Page 18 of The Enemy: Extended Edition

I sigh before I speak again, because there’s nothing I hate more than admitting my feelings when they make me sound like a coward. “I guess, I knew she wouldn’t be happy to see me. It was hard to convince myself to face a woman that I crushed on for years that only hated my guts in return. I like that she challenges me, but I don’t like that she hates me.”

“Well, in all fairness, she’s always thought you hated her too.”

Logan downs his drink, and I want to keep talking about June and find out what she’s been up to all these years, but he closes up the subject, and it feels weird to force it. So, instead, the conversation moves to his and Stacy’s plans for the future. I do a pretty good job of avoiding any thoughts of June until Logan tells me they are moving to California after the wedding and Stacy is selling her half of Darlin’ Donuts. My mind is all too happy to race back to June, and I wonder if she’s feeling crushed right now. I know how much Stacy means to her.

Maybe I’ll go by her place and see how she’s doing. Although she’ll probably just think it’s some kind of trap and I’m actually only there to set a mouse loose in her house. I did that once in high school, so her guess wouldn’t be all that misguided. But then I look down at my phone and see that it’s almost eleven o’clock. Too late for house calls.

“Are you going to go after her?” Logan asks.

“Will you stop reading my thoughts? It’s annoying.”

He chuckles. “Then stop wearing your feelings on your face. You’re smirking like a villain. The only time I ever see you look like that is when June is around. So, are you going for her?”

“Is it terrible if I say yes?” Even without Logan answering, I know the answer is yes. Awful. Bad idea.

I still have to decide if I’m going to take the job in Chicago. If I do, I won’t even have any time for June. I’ll barely have time to eat and sleep. Is that what I want? I’ve been working my butt off to get to this exact place in my career, but it doesn’t feel like I thought it would now that I’m here. Turns out, it’s lonely at the top.

“Terrible? No. Unlikely that you’ll succeed? Yes. The way she’s talked about you over the years, I’d think drowning puppies is your favorite hobby.”

I laugh. “I don’t doubt it.”

“Besides, June has a ‘one-date’ rule, and I don’t see you agreeing to that.”

Well, this just got interesting.

I frown. “One-date rule? What are you talking about?”

“She won’t go out with anyone more than once. One date and then it’s sayonara.”

“No way.”

“I’m dead serious. Stacy and I thought it wouldn’t last long when she first announced she’d never date the same man twice again, but that was five years ago, and she’s still going strong.”

“Why?” I ask, not certain how I feel about this news.

Logan picks up a handful of peanuts and tosses them into his mouth. “To keep herself from getting hurt again.” He pauses his chewing and meets my gaze. Now he’s a chipmunk—frozen with wide eyes and cheeks stuffed with nuts. “Oh shit. I shouldn’t have said any of that.”

Hmm. Now that’s something. And exactly what I’ve suspected. For a while now, I’ve been suspicious that there is some sort of “no talking about June” policy in place, but I could never be completely certain. Logan just confirmed it, though.

Lucky for me, he’s the easiest walnut to crack.

“Shouldn’t have said what?” I run my finger across the condensation on my beer glass. I’m relaxed. Nonchalant. No big deal.

Logan swallows his massive bite. “Nothing. Forget it.”

I swing my casual gaze to Logan’s face and let it rest there. My smirk is easy-breezy as I lay my arm down on the bar, getting comfortable.

Logan’s shoulders sink. “Come on. Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Make me tell you this secret.”

I shrug. “No one’s making you tell them anything. I’m just enjoying a beer with a friend . . . a friend who looks like he’s got a lot on his chest.”

Poor Logan. He’s pressing his lips together because he’s an unopened soda bottle, and I’m shaking him up. Most men have to wrestle with their friends for an hour before they can get the truth out of them. I just stare at Logan, and he crumbles like a cookie, because he hates keeping things from me. I’m surprised he’s been able to harbor this secret all these years.

But tonight, I’ll get it out of him.

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