Page 113 of Bad Love

“I have something for you. Ta-da! Happy V Week.” She holds out a box. I know what’s in it without lifting thelid.

“Aww. You bought me my ownvibrator?”

“The gift that keeps ongiving.”

The official launch was yesterday, and I’ve been following up with advertisers, monitoring promotional campaigns to ensure everything’s gone out on time. I just sent an email to remind reviewers to leave us their experiences on thewebsite.

“And you named it the Petal?” sheasks.

“You like? The name was Logan’s idea.” He said it looked like a flower. I thought it was too feminine, then he pulled out these stats on how strong flower petals are, and it kind of seemedperfect.

“Cute. I bought one for me too. A small concession for being away for a few days and missing your official launch. Besides, Wes has been asking all kinds of questions since that afternoon meeting we had with Daisy and Ben.” She wiggles her eyebrows. “I don’t know if he’s more into the vibe or the artificial intelligence part ofit.”

“Do youcare?”

“Not at all.” She grins. “Oh. We also have a moment of celebration planned atnoon.”

She goes to the fridge and pulls out a box. My eyes round. “Youdidn’t.”

“Daisy and I didtogether.”

Rena lifts the lid. It’s a beautiful round cake with buttercream icing and a penis drawn on it in gel ink. “Congrats on your explosive success,” says the fuchsia cursivehandwriting.

“Ohgoodness.”

“More importantly,” she says over her shoulder as she returns the cake to its spot, "I haven’t seen you since Friday since I was in Dallas doing wedding prep. How was your weekend with Frat Boy—scratch that. He's definitely all man. FratMan?"

I hit the On button for the coffee maker—didn’t have time to stop at the café—and sink against the counter. "It felt like I was in an Audrey Hepburnmovie."

“Only no cigarettes,” sheguesses.

“Exactly.”

Seeing where Logan comes from was amazing. The way they accept him and who he is, the relationship he and Monty have, it’s all amazing. Somewhere between dancing and snorkelling, I found myself thinking we could haveeverything.

I get that Logan’s afraid to take on responsibility. It's tragic because all he wants is to help Hunter’s Cross, to create new ideas and products in the world, and he’s incredible at it. But he won’t take on commitments because he doesn’t want to let down the people heloves.

"So, a trip to Orange with your hottie boyfriend is in yourfuture?"

Rena’s words bring me back, and I exhale a long breath. "I'd have to tell my parents about himfirst."

"You left Rory there for the weekend without telling them where you weregoing?"

I wince. "I told them I was visiting friends in LongIsland."

When I picked up Rory, I’d had a chance to tell my parents about Logan. Ididn’t.

Even though I feel close to Logan, they’ll take one look at him and the tongue ring and think I’ve lost my mind. They'll judge me, and they’ll judge him, and I don’t want to bring him for that until I haveto.

“I'm not sure how to tell my parents I'm sleeping with a frat boy I met through a mutual professional interest invibrators."

Rena’s brows draw together as she reaches for two mugs. "You could tell them you're dating a man who's kind and funny and creative and has a greatfamily."

I groan. “He’s all of those things, and I think that’s why I’m freaked out.” I go to the fridge for cream and think about the drive home Sunday night, which brought me down from the weekend high. "When we started sleeping together, I thought it was just a way to keep Bad Kendallhappy.”

“Wait. Who’s BadKendall?”

“The sex-deprived part of mypsyche.”

---