Page 20 of Break the Barrier

“Complicated,” he finishes for me, and I nod. “I get it.”

“You do? You’re not mad?”

“No, I’m not. Actually…” He rubs a hand over his scruff, his hands are calloused and rough to the touch. I remember thinking so when he helped me on that horse. “I was wondering if you’d like to help me with something.”

“Anything.” My answer is quick and sincere. I’ve been dying, owing him so much when I’m doing so little for him in return.

“Well.” He glances over his shoulder at his family. “Lueneeds to go hang out with her friends more often, but she’s been using me as an excuse not to. Says she doesn’t want me to be lonely.”

“Aw.” I press a hand to my chest, my heart melting at the sweet girl. “What a good kid.”

“She’s the best.” He nods. “But that’s not fair to her.”

“Okay, what do you need me to do?”

I find myself leaning toward him, our faces are only inches apart, and he seems to notice when I do. His eyes touch on my lips briefly before coming back to my own. I can’t say I didn’t get a quick glimpse of his lips as well.

“I need you to date me.”

There are moments in life where controlling your reaction is very, very difficult. “Date you?”

“It doesn’t need to be real, but I need you to be my excuse when she wants to go out but won’t.”

“I see.” I bite my lip. “Are you sure you want to do that? I don’t want to get her hopes up and have her upset when we…break up.”

“Dooming us before we even have a chance to date, huh?”

I hold up a hand. “Wait, you mean fake date, right? You’re not actually asking me out.”Please say yes.

His eyes hold mine, and he seems to be contemplating something for a moment before he shakes his head, a little grin on his lips. “Yeah, of course not. Just fake.”

“Oh. Okay.” I move the cups around. “So, we’re just saying we’re dating. No need to actually go on dates.”

Why was my heart beating so fast right now?

“Oh no, we’ll have to actually go,” he corrects, nodding his head. “If we don’t, she’ll find out through the grapevine that we’re not, and then it’ll ruin the whole thing.”

“So…we’ll have to go on dates,” I clarify.

“Yes. We’ll have to go on dates.”

Yeah, my heart rate is not slowing down anytime soon.

“Oka—”

“Hi, Thea!” Luella pops up from behind Logan, and I wonder how long she was standing there.

“Hi, Lue,” I answer with a genuine grin. There was something so special about this girl, she is so sweet whenever I talk to her. You could tell that the girl grew up in a home with so much love. It spoke a lot about what a good dad Logan is.

“Did Dad tell you that I’m auditioning for the school play?”

“I’m not surprised at all,” I answer with a smile and lean my forearms on the bar top. Logan stands up straighter, his eyes roaming from my face to hers. She’s a tall fourteen, coming up to his chest already. “You were amazing in last fall’s play.”

It wasn’t normal in big cities to go to the local play productions, but this small town was dedicated to supporting its youth, and anyone who could tried to make it to the school events.

“Thanks! I’m really hoping I get my part. I’m worried I won’t remember all my lines.”

“You’ll do great, Lue,” Logan reassures her, and I’m pretty sure my heart doesn’t know how to function normally anymore.