said, I'm going to grab a quick shower before dinner. We'll talk afterward.”

When she returned to the kitchen, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, wearing dry boot-cut jeans and a favorite Pemberley-style blouse, the house was quiet. Even the puppies dozed.

“Is Ted out back with Jett?”

Mindy leaned against the kitchen counter. She shook her head, her hands twisting together. “He left, Vanessa.”

“What do you mean, ‘he left'?”

“You went to get a shower, and he walked out.”

Vanessa ran to the front door, throwing it open. “Why didn't you come get me?”

“I thought he was just going outside to think. Get some fresh air. I didn't realize he was going to drive off until I heard the car start up.” Mindy came to stand beside her. “I thought you said he was this calm kind of guy.”

“He is. I don't know what's going on.”

“Oh, come on. You rode up with Logan.”

“It's nothing . . .”

“And I don't believe that any more than Ted does, girlfriend. You both looked guilty—like two high-schoolers who missed curfew.”

Had Mindy watched the whole interaction from her front window? Wonderful. She'd known that smile was fake. Vanessa ignored Mindy's comment. “I don't even know why he's here.”

“He said he wanted to surprise you—” Mindy paused, as if debating what to say next. “—and he mentioned something about being asked to be part of the planning committee for the medical conference he's attending after the wedding.”

Vanessa had nothing to say. Of course it had to be romance plus something else with Ted.

“Dinner's ready.” Jett entered the house, the platter of freshly grilled fish hefted above his head.

“Okay, sweetheart. We'll be right there.” Mindy stepped in front of Vanessa, preventing her from walking away. “You don't have to tell me what did or didn't happen with you and Logan—but eventually you have to talk to Ted. And then you have to figure out if you're going to marry the guy.”

Vanessa crossed her arms. “Of course I am.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I am.” Vanessa stared her friend down. “I'm marrying Ted.”

“Are you saying that because you want to marry the guy—or because you're trying to convince yourself?”

“Mindy, I appreciate your concern—really, I do. But I asked you to be my matron of honor because I'm marrying Ted next April. I know what I'm doing.” Vanessa shut the front door.

“Sure you do.”

She took two steps past her friend—and halted. “What did you say?”

“I said let's go eat.”

“Sure you did.”

•  •  •

Logan brought the motorcycle to a stop inside his parents' garage. Cut the engine. Stared at the wall in front of him covered with a white pegboard lined with straight rows of tools—hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches.

Why was he sitting here, staring at yet another corner of his father's well-ordered world? He needed to get inside and change out of his wet boots and jeans.

And then he needed to figure out how to place an ad in the
Gazette
. It was time to sell the motorcycle—past time. A nice, brief ad—something like, “UNWANTED MOTORCYCLE FOR SALE. CHEAP. BEST OFFER. SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOLD YEARS AGO.”

He shucked his boots off in the air lock, leaving his damp socks lying beside them. His waterlogged jeans chafed against his legs.

The kitchen was silent but filled with the aroma of buttery popcorn. Laughter drifted in from the direction of the pool area. Caron and Alex sat in two of the lounge chairs, their hands linked. Julie and Max were at the deep end of the pool, Max's arms encircling Julie.

Well, well, well. Was this the first official sighting of the Stormmeisters' romance?

Caron waved without lifting her head from the chair. “Hey, big brother. Where have you been all day?”

“Out.”

“O-kay.” Caron sat up at the sharpness of his tone. “Sounds like you had a wonderful day.”

“Hey, boss!” Max waved, keeping one arm around Julie, who looked content to stay where she was.

“Where's Brady?”

“I think he's upstairs packing.”

“Team meeting in half an hour.”

“What?” Julie twisted to face him. “Can't that wait until we get back to Oklahoma?”

“Half an hour.” Logan backed out of the room. “I'm going to get a shower, and we'll meet in the family room. Somebody tell Brady.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

Logan couldn't help but overhear Caron ask, “What's his problem?” as he left the room.

Thirty minutes later Brady, Max, and Julie were all gathered in his parents' family room. Brady stood near the stone fireplace, his hands tucked in his pockets. Julie and Max chose to sit next to one another on the leather couch, Max's arm resting across her shoulders.

Logan finished off his second soda as he stalked into the room. He'd tried praying, tried asking God what to say, how to tell the team of his decision. But the entire time he'd showered, all he could think of was Vanessa. Kissing her again—and the wrongness of his action. The futility of it. And then bringing her back to Mindy's—straight to her fiancé. The man who had a right to kiss her. To touch her. And all because he'd been stupid. Stubborn. Too afraid to go after his wife. To figure out what he needed to do to make their marriage work.

Well, he was done with being scared. At least facing his mistakes with Vanessa helped him face his mistakes with his team—and do what he needed to do. There was no reason to wait until they got back to Oklahoma.

Straight up was the best option. Then they could all deal with the reality.

Julie offered him a shaky smile. “Hey, I know you want to talk with us. But I wanted to let you know I got our boarding passes for tomorrow—”

Sweet Jules. Always trying to find a way to smooth things over. To keep things working well.

“Thanks. I forgot all about that.”

“No problem.”

His team. Julie, who worked a camera like it was her third eye. And Max, who might never grow up—but had mad computer skills that let him process incoming storm data while Logan drove. And Brady, who was already dreaming of a storm-chasing team with him during freshman year of college, eager, willing to learn, with the driving skills of a professional race car driver, who manned the second car. Who loved the mystery of weather as much as Logan did.

His decision was going to hurt them as much as it hurt him. Maybe more.

Logan anchored his feet to the ground and faced the three people he trusted most in the world. “So, there are going to be some changes coming up for the team.”

“Changes? What kind of changes?” Brady was the first to speak up, crossing his arms over his chest, covering the Stormmeisters logo on his black T-shirt.

“Let me finish, okay? I'll explain the initial change. You three decide what happens after that.” Logan scrubbed his hand across his jaw. “I'm leaving the team.”

The trio reacted as if he'd lobbed a bomb into the room. Julie gasped, turned white, her hand going to her throat.

“What?” Max struggled to his feet, ignoring his crutches.

“Are you out of your mind?” Brady's voice rose above Max's. “You're the team leader. Our boss.”

“I've been thinking about this for a while. We've had a good run—and it's time for me to move on.”

“Are you going to another team?”

What kind of question was that? “No. I would never do that.”

“Then what are you doing? Just quitting? To do what—go sell cars?” Brady stalked toward him. “You're a storm chaser, man. It's what you do.”

“Storm chasing is what I've done. I'm making a change.” Logan stood his ground even as Brady advanced on him. “People do that—they change. I'll stay on while we process this year's research data. After that, I don't know. I've been looking at some other job opportunities.”

“This is about Max, isn't it?” Julie's soft question cut through Logan's explanation. “About the accident.”

How did he answer that?

“I won't deny the accident shook me up. Got me thinking. But I'm making the decision because it's the right thing to do.”

“I'm fine, Logan.” Max's steps toward him were slow. Still unsteady. “I'll be off the crutches soon and ready for next season.”

“I know. And I thank God for that. Every night.” Logan rested his hand on his friend's shoulder. “You're tough.”

“Then why are you walking away?” Brady came and stood beside Max. “We all know accidents happen—it's part of the game.”

“I don't want to play the game anymore, Brady—okay?” Logan's voice was too loud. “I don't see it as a game. It's life-and-death. I don't want to be responsible for that. This is my decision. I've made it. This isn't open to discussion.”

“Perfect. Your decision—and it affects all of us. I like how you worked that.” Brady stared at him and then shook his head before walking away—out of the room.

Silence settled for a few minutes. Logan had expected surprise . . . sadness . . . but he hadn't expected hostility.

“Give him some time, boss.” Julie, of course, trying to make things okay. “You kinda surprised all of us. What are we supposed to do now?”

“Well, as I said, I've made my decision. What happens to the team now is up to you three. Most of the Stormmeisters remains intact. Maybe you all should look for a new team member. Give him or her a trial run in the next season. I don't know. It's not for me to say.”

“But you're staying on long enough to help process the research?” Max accepted his crutches from Julie.

“Absolutely.”

“Well, then, we can always try to change your mind.”

“Not going to happen, my friend. But I appreciate the sentiment.”

“Is the . . . meeting done, then?” Julie stood beside Max. “I need to finish packing.”

“Unless one of you has something to say.”

“No. Nothing.”

“Max?”

“I don't think so, Logan.” He adjusted the crutches under his arms. “Lead the way, oh fair Julie.”

Alone in the family room, Logan willed his shoulders to relax. His jaw to unclench. He'd done the right thing—and he hadn't waited until they got back to Oklahoma.

Why didn't he feel better?

“Tell me I heard wrong, big brother.” Caron stood in the doorway between the family room and the pool. “You did not just quit the Stormmeisters.”

“There's nothing wrong with your hearing—and you shouldn't have been listening.”

Caron closed the gap between them. “Things got a bit, um, loud. Kinda hard not to hear what was being said, even if I stuck my fingers in my ears. And I wasn't going to do that.”

“Of course not.”

“What's going on?”

“It was a team meeting, Caron.”

“Your quitting the Stormmeisters makes no sense at all.”

“Well, your dating Alex doesn't make any sense, either—”

“Hey!” Caron seemed to tear up at his accusation. “What is wrong with me dating Alex?”

“You threatened to disown me when I teased you about our parents betrothing you to him at birth. You barely talked to the guy whenever our families got together for holidays—and when you did speak to each other, you razzed the guy about who he was dating.

“So? I grew up and I noticed Alex—I realized he was a great guy.”

“What about Kade?”

His sister hesitated. “What about him? We dated. We broke up.”

“Mom told me that you really liked the guy—that you told her that you wanted to marry him.”

“I was wrong.”

“And how soon after you broke up with Kade did you start dating Alex? Are you sure you're not on the rebound?”

His questions seemed to surprise her, but within seconds she regained her equilibrium. “Back off, Logan. I'm not the one who's divorced.”

“No, you're just dating the guy you said you'd never date—”

“And you're still in love with your ex-wife!”

“Everything okay in here?” Alex came up behind Caron, resting his hands on her shoulders.

“Fine. Absolutely fine.” Caron crossed her arms over her chest, jutting her chin out. “My brother is quitting the Stormmeisters. And for some reason he thinks we shouldn't be dating . . .”

“Caron—” Logan's voice was a growl.

“. . . because he's some sort of
love expert
. He's making one wrong choice after another. I don't know what to do with him.”

“That's enough, sweetheart. No more commentary on Logan's life for tonight. It's not your responsibility.”

“But he's making a mistake—”

“Leave it be, Caron. Leave it be.” Over his sister's shoulder, Alex mouthed,
Sorry
.

“We're not done talking about this, big brother.”

“Yes, we are.” Logan muttered under his breath as his sister disappeared.

Because tomorrow he was on a plane out of town.

End of conversation.