Maybe now she’d give up on this schoolgirl crush and turn her attention toward a nice man who could give her everything she needed, who would put her on a pedestal and treat her the way she deserved.
He couldn’t be that man. He had tried for Jane and it had nearly killed him.
She slammed the truck door behind her. Logan started the engine, ignoring the way his hands trembled. He waited until she’d entered her building and then he pulled away from the curb.
In the past, it hadn’t been difficult to say goodbye to her, to watch Lacy walk away. Now, it took every ounce of strength he had not to follow her inside.
Nine years earlier…
* * *
“Y’all played really good tonight,” Lacy said, leaning against Logan’s truck.
Logan lifted an amp and placed it in the truck bed. “Thanks. What are you doing out here?”
“Waiting for my cousin, Paige. She’s my ride. She’s inside flirting with some guy. Thought I’d give her space to work.”
Logan laughed. “That’s real nice of you.”
“Was sweet of y’all to play a song for my birthday.” Lacy hadn’t been able to take her eyes off him all night. She loved watching him knock out a deep beat on the bass.
“Not every day our girl turns eighteen.”
She sighed. The older Logan got, the more he treated her like a kid sister. It was starting to get annoying. “So, I was thinking maybe you could give me my other present.”
Logan’s forehead crinkled. “I’m sorry, Lace, but I didn’t buy you anything.”
She grinned and stepped closer. “No, nothing like that. You said you’d kiss me when I turned eighteen.”
His confusion grew. “I did? When?”
“That day on my back porch when I was crying because Missy had kissed Bucky.”
The light went on. “That’s not exactly what I said.”
“You said you’d kiss me on my eighteenth birthday if nobody else had. Well, I’m here to tell you I’ve been kissed by a bunch of nobodies.”
“Forget it. That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
She crossed her arms. “I don’t want to forget it. You promised.”
“Be reasonable, Lacy.”
“It’s my birthday. Please?”
Logan glanced around the dark parking lot. The community dance had wound down. Most people had gone home, and now there were only a few folks left inside, cleaning up the mess.
“Fine.” He leaned forward and placed a quick buss to her forehead. “There. Happy birthday.”
She lifted one shoulder in a dismissive shrug, not bothering to hide her disappointment. “Whatever, Logan. I was hoping to finally get a kiss from someone who knew what he was doing, but obviously, you’re as clueless as every other guy I’ve ever kissed.”
He moved toward her, caging her against his truck as his hands rested on the roof of the Chevy. “You think taunting me will get you your kiss, little girl?”
She hadn’t really expected it to work until he moved. Now, she wasn’t so sure. “Yeah. I do.”
“Your brother is going to kick my ass for this.”
“I won’t tell,” she whispered a mere second before his lips touched hers.