Page 21 of Break the Barrier

“I concur. I think you’ll nail it.” I smile at her. “When are auditions?”

Lue talks animatedly about her audition, and I listen intently, stealing glances at Logan when she does and seeing him stand there patiently, letting her talk.

It’s refreshing to see a dad who’s so patient and kind and who lets their kids talk about their things. My dad loved us all, but he could get impatient when we were out, not letting us talkto his friends about school or other things because that’s not what kids were supposed to do.

I really like Logan’s approach.

And I really don’t know why this makes him so much more attractive to me, but it does.

When she’s done, and Logan’s mom calls her back to the table, she gives me a wave and ambles away.

Their food has arrived, and now Logan has to go. I tell myself I don’t wish he could stay.

“Well, I’ll let you work. How is Thursday?”

“Thursday?”

“Our first date.” His eyes sparkle when he says it, and I can’t tell if he’s excited about our first fake date—fake, Thea. It’s fake—or if he’s teasing me.

“Thursday works.”

He tips his hat at me and returns to his table to eat. I watch them for a minute. One big happy family having dinner, and I suddenly wish that I could be sitting with them, enjoying the meal.

I sigh and get back to work.

I have three days to come to terms with the fact that I am now officially fake dating Logan Cash.

Go me.

8

logan

The momentI step inside the bar, I look for Thea. It was Tuesday night, which meant one thing: dart league.

I started this last year when CT, Stetson, and I wanted to start something at the local bar for something to do. I also thought it would bring in more customers to help out the new establishment, and I was right.

We had only two leagues, with a third attempting to get started as soon as they had more members, and it was one of my favorite nights of the week. My mom took Lue on Tuesdays now and would bring her to school in the morning so I could have this night out.

But I had an ulterior motive for being at this bar tonight, and it was to see Thea. After she agreed to fake date me, I was ecstatic for our date.

Unfortunately, something had come up for her, and she had to cancel last week. Which means it’s been over a week since I saw her.

I felt that loss more now than I ever have before, and I knew why.

The feelings I had been trying to repress for the last couple of years were bubbling up to the surface and threatening to show me and everyone else their true colors.

I was both nauseous and excited for that to happen.

I thought I saw something in her eyes when I’d mentioned needing her help. When I said that I needed her to be my fake girlfriend so Lue could get used to me not needing her, I saw a spark of interest there.

I want to turn that spark into a raging inferno, so maybe then she would feel for me a fraction of what I felt for her.

I was excited to spend more time with her, so I was determined to get that date to happen as soon as possible and convince her of it tonight. However, here I was, two hours into the dart league, and not once have I seen Thea.

“What are you looking for?” My brother steps up beside me, grabbing his beer off the table and taking a long pull. He just finished his turn, and we’re waiting on the other team to take theirs. Graham was up next.

“Nothing,” I lie, redirecting my attention to the game.