Page 23 of You Were Mine

And now what? Here’s Brandon, introducing me to connections to further my career, and I have no idea what to do or say.

“We’ll catch up later,” Brandon says mercifully. “It’s good to see you, Drake.”

“Always,” Drake replies, “And nice to meet you, Mark,” he lied.

There is something strange in the way he looks at me. Maybe he’s thinking about how poor I am. Maybe I pissed him off. Thus far, this man seems to have the emotional range of a gnat.

I nod. “You, too,” I say.

I came incredibly unprepared for this.

Brandon and I drift through the crowd. He stops and speaks to everyone in his path, and I know I shouldn’t complain, because he’s introducing me to important people. It isn’t like he’s just letting me stand here, being ignored. He pulls me into all his conversations. Brandon is so perfect. I feel like if I saw his dating profile, I’d be completely enchanted. I should be all over this and really appreciating this nice thing he’s doing for me, so why am I not?

Maybe I can fake it until I make it.

“You’re not enjoying this at all, are you?” Brandon asks after a while.

I wince. “It’s that obvious?”

“A bit,” he replies. “I mean, I’ll grant you; it’s not the most exciting process in the world, networking.”

“Maybe not,” I say, “But still, you were gracious enough to invite me. I should enjoy it. My thoughts are just elsewhere.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Logan?” I blurt out, staring just past Brandon. “Logan?!!”

Brandon almost had the opportunity to confirm that Logan was the person to whom he was referring, but stopped short when he saw I was looking past him, at an apparition I never could have imagined in my wildest dream.

Logan is near the side terrace, looking over the mass of people in his “gay Bob Ross” costume. How the hell did he get in looking likethat? I quickly rush past Brandon toward Logan.

The gala slowly becomes silent as, one-by-one, attendees marvel at the strange spectacle.

One ignoramus is heard over the silence, “Hey, I saw that guy on PBS! Has he got stuff here, too?”

The ignoramus’ girlfriend smacks him up the side of his head in embarrassment.

“What areyoudoing here?!! And what are you doing here looking likethat?!!” I spit out as I grab Logan’s arm and lead him out onto the terrace. The moonlight is peeking through some clouds.

“I’m looking for you! I know this is super cheesy, but I need you to know I’ll do anything for you. I care about you. I love you. I don’t want you to be with him!” Logan points over to Brandon who is staying back to perhaps give us space.

Almost forgetting Brandon was there, I give him agive-me-a-minutegesture and turn back to Logan saying, “What do you want me to say? What do you want me to do? You practically pushed me out the door tonight to go on this date.”

“I know and I’m so sorry,” Logan grabs my hands and with those endearing eyes of his pouring into my soul, “I wasn’t being honest with you…or with me. I want you to give us a chance. I want you to givemea chance.”

“Logan, listen,” I state, matter-of-factly, “I need you to go home… right now. We’ll talk more about this later. Can you do that for me… please?”

A worried look flushes over his eyes. I feel some guilt for chastising him. Even as silly as his gesture was, it was quite impressive and grandiose. I’m feeling the eyes of people watching us from the main room.

“Don’t worry. We can talk about this later. Please… go home now,” I say.

With his head down, Logan moves to the curved staircase leading from the terrace to the ground floor garden area. Ignoramus can be heard, “Iknowthat guy! Iknowthat guy!”

Brandon comes over once he sees Logan leave. “So, what was that all about?” Brandon asks. I look into his eyes and can tell he already knowswhat that was all about. “It’s obvious he still loves you.”

“Obvious?” I turn to look out over the moonlit garden, “Boy, you’re telling me. I am so sorry Logan did that. I feel awful he ruined your father’s event.”

Was I literally the last person to pick up on this? Oh, God, I didn’t even pick up on it. Logan had totellme…multiple times!

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