Page 29 of Break the Barrier

But, before I can answer her question, the door jingles open, alerting us and our few patrons to a newcomer, and when I look over, my breath catches in my throat.

Logan stands there, a clean and sharp straw hat on his head, his hair tucked neatly behind his ears. He’s got a dark-blue, long-sleeve button-down on, tucked into his jeans, and shiny brown boots on his feet.

And his eyes are on me.

I feel myself flush and reach down, grabbing my handbag.

“Oh. Now it all makes sense,” Annmarie says, grabbing a toothpick and sticking it in her mouth. She clicks her tongue. “Mr. Cowboy got all fancy for ya.”

“You’re dating Logan Cash?” Juniper asks, her tone bewildered.

“I’m…” I find myself at a loss for words. “Just trying something out.”

Annmarie wiggles her brows. “Oh, I bet you are.”

I scoff at her. “Like Stetson isn’t totally infatuated with you?”

She shrugs. “He’s barking up the wrong tree.”

“Hello, ladies.” We all simultaneously turn to Logan, and he smiles broadly at us. “How are you doing tonight?”

“Oh, we’re great, Mr. Cowboy. How are you?” I roll my eyes at Annmarie.

Logan’s eyes twinkle at me. “I’m doing fantastic.”

“I didn’t know you were dating my sister,” Juniper blurts out, her eyes on him.

“June!” I scold, hiding my face with a hand. I feel a hand wrap around my elbow, and when I open my eyes, Logan is right there next to me, having come around the bar.

“I finally wore her down,” he says with ease, as if this is a normal, everyday conversation.

“Good for you,” Juniper says, her voice kind. She looks at me, and I see some sort of hope brewing there. She was there for my last failed relationship. I can see she’s hoping I haven’t picked a rotten apple twice in a row.

“Are you ready to go?” Logan asks, his arm now wrapped lightly around my lower back, his face tipped down to mine.

“Yes,” I answer, my voice far too breathless for my liking.

Logan makes me feel unhinged. He makes me act like a high school girl excited to go to prom, not a grown woman with a business and a family to take care of.

And yet, I can’t seem to help how he makes me feel or act.

“Okay, ladies, I won’t bring her back too late,” Logan says with a wink and then hauls me out the door. When I look back, Juniper’s jaw is hanging open, and Annmarie is smirking before she snaps a towel at my sister.

Maybe Logan doesn’t just affect me.

“I hope this was okay. I wanted to go somewhere out of town,” Logan says from across the booth.

“This is great,” I reply, taking a glance at the menu. He drove out of Acton and Fall Springs to another town that has a small shopping center and some restaurants. We ended up at a steakhouse that I thought was good, though I don’t frequent it very often.

“I guess I should have asked if you wanted to eat at your place.” Logan frowns, as if this thought never occurred to him, and I hurry to assure him.

“Oh no. I never would have been able to relax with my sisters right there or work to be done. I’d have been getting upand busing tables or something in between questions.” I laugh, and Logan grins at me.

“Good. Great, that’s great.” He nods his head, his hair flopping down against his forehead now that his hat isn’t holding it back. It was adorable, but I wasn’t about to tell him that.

Maybe later.

“So, how is Lue?” I ask, almost wishing she were here. When we had dinner last night, it had been easy. But she had filled every silence there could have been with her easy banter.