The Promise of Us (Sanctuary Sound #2)(12)

Peyton sighed. “Fine.”

She wasn’t, but coddling never helped her move forward. Logan nodded and snatched the list from the fridge. “See you later.”



He had no idea why his mother needed Krazy Glue, an X-Acto knife, and carpet cleaner today, but his role was not to question. Logan walked into Lockwood Hardware, a place he’d loitered in as a kid. The two-story shop hadn’t changed much at all since his childhood.

Same dusty aisles he’d roamed every summer as a kid with Ben and Ryan, each of them investigating every doodad on the shelves. Just as often, Mr. Lockwood would empty the change from the gumball machine and let them take it to buy ice cream or get bait from the local tackle shop.

Logan was crouching to reach the Krazy Glue when he heard Ben Lockwood speaking to another customer at the cash register.

A genuine smile formed from someplace deep in his chest. Ben and Ryan were two of the reasons Logan had looked forward to helping Peyton recover here in Sanctuary Sound. It’d been years since he and his old buddies had been in the same place at the same time.

A reunion might help him reconnect to a part of himself that had gotten lost in the last decade. The part that might have something genuine and interesting to say.

He strode down the aisle, noting the similarities between Ben and his sister, Steffi. Tall, athletic builds. Hair in shades from caramel to umber. A warm skin tone and golden-brown eyes.

“Benny Boy,” Logan teased as he laid his mother’s booty on the counter and stuck out his hand. “How the hell are you?”

It took a second for Logan to register the tension tugging at the corners of Ben’s smile. “Logan. You look good.”

“Thanks, so do you. I just saw Steffi and Ryan earlier today. How about that reunion?” He folded his arms across his chest, widening his smile as if that might jostle Ben out of his unusually stiff manner.

“It’s been good to have my sister home and see her happy.”

Logan nodded. “I hope I can say the same thing in the coming months.”

“I hope Peyton’s feeling better soon.” Ben’s gaze drifted away. He didn’t elaborate, ask questions, or offer to send a message to her, all of which Logan found odd. Offensive, even.

“So do I.” Logan pushed his items forward and Ben rang them up. “Maybe you could swing by the house and visit. Come with Steffi. It’d be good for Peyton to see old friends.”

Ben flashed a sad kind of smile and scratched the back of his neck. “Maybe . . .”

He ran Logan’s card, bagged up the goods, and tossed the receipt in the bag without another word. Just that weak smile pasted on his face.

“Before I jump to conclusions, let me ask—do we have some problem, or are you just having an off day?”

“Sorry?” Ben stapled the paper bag shut and set it aside.

Logan tugged the bag closer. “You don’t seem happy to see me, and given the magnitude of my sister’s health issues, your lack of interest in her is glaring.”

“We’ve got no problem, Logan. And I wish Peyton well with her recovery, but things are complicated.”

“How so?”

Ben crossed his arms and looked Logan dead in the eye. “Honestly? I’m team Claire.”

The fluorescent lights buzzing overhead disrupted Logan’s thoughts.

“Are we back in middle school?” He couldn’t keep the scorn from his voice.

Ben cracked his knuckles, then pulled Logan aside and spoke in a quiet but firm voice. “Understand something, Logan. Claire and I have lived in town together for the last decade while all of you ran away to live bigger, better lives. I hung out with Claire and Todd, and was there to pick up the pieces when he left. She’s like a sister to me, and I won’t hurt her by hanging out with Peyton until Claire is okay with that.”

Logan should respect the loyalty, but they’d all been friends for years. He was counting on friends to help him smooth the way with Claire, not to support her decision to freeze Peyton out. “Don’t you think Claire’s being a bit unreasonable now? My God, it’s been more than a year. Todd was a jerk, anyway. They’re both better off without him.”

“You don’t know jack shit.” Ben propped himself up against a shelf. “I know Peyton’s been through a lot these past six months, and she’s still got a tough road ahead, but eventually she’ll likely go back to traveling the world, charming the pants off folks, and living the high life.

“Claire will still be here with me, living with pain that never really goes away, self-conscious about her limp and limitations. I have no love lost for Todd, but she loved that guy, and when Peyton took him away, it broke Claire almost worse than that bullet. So don’t come back here now and act like it’s up to Claire to move on and get over her pain. She’s entitled to her anger, and she’s entitled to choose not to trust or forgive your sister. That’s Peyton’s fault, not Claire’s. And I’m not going to hurt a friend who’s been here with me all along just to make things easier for you or your sister. Sorry.”

Logan’s blood boiled like a steaming teakettle. This day had not gone according to plan. Not one bit. Claire had snubbed him, and now Ben was drawing his own line in the sand. “Well, I appreciate your honesty. Glad your sister doesn’t feel the same way. Guess this means we won’t be hanging out while I’m home.”