Page 86 of Broken Princess

“Hello Hunter and Ava. It’s so nice to meet you, I’m Jordanna.”

Hunter eyes me up and down, clearly suspicious about the woman who’s shown up with his brother. Glancing over at Ava, I see she’s not much more welcoming. Time to win them over. “That’s a really pretty dress Ava.”

She blinks and smiles. “It has ribbons on it.”

“I know.” I turn so she can see the back of my dress. “I love ribbons too.”

She touches her hair, “And I have ribbons in my hair.”

I stoop down so she can see the bow I have on my ponytail.

She smiles again, her cute little dimples popping out. “You wanna sit next to me?”

“That would be awesome.”

One kid down, one to go. Hunters still staring at me, when he blurts out, “Do you work with my daddy?”

“No, I um. I go to school with Logan and we work on the school’s paper together.”

“So Logan is your boss?”

“Yes, he is.” They’re starting him out recognizing the power structure a little young aren’t they? Poor kid. “But, I’m also his friend.”

“His friend?” He frowns as if I owe money to the swear jar. Shit, did I use the wrong word? Maybe friend isn’t a term he’s familiar with.

“Yes. We hang out, eat food together. Work on our artwork. Do stuff outside of work and school.”

“We do stuff like that too, on McKay Sibling Day.” Ava says.

“McKay Sibling Day? I’ve never heard of that holiday.” Turning to the boy he might be about to have me thrown out, I say, “Hunter, can you tell me more about it?”

His chest puffs out a little. “It’s the day when Logan comes home and we come from school and we hang out and do all sorts of fun stuff. Sometimes dad is there, but sometimes he’s not. We drive to the store in Logan’s car, and sometimes I get to navigate. And once I’m taller, I can learn to turn it on, and then drive so we don’t always need a driver and can come home whenever we want. Right Logan?” He says all on one breath.

“That’s right.” Logan agrees.

“What else do you do?” I ask.

“We swim, and…”

“And?” I prod when Hunter clams up.

“And do some other things that we can’t talk about because it’s just between us.” His eyes dart to Logan’s, like he’s said too much.

“Well, I think it sounds wonderful and you must be a great confidant if Logan trusts you with his secrets.”

Hunter nods as if that part’s obvious. “I’m his best friend, like Simon, right Logan?”

“The absolute best. Come here, bud.” Hunter climbs from his chair walking over to Logan with his eyes still on me. Logan leans over to whisper something in his ear. Hunter’s eyes widen and he giggles, then goes back to his seat. He looks at me and giggles again.

“Something you want to share with the table, Hunter?” Emilia asks.

He shakes his head and says. “I can’t. It’s a secret.”

Her eyes slide to me and the look on her face says what I’ve already suspected. Whatever secret Logan just told him is about me.

Thirty-Three

Logan

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