Chapter 375


    I sat up straight and looked at her with mock seriousness. "Alright, let''s get to it. Five bucks'' worth of


    truth!"


    She rolled her eyes in disdain. "Oh, please!"


    I feigned firmness. "That''s your call, babe. No chat, it''s bedtime. I''m hanging up!"


    She let out a dramatic groan. "Wait, wait! Aaliyah, Ms. Wilburn, don''t y me like that!" With that, she


    sat up, her face suddenly all business. "Let''s talk, sis, spill it!"


    I snorted, thinking. ''I''ve got your number.''


    "Spill, then!" I said, with the patience of a confidant, my tone soothing, my demeanor gentle. Suddenly,


    I felt like I''d stumbled onto a new career—hosting one of thosete-night radio talk shows for the


    lovelorn.


    With a heavy sigh, she began, "Allie, I just don''t get it. I''m stuck, like there''s this giant chasm I can''t


    cross!"


    "What''s the deal? Spill it, and cut to the chase. It''s way past my bedtime," I urged her.


    "It''s Logan. He''s ying hot and cold with me!" Catherine blurted out, her voice thick with anguish.


    I was skeptical. "What do you mean, ''ying''? That doesn''t sound like Logan at all."


    "He''s just... I don''t know. If you were to say he''s not into me, you''d be dead wrong. He''s there for me,


    offering his jacket when I''m cold, asking if I''m okay, warning me against unsafe ces, telling me who


    to avoid. If I''m workingte, he offers a ride home ''cause it''s ''on his way''. Some guy hassles me, and


    Logan''s ready to throw punches..."


    I looked at Catherine, startled, and thought, ''Isn''t it obvious to show his love? Isn''t she being a bit too


    dramatic? Does he have to spell it out for her?'' But I kept quiet, letting her continue.


    "All these things... Tell me, isn''t this what someone with feelings would do?" Catherine pressed, her


    eyes wide and earnest.


    I nodded, and only then did she continue. "But then, if you think he''s got a thing for me, why does he


    keep telling me to ''grow up'' and ''find a good man to settle down with''?"


    I paused, perplexed by his words.


    Catherine''s expression was one of utter frustration. "What''s he ying at? Shouldn''t I be the one to


    decide if I need a man? He sends all these signals, then pushes me away with no hesitation."


    I was at a loss for words too.


    "If he''s not interested, why the heck does he lead me on? Sometimes, when he''s not busy, he''ll call in


    the middle of the night, and we''d talk until the phone is dead. I mention offhand that I''ve put on a few


    pounds and need to start a morning jog, and he turns into my personal rm clock. My heel breaks


    unexpectedly, and he''s there in a heartbeat with a brand-new pair... Is he okay?"


    Catherine threw her hands up in exasperation, her reflection in the screen looking back at me,


    indignant.


    "Even my colleagues see it. They say he''s into me. But whenever ites to crunch time, he ys this


    game, telling me to date some ''good man''!" Catherine was on the verge of tears.


    Ipared Logan to Ronan from back in the day. Although Ronan was never as tant, he too kept


    that infuriating distance—close, yet cool. Never too far, but never too close. When things started


    heating up, he''d pull away just as naturally. Yep, birds of a feather.


    "Talk about being led on!" I chimed in, sympathetically.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    I had a hunch that Logan might share Ronan''s old mindset, possibly due to his line of work.


    I couldn''t help but chuckle, teasing her, "Look at you, always counting the cost."


    "Well, of course! If I screw up my job and waste my vacation over some guy who''s not worth it, then I''m


    the loser," sheined. Read at


    Then, she flopped back onto the bed in defeat. "Maybe... maybe I should just let it go."


    Seeing her struggle, I knew she was really falling for him.


    Shey there, looking utterly defeated. "I don''t even know if I really like him!"