LOGAN

Jesus Christ! I didn't want Maisy to have to endure him, not now! My best friend folds his arms across his chest and leans his back up against the kitchen counter, blatantly checking Maisy out and nodding his head in approval. I can tell Maisy recognizes him from the way she shifts back and forth on her feet, growing fidgety, like she's about to bolt.

"It's like seeing a fucking ghost!" Will declares with a laugh, still shaking his head in amazement. "How the hell are you girl?" He walks across the room in two steps and throws his arms around Maisy, taking her by surprise and ignoring her boundaries while tackling her in a big hug. He pulls back and turns his head towards Dawn.

"I told you it was her."

Maisy's eyes dart around Will and over to Dawn. I'm sure she didn't expect to get bombarded by these two. I know I certainly didn't. I glare over at my best friend, but he continues to ignore me as he makes small talk with Maisy.

"What are you doing here?" I interrupt, irritated by the fact that he just dropped by with Dawn when he knew she was here, but Will just chuckles. He throws his arm around Maisy's shoulders and I tense at the familiarity he already seems to have with her. Despite what we shared last night, I don't have that privilege. I can't just touch her whenever I want to, and that's probably a good thing because if I did, I wouldn't want to stop.

"Do you hear this guy?" Will asks Maisy, talking about me as if I'm not standing just a few feet away from them. "I come to see if he wants to have brunch and this is the welcome I receive!"

"I don't want to have brunch," I bristle, knowing that's not why he stopped by. "Maisy's got to get on the road and she needs me to drive her over to the garage to pick up her car."

Will's face changes and his eyes swing over to me, searching for any signs of an oncoming disaster and I drop my gaze down to the floor, not in the mood to be dissected by my best friend. The room goes silent for a minute like no one knows what to say, but leave it to Dawn to smooth over an uncomfortable situation with perfect grace.

"Maisy?" She extends her hand and smiles. "I'm Dawn."

Maisy eyes shift down towards Dawn's outstretched hand and she hesitates, like she's not sure if she wants to take it. A good second or two passes before she finally does and returns Dawn's smile with a tight one of her own.

"Pardon these two jackasses for being so rude," Dawn laughs. "You think I'd have thought things through before procreating with one of them!"

Maisy's eyes slice right through me. I can see the disgust and betrayal in them and I have no idea what I've done to deserve that kind of look, and am baffled for a moment. And then in hits me. I glance over at Dawn. She thinks...

"Dawn and Will got married right out of college," I blurt out, watching in relief as the information sinks in and her face colors over the misunderstanding. That same blush I feel like I've seen a thousand times before heats her skin and my hand aches to brush my fingers along her cheek.

Will pulls Dawn into an enormous hug. "Yep," he smiles. "These here goods were in demand and my baby needed to lock 'em down!"

Dawn rolls her eyes and for the first time today Maisy actually laughs. I watch her face light up and her brown eyes release the load they always seem to be carrying, if only for a brief moment. I don't know why it can't always be like this for her, and it frustrates me to no end that she won't tell me.

"Obviously I married him for his humble personality," Dawn deadpans before squirming out of Will's.

"And here I thought it was cause of my money--"

"What money?" she laughs.

They go back and forth, bantering like they always do, but I'm watching Maisy. Her head swivels between the two of them and she's wearing a bemused smile like she's being entertained. She looks beautiful.

"Ignore them," I tell her, and her big eyes dart over to me and I hold her gaze. Her smile disappears and I'd do anything to know what she was thinking.

I mean she thought I was with Dawn, that I'd actually lie to her like that! But I guess it just goes to show how much she's probably keeping from me. For all I know Maisy could be married. Hell, one of her many jealous lovers could've followed her here and slashed her tires. I don't know the girl anymore, but I know I won't be able to convince her to stay to let me find out. I've somehow gotta come to terms with that, because there isn't any doubt anymore that Maisy Jacobs is going to be walking out of my life again.

Dawn finally manages to rein Will in, and he smiles over at Maisy. "It's good to have you back though, and I'm sorry about your father, but I have to say it's a relief to see you in one piece--"

"Will," I warn, but Maisy's smile returns.

"Did you think I got chopped up into little pieces Will?" They laugh, even though I don't see the humor in this particular conversation, and Will shakes his head.

"No, but you wouldn't believe some of the stories that went around."

"Do tell," Dawn pleads, ducking out from his arm and walking over to the coffee machine to fix herself a cup. I frown, wishing they'd just leave. I don't have long with Maisy and I don't want to share my time with the two of them.

"Well, right after Maisy took off--"

"Will," I warn again, letting him know how serious I am, but Maisy stops me this time.

"No," she leans forward on her elbows against the island and faces Will. "I want to hear too."

Will gives me a shrug, like it's out of his hands, and then turns back to Maisy with a grin. "Well, you remember Scott Mason?" She nods her head. "He said he saw you in a porn video online, but when he couldn't give anyone the link we all pretty much called bullshit on that story." Maisy rolls her eyes, but seems to think it's kind of funny by the way the corner of her mouth raises in a smirk.

"Then there were some people thought you ended up going to Berkley early, and another rumor going around that you moved to Japan to model." Will gives her a wink and Maisy's cheeks go rosy and she ducks her eyes. It's adorable.

"And then Stacey Chu told everyone you had an older boyfriend and that you ran off with him."

I see something change in her face. It's barely detectable, but I notice it. It's like she skips a beat for a second and I'm suddenly left wondering if maybe Stacey Chu was right. I brushed the rumor off at the time. Maisy didn't hang out with Stacey; there was no way she could know about an older boyfriend when Maisy's friends like Kimberly didn't. It didn't make sense. But looking how Maisy's face falls, I'm suddenly unsure.

Will tells Maisy about the rumor about her running off with Justin, and how that was debunked when he came home that next Christmas very much engaged, and Maisy slowly reanimates. She laughs when she's supposed to and barbs back and forth with him and Dawn, but something inside her has switched off and I notice her eyes travel over to the clock more than once during their conversation. Then Will tells Maisy the rumor about her dancing at the Blue Triangle and she starts to laugh again. I look away.

"You think that's funny?" Will steps over to me and slaps me around the back and I startle. "This asshole drove all the way to Huntersville to see if it was true, and he didn't even stay for a lap dance!" I cringe under Will's arm while my face warms with embarrassment. I don't dare look over at Maisy as I push my best friend off me. I don't want to see the pathetic sympathy in her eyes.

"Will," Dawn tugs on his shirt, letting her fool of a husband know that he's crossed a line. Will looks back and forth between Maisy and me as an awkward silence takes over the room.

"Well, we're just real happy that you're okay," Will finally tells her, and I glare over at him. He turns to me and mouths an apology which I ignore.

When I finally find the courage to look over at Maisy, she's still leaning on the island but is now looking down at her hands like she can't even face me. I wish more than anything that I could reverse time and take us back to last night up in my bedroom. For a moment there Maisy let me in.

"We've got to get going," I tell no one in particular. "Maisy needs to get on the road."

She bats her big brown eyes up to me and I swear they almost look grateful. It just about kills me. Maisy wants to go and I need to let her.

"You guys lock up when you're done. The spare key is under the plant out front." I talk mostly to Dawn because I can't really look at either Maisy or Will right now. She nods and gives me an empathetic smile, but she has no idea how difficult what I'm about to do is.

"You ready?" I ask Maisy, turning back to her and thanking god that I got the words out despite the rock I seemed to have lodged in my throat.

Maisy appears sad, but I remind myself that I don't know her well enough to be sure; that's the only way I'm going to get through this. She nods and says goodbye to both Will and Dawn. I follow her out of the kitchen and pick up her bag, ignoring the dread that's tearing through my muscles as we walk to the front door. I hold it open for Maisy and I'm not sure if it's my imagination but I think I see her tremble before she takes her first step outside.

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