Page 75 of Wild Catch
“Of course,” I say smoothly and snuggle even closer. “I have a big gift waiting for him after dinner.”
His father chuckles. “Lucky you, Logan. Seems like you found a good one.”
“Right?” Freja says her husband, lightly tapping his chest with the back of her hand. “It’s just a shame that this is happening now when Lewis was so excited to have you back with the Eagles.”
Logan’s body, normally hard like a rock, positively turns to steel after that. A muscle in his jaw ticks. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that whatever this is, it’s a touchy subject.
I run her words through my head again. Why would it be a shame for Logan to hypothetically be finding someone who loves him right now? Shouldn’t that make them feel happy for him, relieved that their son isn’t on his own anymore?
TJ asks me, “Perhaps you’d be willing to relocate with Logan to New York? I’m sure that would be a major step up for you too.”
My eye twitches slightly. Is he implying that my life in Orlando is subpar or something?
Or is he trying to make plans for me the way they seem to do for Logan?
I open my mouth and the latter cuts me off. “Rose, didn’t you say you wanted to use the restroom before dinner?”
I pinch his thigh for taking away my moment of glory, when I’d just been about to tell his parents where to shove it. His muscles jolt at the pain, but other than that he shows no reaction. Rather, he’s giving me a look that saysrun.
“Right, thanks for the reminder, babe.” I throw the last word in there for kicks and giggles. “If you’ll excuse me…”
It takes surprising effort to extricate myself from him and once I do, the air conditioning in the place feels so much colder. I grab the strap of my purse that I absentmindedly hung on the back of my chair when we arrived, and make my way around the tables and the decor.
The floor plan is divided by partial panels that provide a semblance of privacy between the tables, but still allow for visibility to the staff on their feet. I make my way to the back and stop, peering around the corner.
Freja isn’t following me, which is good. I hang my purse crossbody style and crouch lower so the panels hide me, retracing my way back to our table until I’m behind a potted plant, close enough that I can overhear.
“—Is this really what you came for, then?” Logan is saying in his deep, rumbly voice. “To convince me to go back to New York?”
“Of course not, we came to meet your new girlfriend,” Freja retorts.
“It just so happens that we also wanted to talk about this, but we knew you’d ignore us if we gave you a heads up,” TJ says.
“We wouldn’t have to go to such lengths if you just talked with us, Logan,” his mother chimes in perfect tune with his father.
My brow furrows. There’s a blatant lie lurking in their words. It makes me feel like Logan hit the nail right on the head—that their visit isn’t about me and I’m just the excuse. They’re too smooth at glazing over it, trying to make Logan feel foolish for suspecting them, while also blaming him for their own behavior.
“Stop gaslighting me,” Logan spits back. “If this is how the dinner is going to go, I’m going to take Rose and go somewhere else.”
“Logan, don’t be rude,” his mother admonishes. “It’s already enough that you lowered yourself to date someone like her, but to act so immature on top of that? We didn’t raise you that way.”
I freeze.
“Excuse me?” Logan’s voice turns into a dangerous rumble. “What the hell did you just say?”
“Language, young man.” His father’s turns more into the crack of a whip. “I won’t have you talking to us that way.”
“But it’s fine to imply that Rose is somehow beneath me?”
“Somehow?” Freja lets out an elegant little snort. “Sheisbeneath us. You can just tell at a glance from how she?—”
Something inside of me snaps. Before I can stop myself, I rise to my feet and it puts me above the edge of the decoration barrier. All three turn to me like deer caught in the headlights.
Tilting my head at Freja, I ask, “Is it because of the color of my skin? Or my Latin American accent? Or let me guess, it’s because my dress cost fifty bucks, right?”
For the first time since our very brief acquaintance, Freja looks genuinely caught off guard. In contrast, TJ’s face hardens. “This is why. She’s been trying to manipulate you all night with every interaction, and now she’s openly trying to pit you against your own parents. Where are your standards, Logan?”
“My standards?” Calmly, Logan pushes away from his table and stands up. “I would choose Rose a million times over you.”
