Page 83 of Misfortune and Mr. Right

Maisy grabs one of the already filled bowls and hops onto one of the stools at the island. Gil stands across the island from us. I take a seat next to Maisy. Gil hands me a spoon and my bowl.

I don’t eat, though. I’m here on a mission. Answers first, ice cream second.

“So,” Maisy says. “Olivia was telling me how the parents of Lynette’s students pitched in and paid for her rent.”

Gil’s head snaps up, and his eyes meet mine.

“The parents?” he asks.

“I figured. Well, Lynette figured it was the parents—through some sort of crowdfunding campaign. We called her landlord. He described two men dropping off the money. It had to be you and Logan … unless it wasn’t.” I second-guess myself for the first time since Lynette and I landed on that conclusion together.

“It was. Logan and me.”

“What?” Maisy says. “You dropped off money to pay Lynette’s rent?”

“Three months-worth,” I tell her.

“Three months!” She shakes her head and licks another bite from her spoon. “That’s a big sum of money.” Maisy turns to Gil. “How did you get looped into this? And why didn’t I hear anything about it before now?”

Maisy’s face is alight with curiosity and playfulness as she teases Gil.

“Who told you it was the parents?” Gil asks me.

“No one. We just figured it had to be. After the conversation you overheard between Lynette and me at The Serendipity, it’s the only solution that makes sense. Since Sam is in her class, we guessed that you talked to Bethany and she rallied the parents. Then she gave you the money and you dropped it off for her.”

“What conversation?” Maisy asks.

“Lynette was complaining to Olivia about her ex when Logan and I overheard them, right after he moved in,” Gil tells Maisy. “Rightfully complaining. It sounds like her ex isn’t pulling his weight as a coparent. Lynette’s a great teacher. And she’s Olivia’s sister. Logan got to thinking …”

“Logan got to thinking?” I ask. “Logan?”

Gil looks back at me and nods.

“Bethany doesn’t have a clue about this,” Gil says. “None of the parents do.” He pauses. Then his face takes on a resolved expression. “Logan’s going to kill me. But I don’t see why you shouldn’t know. I think youshouldknow, as a matter of fact.”

“That Logan. He’s such a sweetheart,” Maisy says with the softest smile on her face.

“But why?” I ask.

I look down at my ice cream bowl, where the pecan praline is melting around the edges.

“Why do you think Logan would single-handedly pay your sister’s rent?” Gil asks, voicing the facts plainly.

There’s no question. Logan paid Lynette’s rent for three whole months. And he did it in secret, without any accolades or attempt to gain credit. As a matter of fact, he kept all his actions purposely hidden, even going so far as to have Gil hand over the cash.

“Yes. Why?” I ask.

“Have you ever considered that maybe he’s trying to impress you?” Gil says.

Maisy looks nearly swoony. “Awww. Logan wants to impress you.”

“How exactly will he impress me if he remains anonymous?”

“There’s not a lot of method to his madness,” Gil says. “Especially not where you’re concerned. He loses all sense of couth and reason when it comes to you. He’s so concerned his actions will be misinterpreted. And your history makes you rightfully suspicious. But a lot of time has passed since high school. He’s not exactly in the habit of sabotaging lockers these days.”

“He … what?” I’m stunned. “He’s trying to impress me?”

I feel like I need to sit down, but I’m already seated. Everything wobbles.

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