Was this what happened to girls in Harmony? Maybe there was something in the water, or served at the foul diner, that flipped their carnal switch. Where the hell was my sister moving?
“Of course you do.” Caleb chuckled darkly, running his hands over her blush. “You game tonight? She looks up for anything, and I have a few ideas we could test out on this sweet ass.”
I wasn’t in the mood, surprisingly. “She’s all yours.” I shot a crooked smile her way. “Don’t worry. He’ll take good care of you and that ass.”
Liv didn’t seem to mind, as only mild disappointment flashed over her soft features. She turned in his arms and balanced up on her toes to give him a kiss. I chuckled when he held her back by the shoulders.
“Josh tells me you’re a tease. Let’s see if that’s true. I want those panties off,” I heard him tell her as I walked away, strolling back around the front and heading toward the driveway.
The night air was pleasant enough. I strode past my car and followed the sidewalk into town. The football game must have ended, because the streets were littered with college kids in vehicles honking and hanging out passenger windows, as well as crowding the streets.
My sister was moving, and there was no changing her mind. I either had to deal with it, or risk ruining our relationship. She was a large part of my life, and of Oliver’s. I couldn’t push her away because I didn’t agree with her choice.
I stopped outside the diner and saw a few older gentlemen inside, sipping coffee and playing cards. The place was a wreck, but when Caleb set his mind to something, he saw it through. It would be good for him. I’d known for a while that he was searching for the right thing to settle into. If that was what he wanted, I’d be on his team. I could buy in, and together we’d build a restaurant worth visiting—one with a bar, so my sister could meet friends there rather than at some ratty building in a guy’s backyard. It was a college town; we needed to give the students a place to go. And if we did it right, there was plenty of money to be made.
But I didn’t need to live in Harmony to pull it together—especially if Caleb would be there. Lawrence and I had multiple businesses around the nation that ran just fine with the right guy at the helm.
I stood outside looking in for a while, considering which of my guys would be best to help Caleb see it through, when I heard my sister’s name called out. A strange nag caused me to peek in the direction it rang from, expecting to find another Julia replying. But instead, there she stood, surrounded by a group of girls.
What the hell?
I marched straight over, thinking of nothing but the girls who hung around Josh’s and taking Julia home. When I reared up behind her, I grabbed her arm, startling the entire group.
“Logan!” she squealed as I hauled her a few feet away. “Let me go!” she continued, smacking my hand.
When I finally released her, she jutted her chin out, ready to claw at me.
“What the hell, Logan!? Why are you here?”
I lurched back. “Me? Why are you here?”
She glanced warily at her friends then took my arm, guiding us farther down the sidewalk and out of earshot. “It’s a Friday night, and Mom said I could go with friends to check out the school.”
“Bullshit. It’s after ten—there’s nothing at the school to check out at this hour. Plus, I thought you said you were here last week.”
She sighed. “I’m allowed to check it out more than once. And Mom said it was fine. I’m staying the night with a friend, Logan. What are you doing here?”
“Which friend?” I asked, eyeing the group and ignoring her question. The girls looked normal enough, all dressed in jeans and warm coats—nothing provocative. She pointed to one of the girls who was watching us subtly: a tiny brunette I’d seen her with over the years.
“So you drove all this way on a Friday night just to hang out?”
“Yes,” she huffed. “I need to make some local friends before the move next summer, okay?” She pushed past me. “Good night, Logan.”
“Julia!” I called after her.
She disregarded me, but I followed her.
“Let’s go,” she said to the girls and they started walking away, staring back at me like I was some crazy stalker instead of a concerned older brother.
I couldn’t hear their conversation as I lagged behind for a few moments, considering my options, but one girl’s enthusiasm over “Josh’s place!” rang loud and clear through the mumbles and hung over me. There was no way my little sister was going there.
A car pulled up to the sidewalk and I hunched over to see another girl was driving. No boys inside; that was a good sign, but didn’t mean much. Right away, my sister’s group started to climb in.
“We have to find—” Julia started, but I grabbed her back before she could finish or duck inside.
“Don’t even think about it,” I threatened.
A growl rumbled from within her and she held up a finger for her friends to wait. I followed her a few feet away.
Her voice was soft but stern. “Logan, I love you, and you have been an amazing brother, but you have to understand that I’m not a kid anymore. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Yes, I do,” I said quickly. It was true. It was all I knew. All I’d done over the past two and a half years was care for those I loved. What else was I supposed to do? What else was there?
“Where are you girls going?” I asked, aware of the eyes on us.
“I’m not telling you, because I don’t have to. I’m not Jax. I know what I’m doing.”
I opened my mouth to tell her I knew she wasn’t as careless as Jax, but she continued before I could speak.
“I have to make my own decisions and my own mistakes. You know that.” Her big, round eyes searched mine.
I wasn’t sure what to say. I did trust her—it was everyone else that worried me. I sighed deeply, running my hands through my hair and down my face.
“All right. Go. Have fun.” It took all the restraint I could bear to say those words.
Her face lit up, eyes growing wide. “Really?”
“You better hurry before I change my mind, throw you over my shoulder, and bring you home in my trunk.”
She gave me a quick hug and whispered, “Thank you.”
I smiled, basking in her happiness, but I knew it wouldn’t last. We had a bigger issue to settle, and one we’d both held tough against. But I wasn’t her keeper, or her father—just a brother with nothing better to do than look out for her, and I wouldn’t leave her in the middle of nowhere alone. She may not have needed me yet, but I wanted to be close if she did.
When she pulled away, I held onto her arm. When she whirled back around to complain again, I let go of my objections and thought only of her happiness.
“I’ll take care of your schooling.” My gaze flickered around us, taking in the town. “If this is where you want to go, then okay.”
Her grin grew wide, eyes twinkling. “You’re the best brother. You know that right?”
A weight lifted. “Yeah, yeah. Better hurry before they leave you.”
She jogged back to the car full of girls and I called out, “Stay the hell away from Josh’s place! Got it?”