Chapter 12

Logan to Veronica 7:12 pm
Did u make it home and avoid the wrath of dad?

Logan to Veronica 7:15 pm
Or was that ur escape line?
🏃 ️

My heart speeds up. I had to get away from him. The minute he touched my nose, I was already back on that soccer field, looking into his eyes. But the thought of him thinking I don't want him halts my breath. I sit down on the couch, lasagna all but forgotten.

Veronica to Logan 7:17 pm
No I really had 2 go
But there's no game

Logan to Veronica 7:18 pm
What happened?

Veronica to Logan 7:19 pm
Something came up at work

It's close to the truth, so it feels less like a lie.

Logan to Veronica 7:20 pm
So it's just u and ur mom?
Any brothers or sisters

Veronica to Logan 7:22 pm
No brothers and sisters
No mom

Logan to Veronica 7:23 pm
I'm sorry
I didn't mean to pry

It doesn't hurt as much as it used to. She was gone years before she actually left, finally choosing her high school sweetheart over us.

Logan to Veronica 7:25 pm
Behold stupid Logan
U don't have to answer

Veronica to Logan 7:26 pm
It's ok
It's just me and my dad

Logan to Veronica 7:28 pm
Ur all alone 2nite?

Veronica to Logan 7:29 pm
Yes but it's fine

Logan to Veronica 7:30 pm
Do u want company?

I inhale so loud you would think I was auditioning for the next Aaron Echolls action movie.

Logan to Veronica 7:32 pm
I didn't mean it like that

Veronica to Logan 7:34 pm
I know but that seems kind of soon
We've barely gone out

Logan to Veronica 7:36 pm
Don't sell urself short
I had a great time on ur date 😉

Veronica to Logan 7:37 pm
Don't think I didn't catch that dig

Logan to Veronica 7:38 pm
Whatever do u mean little one?

Veronica to Logan 7:39 pm
Harhar! 😠
But I can hardly invite u over when we haven't even talked on the phone
📱

The phone starts ringing, and I see Logan's name pulsating on the screen. Breathe in, breathe out. I can talk to him without hyperventilating. I'm Veronica Mars. Thank god, he didn't face time.

"Is this the freakishly tall Gulliver out and about on his travels?" I walk to the kitchen to start serving my lasagna. If I stay busy, perhaps I can get through this phone call without fantasizing about his eyes or that afternoon.

"Not traveling at the moment, but happy to be tied down by any wayward Lilliputians." I can hear the smirk, even though I can't see it. I hope he can't hear my sharp intake of breath at his innuendo. Him tied with a black scarf to my outdated pink and white bed flashes across my mind—an image that has never occurred before in any of my fantasies of him. He still has his jeans on, but his chest is bare. The bulging muscle is exactly what I would expect from an Abercrombie model with frosted tips. I scramble for something to say. "Cat got your tongue?"

"No, sorry. I'm eating right now." Nice save, Veronica.

"I get two guesses. Macaroni and cheese or PB and J?"

"I'll have you know I can cook a little something. I made lasagna."

"Is there going to be any left when your dad gets home?"

"Hi-lar-i-ous! There will be at least a quarter left. At least!" My matter-of-fact statement is not a victory, but I feel righteous nonetheless. "What are the Echolls eating tonight?"

"It's just the one Echolls since my dad is off shooting action film #307 in Vancouver, and my mom tagged along. Our housekeeper made me a sandwich."

"How long are they gone?"

"They've been gone a month, but my mom comes back Friday."

"You've been living alone for a month?!"

"You say that like it's a bad thing. I'm never really alone with all the staff. Somebody's got to trim the hedges and dust the oscars."

"So we're just two clichéd SoCal kids with no parental guidance?"

"'Fraid so. I've gotten pretty good at it if you need pointers."

"I'm pretty good at it, too," I sigh. I don't miss my mom, not really, but I miss the possibility of having a normal family. Dad comes home late a few times a week now. He doesn't worry about late nights as much now that I have a car.

"Would you be interested in exploiting our lack of parental supervision? I'm having a pool party Thursday night. You should come."

"Pool party?"

"It's more a party, and there happens to be a pool. You should bring a swimsuit in case you feel so inclined."

"Because I always feel inclined to strip in front of people I barely know." I hear a muffled groan and realize what I said. I smile. A girl could get used to this type of effect on a guy.

"You can come in a burkini if it makes you feel better." He's trying for light, but I'm having too much fun.

I bite my lip. "Or I could just swim in what I'm wearing today. I wonder what knee highs look like wet," I say in my best Amber voice. Amber is my typical ditsy go-to alter ego. He groans obscenely loudly. I chuckle heartily. I've never actually flirted intentionally because I wanted to; it's always been for a case. It feels sweet and warm, like sucking on a butterscotch.

"I know what you're doing, Betty. You're lucky I don't know where you live, or I'd already be there." My heart is beating so fast, and I have a ridiculous, stupid grin on my face.

"What does a boy have to do to get all the personal details on the new girl?" I ask sarcastically.

He pauses; it seems like he had been pacing. "Wallace told you?"

"He didn't have to. It wasn't that hard to put together."

"Are you mad?" I'm not. I don't know why I brought that up. I was mostly teasing because it seemed like he could have gotten the address had he offered more of a trade. Or maybe Wallace has boundaries.

"I wouldn't have gone today if I was. Do you profile all the new girls?" I really want to be special, but Logan's player vibe is so strong you can almost hear it like a kick drum.

"No. I really like you, Betty/Veronica."

"I like you, too, Logan/Jake." Oh shit. I shouldn't have said that. I never even told Mac that name. Jake is the name I invented in my fantasies of Logan over the years. It was my favorite guy name because of Sixteen Candles, long before Lilly's dad tainted the name. You can't really have a fake conversation in your head with someone named Dream Crush. I hope Logan doesn't put together the Sixteen Candles reference. If he remembers that day at all, it wouldn't be a difficult leap.

"Who's Jake?" He doesn't sound mad, just curious.

Think fast, Veronica! "If I get two names, you do too." Phew.

"Fair enough. But why Jake? Old boyfriend?"

"Nah, there's no significance."

"See, your words say it's meaningless, but your desperate denial speaks volumes."

"Okay, you caught me. We had a torrid love affair before he left me to film B-list movies in Vancouver with your father."

He sounds faraway when he speaks again. "Jake sounds like a story I'd like to hear sometime."

"Maybe someday, Logan."

"But not today. No, it's okay. You know, I hope one of these days will be someday, Betty/Veronica." I hear a camera shutter.

"What was that?"

"I'm sending you something to remember me by tonight since you won't let me come see you." I smile when the picture arrives via text. He's looking at the mirror with a slight smile; even though it's small, he seems elated. I notice his eyes first, then I notice…he's shirtless. I gasp. "Did you like my text?"

"You mean your very R-rated text? I'm ordering you a burkini right now."

"Oh Veronica, that's barely PG-13. I plan to show you R-rated in person." I start fanning myself and huff. I'm clearly in over my head. I'm practicing flirting while he's medaling in it. "Will you send me something back?" he asks in such a small voice, like he's asking if anyone remembered his birthday.

I can't send him a picture now. Besides being entirely the wrong color, my hair is flat and oily from the wig. But I get an idea. "Give me a second." I run upstairs and put the knee highs back on. Snapping a picture of just my legs pointing out from my bed with the socks on, I hit send. He rewards me with another groan, and I smirk at my success.

"Are you trying to murder me?"

"If that were my intention, I'd get them wet."

"I'm coming over right now if I have to knock on every door in Neptune."

Like my dad has radar, the front door opens downstairs. Backup stirs like he's been neglected for days, which I guess he has.

"Saved by the bell. Dad's home. I've got to go, Lo-gan."

"This isn't over. We'll talk about your attempted murder again, tomorrow." I giggle and hit end without letting him say anything further.