Page 71 of The Star

As much as I want to justify my actions – and I do, I’ve come up with so many excuses – I know that what I did was fucked up. I should have warned her Cassidy was coming today. Partly because they hate each other and recently got in a fight, but mostly because of what’s building between me and Logan.

She deserves better than to have been caught off guard like that, and she definitely didn’t deserve for me to hook up with her last night when she’s going to have to see me with Cass today.

I’ve never felt like this before – guilty about my actions or bad for lying and being sneaky. But with Logan, things aredifferent,and I want to prove that to her.

That’s why I decided to break up with Cassidy after the wedding today. I was going to do it before, but that would make for the most fucking awkward wedding in history.

Logan knows that what Cassidy and I have is purely for fun and image. I didn’t think it mattered that she was in the background, but clearly, it’s a problem. I’m going to fix the fucking problem, and I’m going to be someone that deserves her.

I’m falling for her, and I’m not afraid to show her that. I don’t fucking care about anything else. Hayden was right – fuck everything else. I’m going to win her over, and she’s going to realize that we could have something really great. I mean, yeah, it’s complicated with us being family now, but whatever. I don’t give a shit.

I spotted Cassidy sitting with her parents during the ceremony but didn’t pay her any attention, trying to give it all to my mom and Gary, which was difficult since Logan looks delicious in her red bridesmaid’s dress. It was a big ceremony, as expected. My mom is typically pretty extra, so I wasn’t surprised.

The party starts right after the ceremony ends, in one of the larger ballrooms in the hotel, and the room is done up in over-the-top decorations. I find Levi and Hayden the minute I get there, hoping they have something I can sip on before everyone starts piling in.

Luckily, Hayden has filled up a Hydro Flask with rum, so I down a few shots from it to lessen the weight on my shoulders.

Cassidy comes prancing in the room just as I’m handing the bottle to Levi, her light-yellow dress fanning out around her as she crosses the room toward us.

She gives me a smile, making her pretty face light up as she wraps her arms around my neck. I instinctively wrap an arm around her waist, returning her embrace. “That was so beautiful, I cried like three times.”

I chuckle. “You’re a sap.”

She presses her lips to mine, and I return the kiss as well – because what the fuck else am I going to do? When she pulls away, she looks into my eyes with her big green ones. “If my wedding isn’t that big and gorgeous, I’ll die.”

I grip her waist with my hand. “You have a while to figure it out.”

She rolls her eyes. “Wedo.”

I hear Levi choke on his mouthful of rum, making Cassidy’s head snap to him, venom on her tongue. “Good evening,Levi.”

Cassidy has never liked Levi, and she barely tolerates Hayden – only puts up with them because of me and the status it gives her to be wrapped around me when I’m with them. She thinks Levi is the shit on the bottom of her shoe, because he wasn’t born elite and filthy rich like her, which is pathetic. She doesn’t like that Hayden has fucked so many of her friends and then ghosted them, which is actually kind of a decent reason.

“Sup, Cass.” Levi tips his head to her once he’s stopped coughing, a little smirk on his lips.

“Cassidy, good to see you.” Hayden smiles like an evil bastard, making her groan and roll her eyes.

She threads her fingers through mine, ignoring Hayden and pulling me away from them. “I need a drink.”

The second I turn to follow her, I catch sight of Logan walking through the propped-open double doors of the ballroom, a bored look on her face.

“Ugh.” Cassidy makes a disgusted face. “The trash has arrived.”

I pull my hand from Cassidy’s when Logan’s gaze connects with mine from across the room, but I’m too late because Logan just laughs and turns away.

I sigh. “Let’s just get a drink and try to be civil, Cass.”

She clicks her tongue, heading toward the bar. “I’m always civil, but I can’t speak for the Franklin bitch.”

“Enough, Cassidy,” I snap, making her turn to look at me when she’s reached the bar across the room.

“What?!” She laughs sarcastically. “Why are you defending her?”

I sigh, waving down the bartender who’s at the opposite end. “I’m not. She’s my stepsister now, so you need to be nice to her.”

Cassidy laughs humorlessly, giving me a wounded look like I’ve just hit her puppy, but thankfully, the bartender approaches us to take our order before she can start bitching me out.

Since we’re surrounded by my relatives, I order two club sodas for us and once we have our glasses, I wordlessly lead Cassidy to a table across the room that Levi and Hayden have claimed. She bitches the whole way to the table about having to hang out with them, but I just ignore her and sit down to wait for the happy couple to arrive.

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