Page 20 of Meet Me in the Valley (Oakwood Valley #2)

Chapter Thirteen

LOGAN

I stare blankly at my computer screen, reading an email from a client line by line without retaining a single word from it.

It’s been three days since I left Oakwood Valley, and it seems each time I leave, the harder it gets.

With each passing year, my heart slowly gets pulled out West, and I ache to put down roots where the vineyards are plenty and the valleys are endless.

I’m a mess of emotions lately, unable to shake the woman who has completely thrown my world into another universe.

I’ve tried my damn best not to let her ‘we’re just friends’ moment at the airport affect me, but I’m failing miserably.

I’m sleeping like shit, I’m confused as fuck, and worst is—I’m disappointed.

Something shifted this past weekend between us, and it’s been moving in a direction I didn’t see coming. I’ve never wanted more than a week at a time with a woman. But the one woman in my life who I can stand to be around almost twenty-four seven is 1,500 miles away and only sees me as a friend.

My heart nearly fell out of my chest when she denied what she said that night of the bonfire. She tells me she loves me as a friend, but her body tells me otherwise. I saw it in her eyes, screaming at me to see her differently.

And I fucking did. I saw her. All of her. And now, I can’t seem to go back to how it was before—it’s driving me insane.

I’ve been at the office all of two hours, and I’m already wishing the clock would strike five so I can get home and crack open a cold one.

I sulk behind the safety of my desk, hiding from my co-workers and Roy.

I catch sight of Krista bending over, perfectly positioned right at the edge of my vision. She moves in slow motion, taking her sweet time deliberately picking up the stylus she conveniently “dropped.”

As she rises up, ass out and back arched, she looks over her shoulder and throws me a tiny wink. I see the faint shadows of the crease where her ass meets her thighs. No panties in sight.

Roy should send her home for wearing that skirt. It violates the dress code that doesn’t even exist anymore, because businesses are so damn progressive these days.

And sure, I’m grateful I don’t have to show up in a suit and tie every day, but God, I wish she’d wear a nun’s habit. Or a trash bag. Anything other than the tight blouses and short-as-fuck skirts she taunts me with.

I look down at the traitor between my legs. He, unfortunately, reacts—twitching beneath my slacks like he doesn’t care how much shame is riding shotgun. Inwardly, I groan, dragging my hands down my face. The guilt hits hard, sharp and familiar.

This— this —is exactly why I’d never be good enough for Tia.

She deserves the best. And the best means better than me.

So much better than me.

I have earbuds in to give the impression I’m not available, but that doesn’t stop Krista from sauntering over, perching herself on the corner of my desk like an offering.

Her skirt rides up mid-thigh as she crosses one leg over the other, my eyes level to her hips.

I stare a little too long at her exposed skin before bringing my gaze to hers, feeling like an asshole with every lingering glance.

She bites her lip and smiles at me, and if I weren’t in such a shit mood, I’d maybe find it attractive.

I dig the heels of my hands into my eyes, giving myself a second to deal with whatever she needs to say to me. Taking out my ear buds, I prop my elbows on my desk and rest my chin on my fists, faking a smile.

“What’s up, Krista?”

She pushes her chest forward a bit, making sure I get a nice eyeful of her pert breasts right in my face. I back away slightly. I’ve got less patience today than usual for dealing with her antics.

It’s no secret that Krista has been pining after me for years. After everything that happened over the weekend with Tia, I’m more tuned in to notice the undercurrent of jealousy and possessiveness Tia always had toward Krista all these years.

Now, with Tia out of the office, I see Krista has dialed up the flirting to another level than her usual day to day.

“Roy wants to see us. You look tense, Lo. Do you need a shoulder rub?” she offers sweetly, inching her fingers toward my arm.

“I’m good.” I lean back in my chair, putting more distance between us before my body betrays me. My head is all over the place, and there’s no way I can think straight with Krista this close to me. She makes an exaggerated pouting face before sliding off my desk.

“You really need to relax, Logan.” There’s a teasing lilt to her voice, but I’m not in a mood to find it amusing. Still, if she didn’t throw herself at me so blatantly—and if Tia didn’t hate her so much—I may have entertained this girl a long time ago.

She’s right, though. I need to chill the hell out.

Krista grabs my arm, tugging me up from my chair with a playful grin, her fingers smoothing out the wrinkles in my shirt like she has every right to touch me.

I sigh and give her a pointed look, but she just smirks and bites her lip in a coy way.

Her cheeks flush a soft pink. And yet, even with Krista right in front of me, her hands still on my shoulders, all I can think about is Tia.

Tia—who’s never needed to bat her lashes to get attention, who can have any man eating out of her palm with half a glance. I’ve watched it happen, more than once, and every damn time I’d say to myself, whoever she ends up with will be one lucky son of a bitch.

Krista’s hands trail down, stopping to squeeze around my biceps, but I’m barely aware of it because my mind is already somewhere else.

On someone else.

And the cruelest part is I suddenly realize I wouldn’t just admire the guy Tia will choose one day.

I want to be that guy. Shit.

“Okay, Krista. Let’s just go.” I shrug her off of me and march toward Roy’s office, leaving her to trail behind me.

I move on auto-pilot, only giving a simple nod to my colleagues who greet me with too-big smiles and too-chipper attitudes.

I don’t know what’s in the water cooler today, but maybe I should drink from it—clearly, I’m such a ray of sunshine today.

It’s like I pissed in my own Cheerios this morning and made myself eat it.

Rolling my shoulders back and straightening my spine, I knock on the door frame of Roy’s office with Krista nearly pushed up against my back. Her perfume is strong, almost too flowery. I stifle a sneeze as her smell snakes up my nostrils.

Roy peeks over the blueprint he’s holding, squinting through his glasses as he waves us in.

His office is lived in, which is a nicer way of saying a mess.

There are swatches of textiles spread across his desk along with 3D models of projects from the last six months.

There’s a method to his madness, which is why he’s the most successful architect in South Texas.

“Come sit. I have some updates for you both,” Roy sighs, exhausted.

Shit. Bad news?

He rubs his temples with the pads of his fingers, his head hung low between his shoulders.

Krista and I sit nervously across from his massive desk, and I fidget with the belt loop on my jeans.

Krista’s picking at the rings on her fingers, then goes to chew her thumbnail, which reminds me of Tia’s nervous tick.

A smirk appears on my lips at the thought, but I quickly stone my face when Roy clears his throat before speaking.

“I’ll give it to y’all straight. With Tia’s situation, I have to make sure all our bases are covered. Krista, I’m pushing you up to be the lead designer on this.”

The second I hear Krista’s name tied to the project, my jaw tightens. I don’t react—not outwardly, anyway. Blood pounds in my ears, stinging my face with a surge of heat. I grip the arms of the chair like a vice.

Krista, however, is ecstatic and thrusts her hand in Roy’s. Her overly eager thank yous reverberate through my hand like a painful loop.

I knew this was possible when I put the plans in place for Tia’s absence.

But I wasn’t prepared for the gut punch that would come from hearing Roy speak it outloud.

I nod like it’s no big deal, like I didn’t just feel the floor shift beneath me.

I force my shoulders to stay relaxed, even as everything in me coils.

I listen to Roy explain the new timeline, expectations, and adjustments, but the thoughts in my day drown it all out. I let Tia down. How much worse could this day get?

Donovan is always telling me you get what you put into the world. Well, if that ain’t the truth. Since I arrived back in Austin, it’s been one shit thing after the other. I’m fully convinced now it’s because I can’t get my attitude in check.

“Any questions?” Roy interrupts my thoughts, and I shake my head. All I can think about is getting the hell out of here, hopping on my bike, and taking her for a long ride until the gas runs out.

“Not a question, but a suggestion,” Krista chirps.

“I say we have a staff happy hour tonight. What do you say, Roy? We haven’t gone out as a staff in such a long time.

” She turns on the puppy dog eyes full throttle.

Roy leans over his desk with his hands laced together as if he’s mulling it over.

He flicks his eyes back and forth between Krista and I before drumming his hands enthusiastically on the wood top of his cluttered desk.

“That’s a great idea, Krista. Spread the word. The Volstead. Five o’clock.”

Krista lets out an excited squeal, causing me to wince. She throws me an apologetic look before standing to give Roy a high-five. Then, she beckons me to follow her out.

“Harper, can you hang back a minute?” Roy asks.

“Sure thing, boss.”

Krista lingers by the door. “I’m going to grab a coffee next door. You boys want anything?” Her offer is for both of us, but her eyes fixate solely on me. It’s unnerving the way she’s so forward with me today. It’s ten times the usual pining.