Page 32 of Anything but Mine

“I’m no good for her.”

“That’s not an answer.”

It was on his tongue to promise that he wasn’t tempted. But his poker face was definitely cracking today. “It’s the only answer I have for you, man.” He hauled the case out and Cam caught the other end.

They cleared the flatbed and they carried it over to the mouth of the barn. When they put it down, Logan spun the trunk as he’d done a thousand times and coasted across the room with a knee on top of the trunk.

Zeke, of course, was entertaining a handful of women that were more than happy to ooh and ahh over his new guitar. Cameron’s crew was buzzing around the room, breaking down the scaffolding and pinning a new facade of bead board to the front of the stage. Just those two cosmetic things made a world of difference.

The stairs were already reinforced. New pine crossed over old with brand new nails still gleaming. Logan dragged his boot to slow his forward motion. “Working hard, I see.”

“Lo, I was just talking about you. These lovely ladies are here to help us set up.”

“Is that right?” Zeke knew he didn’t let anyone else touch his equipment except his tech. Zeke knew this because he was just as insane about people messing with his gear.

“Oh, yeah. Do one of you lovely ladies have a notebook?”

“I have my notes app on my phone,” a blond girl said.

&nb

sp; “Perfect.” Zeke sidled up close to her. “I need you guys to get a few things for us.” He rattled off Logan’s preference for gum and the hot tea he kept on stage. And that’s when Logan tuned out. His best friend would charm them into doing all sorts of errands for them.

Logan sighed and flipped open the locks on his trunk. It was going to be a damn long rehearsal. It was already heading into the noon hour. They had tons of set up to do, and he had a lighting rig install to oversee.

He wanted the barn to be totally transformed by the time Izzy arrived. Staying one step ahead of her was the only thing he could focus on right now. There were far too many balls in the air to get this festival to work out.

And he’d make it work if it killed him.

Nine

Bella jammed her feet into a pair of sneakers. She’d gotten stuck on the phone with Bobby trying to haggle a book out of his library, as well as appease one of her oldest clients. That had started at five.

Getting out on time to meet Logan for his rehearsal had been a lesson in futility. It was twenty after six by the time she’d realized just how long she’d been talking to her client. Now she had to go to the barn, and it looked like she was handily going in very barn-like clothes.

Her stomach had been in knots all damn day. Last night had been an epic mistake. The kind that she’d end up writing about in her journal when she was old and senile. She’d tell her crazy stories to the nursing home—especially the one where she turned down one of the sexiest men on the planet because…

The because would come sooner or later, right?

Right now all she felt was uncertain and knotted up. He’d wanted her. In the dark, with too much wine flowing between them, he’d backed her up into the doorway and she’d blown him off. Now she had to go and face him.

“Why are you still here?”

“I’m not. I’m a figment of your imagination.”

“Mr. Cogan kept you on the phone, huh?” Nic leaned on the counter, her chin in her hand. “Haggling or telling you about his granddaughter?”

“Both.” Bella dug her fingers into her palm. She really should go up and change. Dusty jeans and a ratty t-shirt wasn’t exactly the look she was going for.

“So, you’re going in that?”

“Nic, I’m late as it is. It’ll just have to do. I’m not impressing anyone tonight. This is just rehearsal. Besides, the wreck of a place calls for this kind of clothing anyway.”

“You’ve got Mr. Sex-On-Legs waiting for you.”

“He’s not waiting for me…exactly.” No, that had been last night. Waiting for her in the dark. Yeah, we aren’t going to think about that part. Nope. Negatory. “I’ve been on the phone more today than I have in a month. What I care about is a setlist and schedule for me to add to my ever growing to-do list. A pretty skirt isn’t exactly high on my list.”

“All right. I’ll remind you that you said that tomorrow. You know, when you’re crying because you realized your huge mistake.”

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