“You had other things going on.” Her fingers interlaced with mine. “And I’ve been a little absent this last week. I’m sorry.”

I waved off her apology. “Don’t worry. You and Jason checked in on me so much after I came back. I think I took you both for granted.” I moved to face her and squeezed both her hands. “I’m happy you have a guy to crush on, and I’m happy he kissed you tonight. I really am.”

Her eyes closed. A tear trekked down her cheek. This was how we used to share our secrets. If we were bursting with news, we’d link our hands together. The last time we stood like this was when my mom was buried. I cried that night, and Claire held my hands. Jason stood behind me, pressing his forehead into my back.

“Taylor—” she started.

I rocked my head back and forth. It was my turn to be there for her. “Nope. No apologies. I want to hear all about Ben.”

“I will tell you all about him, but not tonight.” Her hands grasped my arms, and she laughed, pretending to shake me. “What are you doing here?”

I opened my mouth, but it was then that I realized I really shouldn’t be there. They weren’t my crowd. An image of being at a certain bar, filling out an employment application flashed in my head. I didn’t want to think about that, but I knew this wasn’t right either. “You know, I’m actually going to go.”

“You sure?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I’ll see you later, though?”

“Sure. Yeah. Let’s do lunch.”

Lunch sounded great, and I slipped out of the apartment. Maybe I should’ve sought out Jeremy, said my goodbye, but as I headed down the sidewalk, my thoughts weren’t on my professor’s assistant. In fact, they were on someone that I really didn’t want to think about at all. So, of course, when I first heard him, I thought my mind was playing a trick on me.

Nearing my car, I pulled my keys out, and that was when I heard him again. “You were at that party?”

I stopped. Was it—yes, it was.

Logan Kade stood with his hands in his jeans pockets, looking back to where I’d just come from. When his eyes met mine, I saw a touch of hurt.

He added, “You’ve been avoiding me.”

THE BAD’S BACK

TAYLOR

“What are you doing here?”

Logan gestured to the side where a taco shop was. “It’s the closest one to school.” He twisted back around again and looked at the group on the steps. “Whose party was that?”

“No one’s.”

Then I heard my name being called. Jeremy was hurrying toward us. When he saw Logan, he paused a few feet away. I couldn’t help to compare the two. Logan was taller, leaner, and his shoulders were wider. He wore a black T-shirt and jeans, and with his hands in his pockets, his jeans slipped down to offer a peek at his obliques, the defined ridge where his stomach muscles and hips met in a downward V. It was tantalizing, a temptation I was already feeling. Though he was handsome, next to Logan, Jeremy looked drab in his jeans and polo shirt. He couldn’t compete.

Logan was confident, with a hint of darkness. Jeremy was academic, with a hint of snobbery.

“Jeremy,” I said. “You didn’t have to come after me.”

“Claire said you left…” He trailed off, glancing to the side at Logan.

Logan lifted an eyebrow and turned to sit on the trunk of the car next to him. He looked comfortable and almost carefree. I caught a spark of interest in his gaze and knew he was anything but, and his attention was fully directed at Jeremy.

“Hello.” Jeremy held out his hand. “You are?”

Logan looked at his hand, but made no move to shake it. He gave Jeremy a half-grin. “Like you don’t know who I am.”

A flush wound its way up Jeremy’s neck, reddening his cheeks. “You know Taylor?” He withdrew his hand, stuffing it into his pocket.

Logan nodded. He didn’t speak, just watched.

Jeremy cast a quick glance at me. “Well, huh.” He ran a hand through his hair, upending the strands. They’d been perfectly combed to the side, but the slightly messy look suited him better, made him less stuffy. “Taylor.” He moved toward me, angling away from Logan with the same movement. “I wanted to make sure you were okay, and to thank you for coming even if it was for a short while.”

Logan scooted over on the car, moving closer. He looked between us like he was a spectator enjoying the show.

I fought against rolling my eyes. He was trying to get underneath Jeremy’s skin, and it was working. I suddenly felt sorry for Jeremy. “I’m fine. I just wasn’t up for a party after all. I’d thought maybe I was.”

“Oh.” His head lifted and moved down again. “That’s good then. I’m glad you’re not sick or anything.”

“I’m fine.”

Jeremy was still giving Logan the side-eye. Logan stared back at him without reservation. My pulse quickened. I’d never seen Logan in action, and I didn’t think this would come to fighting, but I still felt something dangerous in the air. Logan almost reveled in making him nervous. Instinct told me to remove Jeremy from the situation or he was going to be humiliated, so I gestured to my car.

“I’m—uh. I’m actually going to my car—”

“I was hoping to talk to you,” Logan said, his eyes meeting mine.

And there it was. I couldn’t leave now, and there was no doubt about Logan’s purpose here. Jeremy straightened.