Real Good Man (Real Duet #1)

“Thanks for the invite, but I’ve only got ten minutes before my next appointment, and I definitely am gonna have to pee.” She stares at me as she sucks down a sip of coffee. “Do you know how many women in this town probably wouldn’t mind accidentally hittin’ you with a car today after hearing about what Logan said last night at Brews and Balls?”

“I expected this conversation to get less creepy, but it turns out I was wrong.”

Julianne shrugs. “I’m just saying you might want to watch your ass. He’s a catch, and he’s been evading the net for a while now. Some of these women are getting desperate.” She shoots a look toward Emmy behind the counter as the other woman tucks some food into what looks like a picnic basket. “That one, especially.”

“Her? Really?” My next inspection of Emmy is much closer. Acceptably cut light brown hair, decent body, nice eyes, and a hint of bitchiness.

Julianne nods when I meet her gaze again. “She’s carved her name in his tree, if you know what I mean.”

I might not be from Kentucky, but even I understand her euphemism. “I get what you’re saying.”

“But apparently Emmy hasn’t put two and two together that you’re the one who’s about to crush her dreams of becoming Mrs. Logan Brantley.”

When she glances back at the woman, I follow her gaze. “Why’s that?”

“She’d be glaring daggers at you instead of putting Logan’s lunch basket together.”

Logan’s lunch basket? Seriously? “Did he order takeout?”

Julianne laughs. “Nope. He doesn’t have to in order to get the Emmy special. She makes it her mission to keep him fed. I guess she’s trying to get the one half of the stomach full, balls empty equation covered, since as far as I know, Logan’s never let her get anywhere near his balls.” Julianne sips her coffee again. “Not for lack of trying, of course. She’d for sure turn up pregnant the first time he touched her, though. I’d put money on that.”

All of this information is bringing on an epically bad headache and killing my appetite.

I narrow my eyes at Julianne. “Why are you telling me this?”

She shrugs. “Logan genuinely likes you. He’s made that plenty clear.” She shoots a look over at Emmy. “And I’ve pretty much hated that bitch since junior high when she decided she was better than everyone else.”

God bless small towns.

A short bus pulls up in front of the restaurant, momentarily blocking my view of the street.

“I better get out of here. The assisted-living-home folks are coming for their way too late to be lunch and too early to be dinner. It’s about to be old people city up in here. See you around, Banner. You let me know if you need that color touched up or those nails fixed. I’m not a big-city stylist by any means, but I don’t f*ck up hair or nails.” She flashes me a crooked smile. “Just everything else in my life.”

And with that, she’s gone, leaving me wishing she’d stayed longer. Besides Nicole, Julianne is the only other woman I’ve met in this town I can picture having drinks with.

Emmy bustles to the door as the busload of older people comes tromping into the restaurant. “Y’all are early! I didn’t expect you until three thirty.”

Darlene rushes over with my salad and drops it at the table. “You need anything else? I’m about to be real busy.”

“No, ma’am. I’m all set here.”

I lean back in the booth and proceed to be entertained by all the retirees and their chatter. There’s some kind of magic to this small-town life.

*

Julianne’s warning about Emmy and her plans concerning Logan keep cycling through my head as I finish my salad. It wasn’t incredibly filling, but I didn’t have to make it myself, so there’s that. The door to the restaurant chimes again, and I realize this place must be a happening spot in town for all the traffic I’ve seen.

“I thought that was your rental out front. How’s it going, Bruce?”

Logan slides into the booth the same way Julianne did. Every time he calls me Bruce, a shaft of warmth hits me directly in the heart-attack region.

Apparently I’m not the only one who notices Logan, though. Emmy comes right over to my table.

“I’m so sorry, Logan. I had a late lunch all packed up for you but the Sunnybrook contingent distracted me.” She looks from Logan to me and then back at him. “You don’t have to share a booth with her; we’ve got plenty of open tables.”

Awkwardness fills the void as soon as she shuts her mouth.

Logan smiles at me before he speaks. “This is exactly where I want to be sitting.” He finally glances up at Emmy. “Have you met Banner? She’s in town from New York.”

As soon as he says my name, the confused expression on her face turns into something harsh before immediately morphing into the fakest smile I’ve ever seen. And considering I’m from New York, that’s saying something.

“I didn’t get her name. Welcome to our little slice of paradise, ma’am. I’m sure you’re already bored out of your mind, what with you being from the big city and all.”

“I’m just getting settled in, and I can’t imagine leaving anytime soon.” My tone carries a sincerity that Logan can’t miss.

The edges of Emmy’s fake smile start to roughen. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll be done with this place soon enough.”

Logan’s watching our exchange, and he’s not an idiot. “I sure hope not. I appreciate you making Banner feel welcome. She’s pretty damn special to me.”

Emmy’s mask threatens to crack, but she holds it in place. “Special. How sweet. I’ll just leave you two alone then. Unless you still want the club sandwich and blueberry pie I packed up for you. It’s on the house, as always.”

I wait to see how Logan will respond.

“I gotta get back to work in a few. I only had a minute to run over here because I saw Banner’s car. You know you don’t need to keep bringing me lunch. I can handle myself.”

“Well then,” Emmy says, her teeth clenched. “I’ll just leave you alone.”

She steps away and nearly runs smack into Darlene, who is carrying a tray of refills to a table.

“That was . . . interesting,” I say, looking at Logan after Emmy stalks away.

“We went out a few times, but we were really never more than friends,” he says in explanation.

I haven’t decided if I feel threatened or not. I decide not because according to Julianne’s gossip, Emmy doesn’t even know about the good dick she’s missing out on.

“She wanted to be a whole lot more, though, I bet.”

Logan covers my hand with his. “Doesn’t matter, because there’s gotta be two people who want the same thing in order for something like that to happen.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask why he didn’t want anything to happen with Betty Crocker Barbie, but I decide that now isn’t the time or place.

“You don’t have to turn down her food on my account.” Although, for some stupid, petty reason, I’m hoping he sticks to his decision.

“I’ve got a couple protein bars that’ll tide me over. But that’s not what I came to talk to you about.”

I take in his stiffening posture. “What’s wrong?”