Meredith looks stunning in a pair of high-waisted black shorts and a white top that shows off her long legs and arms. Her thin frame is a bit curvier than it was when we were teenagers, but she’s still trim.

I wonder if I’ll be less attracted to her as her body changes, as her belly swells, hips widen.

I don’t think so. I think I’ll be even more attracted to her, which isn’t great news, since I can already barely keep my hands off her.

“You two are both early.” Grayson greets us with a smile, making me finally tear my eyes from Meredith’s body.

“Being on time is late, Dad always said,” Meredith chirps.

I was never taught anything like that by my father, but I’ve just always been time anxious, especially when profits are involved.

I won’t technically make any money today, but it’ll go a long way to getting me even more customers and allowing me to open more locations here in the city.

Which is exactly what I wanted out of all of this. Everything’s coming up Logan, especially now that I know I’m the father of Meredith’s baby, too.

I glance at Grayson, feeling guilt hot at the back of my neck.

But I don’t get to wallow for long.

Meredith and I study our script, and we sit next to each other in the front office, going back and forth with our lines.

It’s all about family and how well we treat our customers, and at the end, I’m supposed to throw my arm around Meredith’s shoulders.

She stiffens the first three times I do it, and we have to retake, but finally, she ends up relaxing against me, clutching onto my shirt with her left hand, and Grayson calls “cut!”

“Perfect.” He grins at us. “You two have good chemistry.”

Meredith flushes.

“Everyone keeps saying that," she mumbles under her breath.

“What was that?” Grayson asks, and she just shakes her head.

“I just never want to do this again.”

“Me either.” I don’t like the bright lights and camera pointed at me, either. I’ve always been a pretty private person, and just because I now have too many zeroes in my bank account doesn’t mean that’s changed.

Meredith goes to the back to take off the makeup they’ve put on her, and I man the desk just in case passersby come to the door. Sure enough, we get one man, a police officer almost too stout to get in through the door, having to inhale to do it.

When I look up from the desk, I realize I recognize the face and plush broom mustache on his face, although it’s gray now rather than black, like it was the last time I saw it.

“Sheriff Cunnigham,” I greet, and the officer tips his hat to me.

“Matthews. It’s been a long time.”

“Indeed, it has.” I look at him coolly.

I haven’t seen him since he tried to arrest me and Grayson for swimming in the water tower. I know it was wrong, but we were just kids.

Of course, Grayson’s father had come and talked him out of it, maybe bribed him, I’m not sure. I wouldn’t put it past Cunningham to take a bribe.

“Something wrong with the squad car?”

“Maybe needs a transmission flush.”

And I want to keep an eye on you now that you’re back in town.

He doesn’t say that last part, but I can practically feel it coming off of him in waves. He doesn’t like me, and he never has.