“And how would you know that?” Jae asked. The words slowly came out of his mouth. No one knew about this restaurant. Welly, he had mentioned Logan was seen in one but that could be any restaurant around here.
“So it’s true?” Emily gasped mockingly. There was a teasing smile on her face as she sipped more water.
“I saw Logan leave the house in a tux. I remembered Carla saying this was the restaurant he came to when she saw him. I took a chance” Jae told her. Then, he moved on the point of the topic, “Again, how did you know?”
“Cinderella” Emily nodded to the wave of brown hair approaching them. When the Greenwoods finally reconciled, Ethan and Angeline went outside to check on the car again. Ethan came inside right after the valet brought out the car. He wondered if they took it back since they couldn’t let the car be in the way for a while.
“Hey” Alex chirped. She reached for a glass and the pitcher. It had been quite a night. She felt fatigue over it. That kind of adrenaline could last her a lifetime.
“Hey, cousin” Emily smirked. She placed her arm and elbow on the table, twirling her drinking glass as if it was scotch instead of water, “Remember that time you lost your phone because you left it in Logan’s car when he dropped you off at this restaurant?”
“Emily!”
A light bulb appeared on top of Jae’s head. He turned to Alex with wide eyes, “Wait, that was you?”
Alex groaned. She almost forgot about that. That must be the reason why Jae came to the restaurant. Would he be mad at her for not telling him about it?
“Yeah, it was” she mumbled, drinking the glass of water.
“And remember how you got it back?” Emily continued.
Alex slammed the glass on the table and glared at her, “Uh, no. I don’t want to remember.”
“I want to remember it” Jae cut in.
Alex couldn’t think of a retort. She clenched her teeth and slumped on a chair. She figured Jae would find out eventually. If it weren’t for that disheveled wig, he probably would have recognized her on the spot.
“Uh-uh” Emily wiggled a finger, “You have to tell him some time that you snuck into the locker room during a basketball game to get it back and bumped into some people.”
“That one was you too?” Jae blurted out. Now that he thought about it, it made better sense. No wonder Logan didn’t talk about that girl… it was because to everyone, Alex was a guy. He wouldn’t have admitted it. Not to mention, how close the two became. It should have been obvious from the start.
He did try to trap Alex into declaring there was something between her and Logan. Who would have thought she’d have a fake girlfriend around?
“Yeah, yeah. You happy now?” Alex grumbled.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
The next words flew out of Alex’s mouth in less than a second, “Well, why didn’t you tell me you knew my secret?”
“Touche. Truce?” Jae grinned. If Logan had been dating Alex all this time, he definitely had no problems with it.
“Truce” Alex smiled back.
Emily still didn’t feel comfortable to have Mr. Suspicious around but he had no bad intentions with Alex. They had another person on their team. At least, he didn’t look as stupid as Logan.
Logan walked back in the restaurant. He immediately checked on Alex even from a distance. She seemed back to normal which was good.
He put a hand on her back, “I take it everything turned out okay?”
Alex bobbed her head, “Well, mostly.”
Logan raised his eyebrows, “Mostly?”
Out of the corner of her eye, Alex spotted her parents. She patted Logan’s chest and whispered, “I’ll tell you later.”
She wasn’t sure if she should let her parents know about Courtney… just yet. It would definitely lead to more questions when Aunt Lilly still didn’t have any leads on the folder. She just got out of a one-way ticket home. She’d like for it to stay that way for a while.
Emily chuckled to herself, drinking the last bit of water in her glass. The two acted like everything they did was normal—if only their mouths could catch up. Not just in words but in actions.
“Well, well, are we all ready to go home?” Angeline told them as soon as they were within earshot, “Oh, and Jae. Logan will be coming with us tomorrow for grandma’s birthday. Would you like to join us?”
Emily spit out the water. The blonde twin joining their trip? Oh, hell no. He wouldn’t know anyone other than them. Since Logan would obviously spend his time with Alex, that meant she’d be stuck with Jason. If she wanted for the two love birds to finally get their feelings out in the open, she couldn’t steal Alex away.
“Ang—”
“Aw, come on, Ethan” Angeline scolded her husband. She just found out that her daughter had another friend inside the school. It would be rude not to invite him, “This boy has looked out for your daughter all these years. We should at least show some appreciation.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Greenwood, but it’s really not necessary,” Jae declined politely. It didn’t sound like the kind of party he went to.
“I insist. And I don’t take no for an answer, young man.”
Jae gulped. The cold look in Angeline’s eyes made him shiver. The rest of her face remained smiling but those clearly held the true meaning.
“Well then, I’m humbled by your invitation” he replied hesitantly. Alex’s mother sure looked scary when she wanted to, he thought to himself.
Angeline beamed. Warmth filled her eyes again, “See you tomorrow then. Come along, kids.”
She didn’t wait for them to reply and looped an arm around Ethan’s, walking towards the entrance. Alex shook her head at her mother’s back. That woman got what she wanted way too many times. She finished her water and stood up.
Jae followed her lead. Then, he grinned over the opposite side of the table,“I’ll sit with you, Emily.”
A black cloud surrounded Emily. She had no hope the moment Angeline asked Jae to come along. She knew very well he wouldn’t be able to decline. If he wasn’t so annoying, she wouldn’t mind it. The weekend hadn’t started yet and he already gave her a headache.
“No, thanks” she scoffed.
“Too bad. You won’t be getting your purse back then” Jae’s hand swept the table, snatching Emily’s purse. He headed straight for the exit. It didn’t take long since he had long strides. Emily quickly placed her empty glass down and jogged up to catch up to him.
“Wow, you guys really are twins” Alex commented. She began to walk after them and took her time. There wasn’t a need to hurry. Logan kept up with her pace.
“Maybe but the copyright for that idea is mine” he smirked, “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah. On the bright side, I think I’ve become immune to surprises.”
Logan wrapped an arm around her shoulder, “Wonderful. Then, I can show up anytime at your aunt’s house now?”
“Don’t push it.”
