Shannon looked back at me. “My parents and my sister, Amanda, are kind of selfish. Logan was the favorite, and he hated the way I was treated differently. He tried to make up for it as we grew up. He’s always been there for me. When he found out how they’d treated me while he was in prison he wasn’t happy, but he wanted us all to be a family. I’ve been trying… So has he… But then they reacted the way they did to Maia, and he’s had enough.”

I frowned, feeling my heart rate pick up. “How did they react?”

“Logan didn’t tell you he told them about Maia a few days ago?” Shannon seemed surprised.

I shook my head.

“He wanted to wait until she was settled. He’s been putting off my parents for weeks.” She sneered. “Now they’ve done what they always do and are acting like judgmental shits because Logan has disappointed them.”

I felt anger start to burn in my blood. “Does Maia know?”

Shannon shook her head. “No, and as far as Logan’s concerned, she doesn’t have to know. She hasn’t asked about them in a while. Hopefully, she still won’t, and that will give him time to cool his own anger. He wants to explain it in the least hurtful way possible. She needs to know that it’s not about her. Our parents are just like this.”

I looked down at the counter and saw my fingertips were digging into the wood. I felt awful that Logan had had to deal with that and I hadn’t been there to help him. “I should have known,” I muttered.

“Hard to do when you’re avoiding him.”

Glancing up sharply at her, Shannon stared back at me with a knowing look in her eye.

“Logan told me what happened between you.”

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. “He did?”

“Not in detail, of course, because” – she shuddered – “he’s my brother. But he told me. Mostly because I wouldn’t let up until he did. He’s been acting like a grumpy bastard with everyone but Maia this last wee while. I finally badgered him until he told me what was up. Turns out it’s you.” She grinned. “Like I didn’t already know it had to do with you.”

“What do you mean?” I said warily.

Shannon leaned in to me, expression guileless. “Before you… Logan didn’t smile a lot or laugh in that big hearty way he used to laugh.” Her eyes were bright with tears now. “Prison changed my brother, Grace. You should have known him before it. He was… He was this big lovable joker, everyone’s friend. Everyone wanted to be his friend. He just had this… this light around him, you know?” She dashed at her tears with the backs of her fingers. “He’s not like that anymore. He doesn’t trust easily. His smiles don’t come easily. His laughter definitely doesn’t… or it didn’t… or it doesn’t…” She shook her head as if in confusion. “He started to smile and joke around more when you and Maia came into his life.” Shannon placed her hand on mine and squeezed it. “He hasn’t smiled much lately.”

I couldn’t breathe at what she was suggesting. I didn’t want her to think something that wasn’t true. “Shannon —”

“I really like you, Grace. And I very much like the idea of you and my brother together. Just so you know.” Her hand tightened on me. “Please be patient with him. He’s been through a lot.”

I felt for her. I really did. And that’s why I had to disabuse her of these notions before she got her hopes up regarding Logan and me. “Shannon, I’m not Logan’s type.”

“I don’t believe that.” She shook her head stubbornly.

“He’s also focusing on Maia right now.”

“I think he’s hiding behind that.”

Dear God, she was beyond stubborn. She was a mule. “Logan and I… We won’t work. We’re too different. Honestly, I think right now we’re better off staying away from each other.”

A noise drew my attention to the doorway, and I saw a flash of a body and dark hair before it disappeared. I frowned.

Maia?

“Do you think she overheard?” Shannon said, sounding concerned.

“Dammit.” I heaved a sigh. “I better talk to her so she knows it isn’t about her.”

As I shut the door on the last of my new friends, I leaned against it and wondered how best to approach Maia. After she’d overheard what I’d said about my friendship with Logan she’d been quiet and mostly unresponsive. The girls knew something was up, and not too long after made their excuses to leave.

Bracing myself, I went to find Maia.

She was in the guest bedroom, apparently having decided to abandon me and the mess in my sitting room. “There you are,” I said, leaning against the doorway.

She was sitting on the bed with a book in her lap.

“Maia, we need to talk about what you overheard.”

“About the fact that you hate Dad?” she snapped.

I felt a sharp pang in my chest just at the thought of anyone ever thinking I hated Logan. “I do not hate your father.”

“Then what’s going on?”

“It’s complicated, Maia. And it’s between your father and me. We’ve decided to spend some time apart, but that doesn’t mean my friendship with you has to change. You understand that, right? I’m not going anywhere.”

Although she looked no less upset, Maia gave me a reluctant nod.

I would have slumped with relief against the doorframe if I’d thought for one second that was the end of it. And I knew when she stiffly told me she’d like to read her book that she wasn’t quite finished being pissed off at me.