Page 105 of Logan

A red carpet greets us, and I receive a flower and a gold-embossed card with my name and table number. The invitation said black tie, but I didn’t imagine they’d invest so much in a company event.

I hold on to Johnny’s arm and plaster a smile on my face as we walk through the doors. Heavy burgundy curtains cover the windows, giant chandeliers illuminate the space, and there’s even a real band playing.

I don’t know why I’m so tense. It’s just a social event and nothing more. No one here is judging my future, and there’s no presentation for me to give to the managers.

I hurry to snatch a champagne glass from a passing server’s tray. The evening will go more smoothly if I have a drink or two.

The place buzzes with people, and I nod and smile at familiar faces from the office, but my eyes don’t stop searching for him.

“Emery!” I wave to her from across the hall, and she hurries over until we meet in the middle and hug.

“Get us some drinks?” she asks Johnny.

“Sloane already has champagne.”

“Yeah, but not a margarita, that’s her favorite. Bring us both one?”

He twists his face but leaves us and heads to the bar.

“So, you brought Johnny,” she says the moment he’s out of earshot.

She says nothing beyond stating a fact, but her tone makes it clear what she thinks of the idea.

“I didn’t want to come alone.”

“You’re back together, then?”

“No. I agreed to a date, that’s all.” Just so I wouldn’t be alone when Logan shows up with someone else, and I won’t feel humiliated to the core. But where is he?

Emery keeps shooting me looks.

“Just spit out what you have to say already,” I grumble.

“You already know my opinion. I wouldn’t take his skinny ass back. But you brought him here, to your work event, and you’re going to introduce him to all your colleagues, so looks like you’ve already decided.”

Already decided? No, no. I haven’t decided anything. I hope Johnny didn’t misunderstand something like that from my invitation. Is that why he’s so happy to come to the event? Is that what he understood from this invitation? That we’re together again? Shit.

“I—”

“Here are the margaritas you requested.” Johnny appears behind me, handing us both glasses of a cold, red-colored drink. “At least they have quality whiskey here, not being stingy.”

“You think it’s a good idea for you to drink? You drove us here.”

“Nonsense. It was just one drink.” He smiles and wraps his arm around my waist.

I struggle to suppress my automatic flinch reaction. His touch, his smile, evokes nothing in me. I don’t think this is working.

I take a sip of the drink and then another one. I’ll need a few of these to get through tonight.

“I need a moment of your time.” The voice behind me makes my stomach clench, and I turn my head to meet the all-too-familiar icy eyes.

“I’m busy,” I point to Emery and Johnny.

Emery’s eyes widen.

The muscle in Logan’s jaw tightens. “I won’t take up much of your time.”

“Go,” Emery whispers, looking shocked that I dared to argue with the boss. “I’ll be here with Johnny in the meantime.”