Page 14 of Break the Barrier

“I don’t think it would be a bad thing for her to know, that way she can keep an eye out for things.”

“I don’t want her to know, Logan,” I state firmly, watching his face carefully. He just watches me back. “This is my mess to clean up. I don’t need my sisters worrying about things they deserve to leave in the past.”

“You deserve to leave it there, too.”

I nod. “I appreciate that, and I plan to. Just as soon as I take care of him. Make sure he stays put.”

Logan seems to think about this for a moment, his hands clenching and unclenching. “Anyway.” He shakes his head. “What does Annmarie think you’re doing?”

“She thinks I’m on a lunch date.”

His brows shoot up, and a satisfied smile crosses his lips. “Really.”

“Really.” I grab my napkin, folding it over and over again, my nerves needing an outlet. “It was the only thing I could be doing where she couldn’t come with me.”

“Got it.” He nods his head. “So, you’re dating me.” He seems far too satisfied with that reasoning.

“I didn’t say it was you.”

He tilts his head from side to side, weighing the situation. “Yeah, well, I hate to burst your bubble.” He gives a nod to something behind me, and I glance back, wondering what he’s seeing. “But Meryl has been sitting back there with a notebook the entire time we’ve been here.”

I groan and turn back around when I see her lift her phone, presumably to take a photo.

Meryl was this town’s gossip. She knew everything about everyone and spread every rumor she could get her hands on.

“Do you think she’s planning to share this news with everyone?”

“She’ll probably put it on Facebook.”

I gape. “Are you serious? How do you know that?”

He leans forward, a grin touching his lips. “Ever since the paper went under, Meryl took the opportunity to open up a Facebook group for Acton and Fall Springs.”

Fall Springs was technically where my apartment was. The two towns were basically one, with the shopping and restaurants residing in Acton, but some quarrel between two families way back when split the town.

“She posts everything on there, anything she thinks people would be interested in.”

“And you think she’ll post this?”

He shrugs. “What’s more interesting than the bar owner in distress dating the single dad?”

I sit back and cross my arms petulantly. “She doesn’t know I’m in distress. And you forgot cowboy.”

He gives me a look. “What?”

“Single dad, cowboy. That’s your title.”

“It is?” He scratches his head. “Everyone walks around calling me cowboy?”

“Oh yeah.” I rest my arms on the table. “Every time dart league is going, girls flock from all over town trying to get you or Stetson to look at them. CT was a part of that too, until he and Dani made it official.”

“People come to just watch us play?”

I clear my throat. “No.Womencome to watch you play, in hopes that you’ll pick one of them to stick your next dart into.”

Logan cracks up at that analogy, his hand moving to cover his mouth, and I bite back a grin. I’m not often funny, as a matter of fact, I usually stick to the serious side of things, but making Logan laugh may just be the highlight of this day.

“Wow, I had no idea.”