“Like they don’t find other women attractive,” Hannah huffed. “I swear I’ve heard Marco growl –

yes, growl – under his breath if I so much as share a smile with a good-looking guy, and yet I’m supposed to believe he watches reruns of Dark Angel for the plot? I don’t think so.”

“Hey, Dark Angel is one of the most underappreciated TV series of all time,” Liv argued.

“For a reason,” Hannah argued back.

“They’re all the same,” Jo interjected. “Cam has this new colleague. I happened to mention he was good-looking, and he suddenly felt the need to” – she glanced at Maia and then back at us, giving us a knowing look – “prove himself.”

“You mean have sex,” Maia said.

Jo curled her lip. “Well, there’s no getting anything past you, is there?”

“Believe me, I’ve seen and heard a lot worse.”

The humor in the air dissipated, and an awkward silence fell over us all. Maia’s cheeks were reddening, and I was just about to open my mouth to change the subject for her when Jo beat me to it.

“Actually, I mentioned this guy was good-looking because I was thinking of you, Grace. You’re single, right? He’s single too. I was just saying to Cam how it might be fun to set you up on a date.

I’ve never played matchmaker before.”

“Ooh.” Ellie nodded, eyes glittering. “Do it. And then you can update us on every date. It’ll be fun.”

“Have you forgotten what it’s like to date?” Joss said wryly. “And you want her to share that excruciating time with all of us?”

Ellie made a face at her. “It was just a thought. And anyway… you’ve only ever dated one man.”

“And he was enough, believe me.” Joss turned to me. “You can tell Jo to stick the cute single guy up her ass. I’ll back you up.”

“That didn’t sound right at all.” Liv was choking on laughter.

“Get your mind out of the gutter.” Shannon gestured with a nod of her head to Maia.

“Impressionable minds are present.”

But Maia wasn’t paying much attention. Instead she was staring stonily into her empty glass for some reason.

I frowned, wondering what had been said to upset her.

“Uh, thanks for the thought, Jo, but I’ve been on six incredibly bad dates in the past few months, and I’m feeling a little gun-shy. Maybe some other time.”

“Aka never.” Hannah grinned. “Poor Jo. That career in matchmaking didn’t last long.”

“You’re all shits,” Jo said in response to their teasing, but her voice was filled with laughter.

“Now, where is the loo, Grace?”

I showed her the way and then wandered into the kitchen to get more drinks. I wasn’t in there but two seconds before Shannon sauntered in. She sidled over to me and smiled. “They’re great, aren’t they?”

I nodded, understanding she was talking about the women. “They’re wonderful. They love one another a lot, don’t they?”

“Fiercely,” Shannon agreed. “You know, I thought finding Cole made me the luckiest woman alive until I met his extended family and realized it was more than that. He’s a freaking miracle. They all are.” She glanced out the door. “They’re how family should be. They’re a tribe.”

I thought of Logan and how in all of our conversations he hadn’t discussed his parents or his other sister much. I already knew they hadn’t supported Shannon when she needed them, so I guessed their family wasn’t a close one. “You and Logan are close. But just with each other?”

Shannon looked back at me. “My parents and my sister, Amanda, are kind of selfish. Logan was the favorite, and he hated the way I was treated differently. He tried to make up for it as we grew up.

He’s always been there for me. When he found out how they’d treated me while he was in prison he wasn’t happy, but he wanted us all to be a family. I’ve been trying… So has he… But then they reacted the way they did to Maia, and he’s had enough.”

I frowned, feeling my heart rate pick up. “How did they react?”

“Logan didn’t tell you he told them about Maia a few days ago?” Shannon seemed surprised.

I shook my head.

“He wanted to wait until she was settled. He’s been putting off my parents for weeks.” She sneered.

“Now they’ve done what they always do and are acting like judgmental shits because Logan has disappointed them.”

I felt anger start to burn in my blood. “Does Maia know?”

Shannon shook her head. “No, and as far as Logan’s concerned, she doesn’t have to know. She hasn’t asked about them in a while. Hopefully, she still won’t, and that will give him time to cool his own anger. He wants to explain it in the least hurtful way possible. She needs to know that it’s not about her. Our parents are just like this.”

I looked down at the counter and saw my fingertips were digging into the wood. I felt awful that Logan had had to deal with that and I hadn’t been there to help him. “I should have known,” I muttered.

“Hard to do when you’re avoiding him.”

Glancing up sharply at her, Shannon stared back at me with a knowing look in her eye.

“Logan told me what happened between you.”

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. “He did?”

“Not in detail, of course, because” – she shuddered – “he’s my brother. But he told me. Mostly because I wouldn’t let up until he did. He’s been acting like a grumpy bastard with everyone but Maia this last wee while. I finally badgered him until he told me what was up. Turns out it’s you.” She grinned. “Like I didn’t already know it had to do with you.”

“What do you mean?” I said warily.

Shannon leaned in to me, expression guileless. “Before you… Logan didn’t smile a lot or laugh in that big hearty way he used to laugh.” Her eyes were bright with tears now. “Prison changed my brother, Grace. You should have known him before it. He was… He was this big lovable joker, everyone’s friend. Everyone wanted to be his friend. He just had this… this light around him, you know?” She dashed at her tears with the backs of her fingers. “He’s not like that anymore. He doesn’t trust easily. His smiles don’t come easily. His laughter definitely doesn’t… or it didn’t… or it doesn’t…” She shook her head as if in confusion. “He started to smile and joke around more when you and Maia came into his life.” Shannon placed her hand on mine and squeezed it. “He hasn’t smiled much lately.”

I couldn’t breathe at what she was suggesting. I didn’t want her to think something that wasn’t true.

“Shannon —”

“I really like you, Grace. And I very much like the idea of you and my brother together. Just so you know.” Her hand tightened on me. “Please be patient with him. He’s been through a lot.”

I felt for her. I really did. And that’s why I had to disabuse her of these notions before she got her hopes up regarding Logan and me. “Shannon, I’m not Logan’s type.”

“I don’t believe that.” She shook her head stubbornly.

“He’s also focusing on Maia right now.”

“I think he’s hiding behind that.”

Dear God, she was beyond stubborn. She was a mule. “Logan and I… We won’t work. We’re too different. Honestly, I think right now we’re better off staying away from each other.”

A noise drew my attention to the doorway, and I saw a flash of a body and dark hair before it disappeared. I frowned.

Maia?

“Do you think she overheard?” Shannon said, sounding concerned.

“Dammit.” I heaved a sigh. “I better talk to her so she knows it isn’t about her.”

As I shut the door on the last of my new friends, I leaned against it and wondered how best to approach Maia. After she’d overheard what I’d said about my friendship with Logan she’d been quiet and mostly unresponsive. The girls knew something was up, and not too long after made their excuses to leave.

Bracing myself, I went to find Maia.

She was in the guest bedroom, apparently having decided to abandon me and the mess in my sitting room. “There you are,” I said, leaning against the doorway.