Page 13 of The Holiday Clause

“The marrying kind.”

Her stare snapped to Logan’s. “Don’t be a smartass. If I ever do get married, it’s going to be to someone who loves me. Not someone who views me as a means to an end.” She didn’t know why her voice cracked. “I think you both should leave.”

“Hey.” Soren closed the distance. “We didn’t mean to upset you.”

Again, she shrugged off his touch, unsure how such a ridiculous proposition could trigger this much turmoil. “You’re supposed to be my friends.”

“We are your friends. Wren, we love you.”

She scoffed and flung away any attempt to comfort her. “If you loved me, you’d want the best for me. Did my feelings even cross your mind when you rushed over here?”

They shot each other a sidelong glance, and she had her answer.

She shoved both of them in the chest. “Jerks!”

“Are you mad because you don’t think we’d make good husbands?” Logan asked defensively.

“Husbands?We live in America, Logan. Bigamy is illegal!”

“To be clear,” Soren chimed in, “we aren’t asking for anything polyamorous. We’re just trying to keep Hawthorne Fishery in the family. We need your help, Wren. Could you imagine if the company were sold off and divided? The Hawthorne name would mean nothing after that.”

“And let’s say you chose me,” Logan chimed in. “You know I’d treat you better than Soren or any other man could. I’m a lover.”

She blinked up at him, wondering if he actually heard how idiotic he sounded.

“There’s no way you’re winning this,” Soren growled.

“This?”

“Not this. You.”

“Ah, so much less offensive when you say it that way.” Her eyes narrowed. “How about I talk now?” She took a step forward and scowled at both of them, putting the two idiots on the defensive. “Since I was sixteen years old, you did everything in your power to keep every guy in Hideaway Harbor away from me. For a time, I figured you might actually like me, but it turned out none of you had a single romantic interest in me. You just wanted to screw up my life and make sure I stayed single.”

“That’s not?—“

“I’m not finished!” She took another step, forcing them to stagger back. “You stand here, in my home—where I live alone thanks to years of your ridiculous, territorial crap—telling me you could treat me better than any man. Well, I’d hope so! I deserve that. But with all this crazy talk of marriage and wills, neither of you has made a single mention of love. Why is that?”

They looked dumbfounded.

“It’s because you don’t love me!”

“Wren, how could you say that?—”

“I’m still speaking. You see me as a little sister. Is that what you want in a wife?”

“We were only trying to protect you.”

“You punished me! By the time I was a senior, no one would even ask me to prom.”

“I offered?—”

“That’s not the same!” Her eyes prickled with unshed tears. “You’ve never actually thought about my feelings or what I might need. You all just did whatever the hell you felt like doing, and today is no different.” Her anger left on an exhalation. “Maybe your dad’s right. You boys need to grow up. But I won’t be the woman who makes that happen for you.”

“Give us a chance.”

“No.” She blinked rapidly as her eyes blurred. “I’ve waited years to fall in love. You think I’m going to settle now? Whateverpathetic impression of love you’re offering doesn’t interest me. I think you both should leave.”

“You’re offended?—“