Page 136 of With a Cherry On Top

“Right.” Logan grins at Charlotte. “So which one is it?”

Charlotte doesn’t even flinch, eyes pinned on him. “I can be whatever you want,” she says smoothly. “How much are you paying?”

Oh my god.

Logan’s stare slices through me like a blade.

“She’snota prostitute,” I rush out, horrified. “Or—any of that. I can’tbelieveyou, Logan.”

“Can’t you?”

I don’t even know why I’m surprised after all this time. I don’t know how I still let his poorly veiled opinions of me hurt me. Yet I do.

“You know what—I’m tired of this, Logan. Yes, I fucked up—seven yearsago. How long is my punishment going to last, huh? When will I have paid enough?” I bark. “Or does one mistake grant you the irrevocable right to come into my house and insult me and my?—”

Logan’s brows pull together.

“Myguest,” I say, Charlotte rolling her eyes beside me.

“Right. Well, I didn’t mean to insult you, Cherry.” He breathes sharply through his nose, refocusing on me. “I’ll see you.” He vaguely gestures at me and Charlotte. “Enjoy...whatever this is.”

Of course. When things get hard, Logan skedaddles. Some things never change, do they?

“You know, Josieshouldhave chosen you,” I say as he turns his back on us. He flips around, lips twisted in a grimace. “’Cause you’re both so fucking good at leaving.”

He hesitates for a long moment before moving closer. “Fine. You wanna talk? Let’s talk about how it’s been sevenfuckingyears, and you still think any of this is about Josie.”

“I know it’s not.”

“Yeah, you know it’s not,” he echoes, his voice eerily calm. “What the fuck do you want me to say, Aaron? I still can’t look at you without seeing the guy who slept with my girlfriend and thenmarriedher. You were my best friend and you betrayed me, and I don’t know how to get over it. And you know the worst part? Every time I try to trust you, you go and prove why I shouldn’t.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

Logan gestures vaguely in Charlotte’s direction. “This.” His eyes are sharp, accusatory. “You sneaking around, lying. Hiding whateverthisis.”

My chin jerks forward. “This hasnothingto do with you.”

“The hell it doesn’t,” he snaps. “You’re my brother, Aaron. You’re my daughters’ uncle and my mother’s son. You work formy friends, for Christ’s sake. And I know you. I know that when you keep secrets, it’s because you’re doing something youknowis wrong.” His eyes flick to Charlotte again. “Or maybe just something you’re ashamed of.”

When I step forward, shoulders tensing, Charlotte places a calming hand on my chest and purrs, “Careful, Logan. I don’t like people talking about me like I’m not in the room.”

Logan, eyes on me, nods. “Then maybe you shouldn’t be involved with someone who’s too much of a coward to acknowledge you.”

Coward.

I feel it in my bones, in their marrow, in the places I don’t let anyone see. It’s not just an insult—it’s the truth. Because Logan isn’t wrong, is he? If he were, I would’ve come clean about Charlotte already. If he were, I wouldn’t be standing here, watching her take the hit for my decision.

Shame curdles in my gut, hot and corrosive. It climbs up my throat, twisting around my tongue, making me feel like I might choke on the weight of it.

I don’t look at Charlotte. I can’t. Because what if she’s looking at me differently now? What if sheseesit too—the same thing Logan does? The same thing I do?

I swallow hard, forcing myself to stand my ground, to keep my face neutral. But inside, everything caves in.

Logan holds the keys up, then turns and heads for the door.

But I’ve got one more thing to say.

“I’ve been apologizing, trying to mend things, trying to get close to you for years. Again and again, I’ve proven myself as a good father, son, friend, and brother. So if you still have a problem with me, then it’syourfucking problem, Logan. I’m out.”