Page 43 of The Playbook

“Thank you for tonight,” I said to Logan as he pulled into my driveway fifteen minutes before my curfew. “Ialmosthad fun.”

“Don’t be like that.” He laughed. “I saw you smile a few times.”

“Only when you said you were taking me home. If we’re counting that, then I had a great time.”

“Gracie, you’re killing me,” he groaned, his head falling back against the headrest.

My heart flipped as I allowed myself a moment to admire him. He seemed so relaxed and happy. Everything about Logan made me tingle with excitement. His smile. The way he said my name. The way he stared at me. As much as I hated to admit it, there wasn’t anything about him I didn’t like.

“How about this? When you’re ungrounded next weekend, I’ll take you out, and we can do whatever you want. Even if it’s the library, I’ll deal with it.”

“Ugh, you’re such a dick,” I said, chuckling as he winked at me.

“Are you agreeing?”

I was quiet for a moment before answering. Tonight hadn’t been as bad as I’d thought it was going to be, with the exception of Dax being an ass.

“Will it be just us?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“OK.” I nodded, deciding I was insane for even considering it. “Next weekend we’ll go out. But just as friends.”

“Awesome.” His grin was so big, and his blue eyes lit up, causing those damn butterflies to flap madly in my guts again. Not knowing what else to say, I got out of the car, Logan at my side as I walked to my door.

“Uh, thanks. I’ll see you,” I said as we got to my door.

He didn’t say anything as I opened it and stepped inside.

“Night, Logan.”

“Night, Gracie,” he said softly.

I closed the door on him and let out a big breath, the knot in my stomach finally unraveling.

* * *

“Where were you this weekend?” Lana asked as we sat at our lunch table on Monday. “I texted you like a million times and you never replied.”

“Sorry,” I mumbled, pushing my wilted salad around on my tray. “I hung out with Logan.”

“What?” she screeched, dropping her fork. “Details.”

“Shh,” I hissed, glancing around worriedly.

There were a few curious stares in our direction.

“It was nothing. He came over after my dad grounded me and told him we had a project to work on which got me out of the house. We went to his place, ate bad popcorn, and swam in his pool. Then he took me home. I spent the rest of the weekend helping my mom bake cookies for some bazaar one of our neighbors talked her into, and then I went for a ride with my dad so we could listen to a new album he picked up he thought I'd like.”

She stared at me, openmouthed. “That’s it? Logan didn’t kiss you?”

“No. Why would he?” I frowned. “We’re just friends. I guess. I don’t know. He’s relentless and won’t leave me alone so I have to be friends with him.”

She gave me a knowing smile. “This is more than friends, Grace. You like him. Admit it.”

I was just about to tell her what had happened on his kitchen floor when Nikki approached our table with her cronies in tow.

“Hey, Grace. Lana,” Nikki simpered.

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