A/N: For the first time in months I read a book this weekend. So I apologize for taking longer than anticipated to get the next chap up, but I REALLY missed being able to read.
A/N2: Every last one of you should go to your bookstore and get The Secret Society Girl series by Diana Peterfreund. I mean, like SERIOUSLY. The author is a HUGE Veronica Mars fan. And The books are like CRACK they're so addicting.
A/N3: would any of you be interested in seeing pics of Ryan Hansen (y'know, Dick Casablancas?) in a play he did down here in San Diego? Let me know. He looks damn good...I'm just saying.
A/N4: I can't believe I feel bad that this chap is just under 7000 words, but it is and if I hadn't cut where I did, it would have had to go on to like 9000, which I refuse to do. I already have tendonitis in my wrists as it is and that's just a crazy amount of typing. Kudos to the first person to tell my why a certain new name in this section isn't of my own creation. So, enjoy...and good or bad, please Review!!
"Hey, Dick." Trina called as she came into the kitchen.
"How are you this fine morning, Trin-tinicity?" Dick queried as he stacked himself a sandwich, alternating between turkey and cheese slices.
"Good to see you're still mooching off me and my brother." She groused.
"If Mac and I hadn't gone shopping yesterday, your kitchen would still only have Pop Tarts, salsa, and rice cakes. Now your cupboards are practically full. Quit your bitchin'."
"We have food?" She realized in excitement. She rushed over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bag of pre-made salad and a bottle of Italian salad dressing. "Bless you both." She proceeded to fix herself a salad and sit down at the table. Just as she had loaded a fork the doorbell rang. She frowned. "Who can get to the door but doesn't have a key?" She asked rhetorically.
"Maybe Veronica." Dick answered absent-mindedly.
"She already has a key. Logan probably gave her access to all of his bank accounts within five minutes of seeing her again."
"He wouldn't have to. She probably already had them." Dick replied. "She's crafty like that." Trina left the room to answer the door. She looked up at the tall African American man in his designer suit. He seemed stiff and cold.
"Yes?" Trina asked briskly.
"I'm Christopher Duncan and I'm looking for Cindy Casablancas." He answered.
"They don't even live here and they get guests?" She complained. "Hold on." She pointed toward the entry room for him to wait. She went back to the kitchen. "Where's your wife?"
"Puking." Dick answered. Trina looked alarmed. "She's pregnant." He explained.
"Oh." Trina accepted. "Well, she has a visitor."
"She has a what? Wait, who is it?" He questioned.
"I don't remember." Trina replied honestly, putting a mouthful of her salad into her mouth. Dick grimaced at her and left the kitchen and his sandwich. He moved to the entry room where his grimace became a full blown scowl.
"What do you want?" He directed at the man standing by the door examining a photo on the wall.
"Your wife and I need to have a discussion."
"No, what you need to do is take what you've already gotten from her and find yourself a new gopher. She's out."
"She set this meeting up, Mr. Casablancas. Maybe you should talk to your wife before making decisions for her."
"First of all, don't insult me or my marriage. Second, you're sending her out into dangerous situations and she's got more than herself to worry about now that she's pregnant. If anything happens to her, I will not hesitate to hold you responsible."
"I'm not leaving until I've talked to her, so you might as well go get her." He condescended.
Dick turned and left without a word. He went upstairs and into their room where Mac was laying on the bed in the dark. He lay down next to her gently. "Hey, Babe." He said softly and he brushed some hair from her face with his fingers. She opened her eyes to look at him. "You're pretty miserable, aren't you?"
"You think I look awful, don't you? I get it. I'm already getting fatter and I'm sick as a dog and you hate me, don't you?" She asked rapidly, trying to move away from him on the bed.
"What?" Dick asked in complete confusion.
"I get it. You think I'm disgusting." She sniffled.
"You're crazy." He frowned. "I think you're the sexiest woman I've ever met."
"Great. You think I'm crazy too." She pouted.
"Remember when I said it's hot that you don't know how sexy you are? I take it back. Shy Mackie is sexy as hell, but this weird paranoid Mackie? Not so much." He looked at her still wondering what had gotten into his wife.
"I'm going to be huge. You're not going to want me anymore and then you're going to find some tall, big-boobed blonde chick to leave me for." She answered irrationally. Dick pulled back from her stunned.
"Cindy Marie MacKenzie Casablancas there is no possible way that I'll EVER stop wanting you." He answered seriously. "And we've had this discussion before, if I'm not mistaken. Where is this coming from?"
"I've been puking my guts up for weeks and I GAINED six pounds! How is that even possible?"
"I don't know?" He answered, definitely unsure of how to soothe his wife's fragile nerves. "Are you sure? I don't see it. I mean, you look amazing to me."
"You're just saying that because you have to."
"Mackie, do you really need me to demonstrate what you are capable of doing to me?"
"Did you eat your sandwich already?" She asked in a completely different tone.
"No. I was about to when the doorbell rang." He eyed her curiously at her sudden shift.
"Who was it?"
"Oh. It's for you. HE's downstairs." The disgust was apparent in his voice.
"What? Why didn't you tell me?" she swatted his shoulder and rushed out of the room. He looked up at the ceiling in total confusion before shaking his head and trailing after her. He hovered silently in the doorway to observe the exchange.
"Sorry I took so long, Mr. Duncan. I haven't been feeling well." She apologized to the man.
"Yes, your husband mentioned your pregnancy."
"Did he now?" She asked tersely.
"He also mentioned that you would like to halt your participation in our partnership. Is that correct?"
"Look. When it was just looking at browser histories after hours while you were there, that was one thing. But going in alone and copying entire hard drives and using software that I know is obtained illegally from a government agency…That stuff wasn't part of our original deal. And you forced me into this with the threats to Keith. But that Jeremy kid knows something is up. I don't feel safe anymore."
"Did you find any evidence?"
"He's definitely the one researching Duncan Kane's whereabouts. All of the searches occurred when you noted Keith was out of the office. And I have video footage of him opening Keith's safe, his office, and his private files. The cameras in Keith's office won't give a sharp enough image to read the files he looked at, but they were pulled from the cabinet you indicated held the Kane's files."
"Good work, Mrs. Casablancas. I assume you have all of the evidence for me?"
"Of course." She pulled a flash drive out of her pocket and handed it to him.
"So that's it, right?" Dick questioned. "She's out?"
"If you want out, Mrs. Casablancas, you just say the word." He stated, never turning to look in Dick's direction.
"Don't we have enough? I've proven it isn't Keith. So, you're done with him, right? You can turn your focus onto Jeremy?"
"I know Keith isn't doing the research. I still don't have proof he didn't order the investigation."
"How can you get that proof?" Mac asked.
"Taps on his phones. A bug in his plant, and a feed so that it will record on the same drives we're already using."
"You don't think Keith Mars has a scrambler?" She asked, skeptical of that very fact.
"I have something to work around scramblers."
"So that's only two more trips? One to set it up and one to retrieve the data, both of which can be done after hours." She clarified.
"Yes." He nodded.
"Fine. Two more and that's it." She restated. "I assume you will set it up and let me know?"
"Naturally." He slipped the drive into his breast pocket. "Good day Mrs. Casablancas, Mr. Casablancas." He nodded in Dick's direction and exited the house. Mac turned to look at her husband and found an angry frown and crossed arms.
"Dick." She tried.
"Whatever." He grumbled and turned on his heel and headed for the kitchen, leaving her standing in the entryway. Outside the mansion, the man's cell phone rang.
"Yes?"
"Mr. Weidman? I think we'd better meet to discuss the latest developments."
"Tuesday. Same time, Same place." Clarence responded.
"See you then."
Clarence ended the call and closed his cell phone. He got into his car and exited the Echolls' front gate.
XXXXXXXX
The moment the boss made his way into the office a frenzy began. Everyone, from senior editors down to the guy who pushes the mail cart around began waving their photos and digital cameras at him. Ideas, theories, and utter fairy tales were flying out, creating a verbal cacophony. He cleared his throat and it all died down.
"Where's the picture of Logan Echolls' girlfriend?" He asked the group at large.
"Here!" One of the newer photographers leapt out of his seat and shoved his printout towards the man.
"You're Danny, right?"
"Yes! Danny McNeal."
"These won't do. You can't see who she is under that coat!"
"Well, I got some with my phone's camera, but they were still really far away, and they're really grainy." Danny held up his cell phone. The boss glanced at them in annoyance.
"We already know she's a blonde!" He yelled to the room in exasperation. "How is it possible that they arrived at a restaurant with thirty photographers outside and not ONE of them got a clear shot?"
"They haven't been out in public!" A bold female called out. "Logan tends to shy away from the paparazzi anyway and he hasn't even been caught partying in over a year. He doesn't do the random hookups he used to and he's just been really good at laying low." She sighed in disappointment.
"Jobs are on the line, here. I'm not kidding about this, people. I refuse to continue to be out scooped by the TMZ scumbags! I want a name. I want a picture. And I want them ASAP! And let me make this very clear. One more untrue report on this story and heads will roll! His publicist made us look like fools when she proved neither Logan nor his ex-girlfriend were anywhere near that accident scene. That will not happen again. You hear me?" Muffled noises of agreement came from across the room. "Now, where are we on the Speidi ring shot and the Brangie babies?"
XXXXXXXXX
Eighteen hours earlier
Veronica rushed into her apartment and threw her messenger bag on the couch, her keys on the coffee table, and her mail on the counter. She moved quickly back to her bedroom, peeling herself out of her coat and blouse as she went. Once inside her room, she noticed the time on her alarm clock and cursed the LA traffic she'd just fought for thirty five minutes longer than anticipated. Her pace became more frantic as she changed into the sexiest lingerie she owned. She straightened the undergarments and selected a calf-length black silk dress from her closet. She shimmied into it and was about to tackle the zipper, when she heard rapping on her front door. She sped out of her room and glanced through the peep hole before opening the door with a flourish to Logan, who stood on the other side with a cocky grin.
"Damn." He stated eying her up and down.
"Come in, come in." She pulled him with the hand not holding her dress up and kicked the door shut with her bare foot. "Can you give me a hand?"
He began clapping for her as he continued to study her appearance in appreciation. "You look amazing." He leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips. She smiled coyly.
"Not what I meant, but thanks." She spun on her heel to reveal her unzipped dress.
"Oh…Damn…" He exclaimed as he saw the pink and black lacy lingerie contrasting against the pale silky smooth skin. He let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding when he felt the sharp burning in his chest.
"Could you zip me up? Traffic sucked, so I'm running really late." She bit her lip and looked over her shoulder at him.
"Speaking of running late…" Logan attempted to regulate his breathing as he pulled the zipper up slowly. He couldn't quite believe the fact that his heart still raced a little when he was this close to her. Once the zipper was finished, he leaned down to plant a kiss on her head, drinking in the scent of the hair that she'd pulled into a loose ponytail, his hands came to a resting spot on her hips.
"You mean you didn't plan on taking me on a date in your work suit with your name badge still dangling from your pocket?" She turned in his arms and pulled him into a slow, longing kiss. He broke away reluctantly and gently put some space between them.
"I was on that crime scene and it ran way longer than I thought it would. The guy literally had a library and we had to catalogue around eighty five books. I didn't even get to go home. Will you forgive me for being really late for our date? I need a shower." He raised his bag in the air to indicate his change of clothing.
"Skip the shower, Logan." She pouted. "You're all hot in your FBI digs." She moved closer to him.
"Did I mention we catalogued the books because each of them had blood spatter?" He stepped back.
"So? Did I mention you look really sexy?"
"I'm covered in finger printing dust and luminal. I'm all crime-scene-y." He complained with a hand gesture to emphasize his disgust. "I'm going to take a shower so that I can come back out here and show you just how unbelievably gorgeous I think you look tonight." He grabbed her left hand and brought it to his lips. "Then we can finish what Mac so rudely interrupted this morning."
"I'm not a sex slave. You promised me a date." Veronica challenged, coming closer to him.
"You're right. I did." He conceded. "What do you say I call Louie and get us dinner to go so we can come back here and come up with creative ways to feed each other? I didn't tell you that I spent all day long frustrated as hell about the fact that we got interrupted every time things started getting good, did I?" He gave her a lascivious grin.
"I think I received a text message or twelve regarding that very subject." She laughed. "I like your idea except for the fact that I got all dressed up for a date." She twirled around to make the skirt of her dress flare out.
"If we come back here, it will prevent me from kicking the ass of every other guy we come in contact with. There's no way they'd take their eyes off of you in that." He countered.
"Fine. You win. Go shower. But hurry your ass up. Veronica Mars waits for no man."
"Not even the owner of an amazing Italian restaurant?" He asked, walking away from her and throwing his bag over his shoulder.
"Partial owner? Not so much." She corrected. "Clock's ticking, Echolls."
XOXOX
"Hey Bobcat, what do you want so I can text Louie?" Logan asked as he came from the bathroom freshly showered. He had a small towel around his neck and was clad in only a pair of silk leopard print boxers. His fingers were moving rapidly over the keys of his phone. When she didn't answer, he looked up in question. She sat on the couch staring up at him wide-eyed and looked unmistakably embarrassed. Her cheeks were flushed and she pressed a fist to her mouth like she was going to clear her throat. With her other hand she discretely made a gesture it took him too long to realize was pointing to her right.
"Keith!" Logan called, too loudly to the man standing in the kitchen holding two glasses of water.
"Logan." Keith stated through gritted teeth as he walked over to hand his daughter one of the glasses. Veronica bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from reacting to the deer-in-headlights look on her boyfriend's face.
"Dad's going to come with us to dinner." She stated, trying to verbally knock some sense into him.
"Oh, good." He recovered. "The usual, Keith?"
"Yeah. How'd you guess?" Keith answered, his eyes avoiding the entire direction of the well-toned almost naked man who was obviously boffing his daughter. Did he seriously call my little girl BOBCAT?!
"Cool. Veronica?"
"Manicotti?" She looked at him, attempting to convey an apology at the same time she urged him to go get dressed in their short eye contact.
"I'll get the table in back so we'll be able to chat." He replied and fled the room.
"He didn't have time to change at home. He came straight from a crime scene so he took a shower here." Veronica defended the state of Logan's undress to her dad.
"You're an adult, Veronica. What you do in your home is none of my business." He sighed and gulped his water, wishing it was something stronger.
"Seriously! He had fingerprinting dust and Luminol all over his suit." She added. They awkwardly chatted for a few minutes until Logan came out in deep midnight blue slacks and an almost royal blue dress shirt, with a silk tie that contained both colors drawing it all together.
"I forgot my jacket in the Rover." He apologized. Veronica felt her face flush and gulped as she took in his appearance even without the jacket to complete it. "We should probably get going."
"I'll just be a minute." Keith stated as he moved toward Veronica's bathroom.
"A little warning would have been nice!" Logan chastised quietly once he heard the door click shut. She jumped up from the couch and put a hand on his arm to calm him down.
"I had no idea he was coming. He had to testify at some trial in Burbank and he's used to just dropping by when he's in town. Damn, you look amazing." She grinned, face flushing again.
"What about our plans?" He grumbled, crossing his arms in protest.
"What was I supposed to say? Sorry, Dad, Logan and I are planning on ravishing each other all night. Come back another time for Daddy Daughter time."
"Or maybe, my boyfriend and I are going out on a very much needed date we've been looking forward to all day?" He challenged.
"He wants to talk about what happened in Neptune." She explained sadly.
"Oh." He pulled her into a hug. "You mean what happened in high school?" He asked. When I caused you to get raped by one of my friends? Was his unspoken thought.
"Yeah."
"You want me to leave you two alone so you can sort it all out?" He offered sacrificially.
"No! I want to get through dinner with Dad as quickly as possible so we can at least END the evening as planned." She ran her hands up and down his chest to emphasize her point.
"Want to take him to dinner and I'll stay here?"
"And not get to show off all of this sexy?" She waved her hand in front of him. "I think not. Haven't you heard that the best accessory is always a hot guy on your arm?"
"I should be offended that all you see me as is man candy…but I'm not." He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips.
"Man candy and a free dinner? My idea of a good night."
"What makes you think I'M paying after you pre-empted our date for Meet the Parent?"
"Are we ready?" Keith announced his presence loudly as he re-entered the room, causing them to separate. "Good thing I was in court today. You two look better than me, but at least I'm in a suit."
"Aw, you look good, Dad." Veronica smiled.
"And you look beautiful, Honey." He smiled back.
"And, I know I look good." Logan teased. Veronica rolled her eyes at her dad as Logan put on a pair of dark sunglasses and posed like a model. "Let's roll."
"Who wants to drive? I assume the celebrity is above riding in the Town Car?" Keith voiced, nodding toward Logan.
"I'll drive." Veronica and Logan said in unison.
"That clears that right up." Keith teased.
"You haven't even seen my car yet. It's my turn." Veronica stated to Logan.
"But, I'm the guy." He whined.
"Way to automatically disqualify yourself, buddy!" She snarked and mockingly punched his shoulder. "I'm driving."
"Shotgun!" Keith declared, smirking at Logan. Veronica snickered behind her boyfriend's back as she picked up a dark pink shrug from the back of the couch. Logan pulled the garment from her hands and slid it over her bare shoulders. His fingers trailed up her arms as he did and elicited goose bumps. She turned to smile at him.
"Thanks." She said softly. "You can drive." She suddenly blurted out.
"You just realized that in all of your rushing around you forgot to go to the gas station, didn't you?" Logan challenged, knowing there must have been an ulterior motive behind her cessation.
"Save the guesswork for the professionals, Logan. Your job is to look pretty and pay the check at dinner." She chided to avoid answering his claims.
"Doesn't matter who is driving. I still have shotgun." Keith smiled.
XOXOX
"Oh, shit!" Logan exclaimed as the trio walked away from the Range Rover in the parking lot next to Louie's. Veronica looked up at him in confusion in just enough time to find herself being tucked under his arm. Logan whipped his jacket off and smashed it down over her head.
"What the hell?" Her muffled reply came from under the coat.
"Keith? Could you hang back and come in in about ten minutes or so?"
"Good call." Keith agreed.
"I repeat: What.the.hell?" Veronica pinched Logan's side.
"Guess who's here?" Logan growled as he continued to force her under the cover of his jacket. He walked them toward the restaurant as they were suddenly flooded by men with cameras. Veronica instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around Logan's waist.
"Logan! Who's the blonde?"
"Logan, did you really get in a car accident two weeks ago or was that a publicity stunt?!"
"Logan! Logan! Over here! Smile for the cameras!"
"Hey Logan! Mr. Echolls! What's your opinion on rumors your sister is writing a tell all?"
"Come on out, Blondie!! Show us your face!"
Through the barrage of catcalls and pushing, Logan held onto Veronica protectively with one arm and held the other up to block some of the flashes from blinding him, even with his sunglasses on. "Back up, please." Logan requested more nicely than deserved and he continued to push through the mass toward the entrance.
"Is Trina engaged?"
"Come on! Show us your girl! What's the matter with her? Is she too ugly to face the cameras?"
"What's wrong? Is she married? Why are you hiding her?"
"MOVE." Logan demanded more forcefully. He jerked Veronica forward to prevent one of the photographers from getting too close to her.
"Logan! Why won't you just have a conversation with us?"
"Yeah, Logan! We're just doing our job. Cut us some slack! Show us your date's face! What's her name?"
Two of the paparazzi stepped in front of them and blocked their path to the doorway. One had a large video camera focused on Logan's face. "Show TMZ how mean you are!" The other started wildly flashing pictures in Logan's face.
"Get out of the way!" Logan yelled. He was on the verge of smashing cameras when the door to the restaurant flew open and knocked them out of Logan and Veronica's way. Three more photographers were pushed out of the restaurant by a very angry Louie. He helped Logan inside and told the mass that he had already called the police. He escorted Logan and the still-cloaked Veronica to the private room in back. The restaurant patrons watched in awe as the celebrity rushed past their tables. Some snapped photos with their phones.
"Trina! What the hell?!" Logan roared once the door shut behind them. He finally released Veronica and she smoothed her rumpled hair and dress, breathing deeply.
"Logan!" Trina rose from her seat at a table. "I'm sorry. They followed us from the house."
"There is one rule, Trina! ONE. No vultures at the restaurant. You know that!" He argued.
"I know. But they've been all over us all day! And Dave decided to come here because he didn't think they'd follow us this far out of town. If I'd known you were coming tonight we would've gone somewhere else."
"Dave's with you?" He asked, finally calming his temper.
"Yeah. He's in back with Junior trying to drum up a scandal somewhere else so we can ditch the paps."
"Why are they swarming us all of a sudden?"
"No clue. There was no one at the house after this morning. Then we were out shopping and suddenly it was raining cameras. They haven't left since."
"Who's Dave?" Veronica finally tried to join the conversation.
"My boyfriend." Trina answered.
"That would be me." A tall attractive blonde man called from the doorway. He was wearing a navy blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and top two buttons undone. His jeans were casual and baggy. Veronica was extremely impressed with Trina's choice in a boyfriend. He seemed down to earth and informal. "Dave Duskers." He held out his hand for Veronica and her jaw dropped in surprise.
"The Cy Young award winner, Dave Duskers? The Padres relief pitcher?" She asked in awe.
"One in the same." He smiled. "I can't believe one of Logan's friends follows baseball. I'm impressed." He teased over her head to Logan.
"My dad's been training me on baseball trivia since I was in the womb. You're one of his favorites. I'm Veronica." She extended her hand to finally meet his.
"Wait, like Logan's Veronica?" Dave asked. "I kind of thought you were a legend. One of those people who only exist in theory because you're too good to be true?"
"What?" She laughed. Logan and Trina rolled their eyes at the awestruck pair.
"You're the one who helped Trin find her birth mom, right?" He asked. Veronica nodded. "And you helped a guy escape the country? And got Logan out of jail? And solved a murder? And caught a rapist?" He seemed as wonder-stricken as she was. Veronica blushed in embarrassment. Logan placed his hands on her hips from behind in an almost territorial gesture.
"That's my girl. She's a real ray of sunshine." He joked. Keith finally made his way into the back room and looked at Dave with a big goofy grin.
"Big Dave Duskers!" he exclaimed. "When Logan told me you were dating Trina, I tried to scheme up ways to randomly drop in and see you! I'm a big fan."
"Which means you must be Keith. Logan mentioned you." Dave shook Keith's hand.
"Honey! Dave Duskers knows my name!" He said proudly to his daughter. "With Dave and Terrance down, it's only a matter of time before I track down the illusive Tony Gwynn."
"Terrance? You don't mean Terrance Cook, do you?" Dave asked in surprise.
"Yeah. He and Dad are friends." Veronica answered.
"And we went to school with his daughter, Jackie." Logan added.
"Terrance Cook is one of my all-time favorite players!" Dave said in excitement. "I think what they did to him is terrible. I know he threw a game and all but he's still one of the greatest players of all time. And people don't take into account the pressure on players to perform a certain way."
"Terrance knows I don't approve of what he did." Keith explained. "But I agree he's still one of the greatest players of all time."
"I wish I could meet him, but he's pretty much persona non grata around the ball clubs. You're FRIENDS with him?"
"Have you guys eaten already?" Logan asked Trina and Dave to avoid another star-struck encounter.
"Not yet." Trina sighed.
"I gave Louie our orders while I was in back, Hon." Dave added.
"Oh good, I'm starving." She smiled up at him.
"Would you like to join us?" Logan offered, looking at Veronica to ascertain her feelings on the subject. She offered no sign of aversion.
"We don't want to impose on your date." Trina hesitated. "You've been yammering about it all day."
"I already imposed." Keith pointed out to her.
"Trina and Dave, you are welcome to join us." Veronica reiterated. Trina looked to Dave for his opinion and found him eager to continue his conversation with Keith.
"Sure. It'll save Louie and Junior the trouble of seating us somewhere else." Trina capitulated. Keith and Dave went on conversing and Trina received a phone call from her agent that she decided to take from a secluded corner of the room. This left Veronica and Logan with a moment of privacy as he held out a chair for her to sit down. As she sat, he moved to sit across from her, but she stopped him with a look of discontent.
"What?" He asked softly.
"Don't you want to sit next to me?" She tilted her head at him.
"I can look into your eyes from across the table." He advised.
"You're closer if you're next to me." She contested.
"I can get into less trouble from over here." He disputed.
"He's having dinner with one of his favorite baseball players of all time. He won't notice anything." She fought for her way. "And even if he does, how much worse could it get than leopard print boxers?"
"Exactly. I'm in deep enough already for one evening." He stated resolutely. She recognized he would not be caving to her will and her face fell. He sat down.
"Fine." She mumbled.
"Hey, you've got something…right there." He pointed to his lower lip and she reached up to brush off her own lip, but felt nothing so she pulled a compact out of her purse to examine. When she saw nothing amiss, she looked up at him curiously. "Hmm. Sorry, I guess it was just light reflecting off of your pout." She gasped at his affront and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Trina flopped down between Veronica and Dave before she could reply.
"So, Trina," Veronica animatedly turned to focus all of her attention on his sister. "Tell me about your book." She could see Logan slump a little in his chair from the corner of her eye while she intently listened to the story of Trina Echolls from being abandoned at the prom to her rehab nightmare. The only pause in sound came when the plates arrived.
"But that's enough about me. Tell me about you, Veronica." Trina eventually pressed. "I haven't really seen you much since you found my mother. How are you?"
"I'm good. Busy." Veronica shrugged and took a bite of her manicotti.
"I know you're in the FBI, but what exactly do you do?" She asked, determined to get more out of her little brother's girlfriend. "Or is it all top secret like Logan's stuff?"
"Well, a lot of what I do I can't talk about." Veronica admitted, unaware of the fact that Logan couldn't take his eyes off of her. He knew how little Veronica thought of his sister, and even though half the reason for entertaining Trina was to get back at him, he could see her really trying to get along. It fascinated him. "And a lot of what I do sounds really boring. But there's one thing I bet you'd like."
"Really? What?" Trina asked before taking a gulp of her water.
"My car is like a closet. I have at least four different outfits in my trunk at all times."
"Four different outfits? Why?"
"I have to be able to blend in anywhere. So, I have a jogging outfit, a business suit, jeans and a tee shirt, and…" Veronica paused for dramatic effect. "A Roberto Cavalli paisley print evening gown with matching to-die-for Jimmy Choo sandals."
"You keep a Cavalli in your trunk?!" Trina squeaked in disbelief.
"It was designed for me too. I know a guy who dated a guy…It's kind of awesome. Oh, and I forgot. I also keep a Heidi Klein bikini in there. The bureau actually lined that one up for me. Probably so the guys could watch me try on bikinis, but I'm not about to argue with free designer clothes." Veronica laughed.
"Man, you make the FBI sound a lot more fun than Logan does. The way he talks it's all just a big drag." She pointed her thumb at Logan.
"That's not true." Logan interjected. "It's all very interesting, but I can't tell you about most of it." Trina rolled her eyes at him.
"Top secret yadda yadda."
"Well, a couple months ago, I was involved in an SSG." Veronica began, then realized she should pull back any of the actual FBI references since the point was to ignore Logan, not get herself into trouble at work. "Basically, I was surveiling this guy and he led me right into the backstage area at the Michael Kors fashion show. I bumped into Tyra Banks, who is like twelve feet tall. She pulled back, looked down at me and said she liked my shoes before rushing off."
"You were wearing the Choos?" Trina asked knowingly.
"Nope. They were designed by a friend of mine, James Covington."
"You KNOW James Covington?! Designer friends and people who get you ins with Cavalli? Veronica Mars you and I MUST start hanging out more."
Thirty minutes later, Keith and Dave's conversation was finally waning. Logan and Trina had started discussing exit strategies for the restaurant and Veronica answered a call on the brand new cell phone that had appeared on her desk at work with a big red bow. She moved across the room and spoke in hushed tones, causing Logan's eyes to flit over to her. He could only make out every few words, but one of the words he did catch made his stomach drop. She'd said 'Case'. And not in the I'm-working-on-a-case kind of way. She was talking to Casey Gant and now Logan's blood started boiling.
"Logan!" Trina snapped her fingers in front of his face.
"Sorry." He refocused on his sister. "You go out the front and we go out the back. Got it."
"You seem angry all of a sudden. Not that you haven't been grumpy all night…what's up?"
"Nothing." Logan brushed her off. "And I haven't been grumpy." He grumbled.
"You so have. Why do you think your girlfriend's been talking to me and not looking up at you with her googly eyes like she normally does? I get that you're upset about the paparazzi, Logan. And I'm sorry, but don't take it out on us."
"What if they put two and two together, Trin?" Logan asked in frustration. "If they realize I own the restaurant, that's the end of our privacy here."
"I thought you left Louie the ten percent of the restaurant so that his name would be on all the papers. How are they going to find out?"
"It wouldn't be too difficult." Logan sighed.
"So, the fact that your girlfriend is talking to her ex right now has nothing to do with your current angry and fork-bending self?"
"Fork what?" Logan asked as he looked down at the fork he'd somehow bent in half. He put it back on the table guiltily. "And what makes you think she's talking to her ex?"
"You just bent a fork in half."
"I think that started when I was bored during dinner. You all kind of paired off without me."
"Because you were all grump face." She charged. "And I know a jealous look from my little brother any day." He rolled his eyes at her and turned toward Keith and Dave.
"Keith."
"Yeah?" Keith turned away from Dave to look at Logan.
"Could you take the Rover up the block to the office complex parking lot? Veronica and I will sneak out the back way and meet you there."
"Sure thing. Keys?" Keith held out his hand. Logan tossed him the keys and stood up.
"It's getting late and I have a meeting first thing in the morning. We should probably get going." Logan announced.
"I have to head back soon, anyway." Keith agreed. "It's a long drive." Dave and Trina bade their goodbyes and then followed Keith out the front. Veronica finished her phone call and glanced around the now vacant room. She rushed over to him in an attempt to kiss him, but he turned to avoid her.
"We have to get moving." He sighed. "The front door distraction will only last for so long."
"Oh fine. By all means please be pissy about me talking to my friend."
"I don't recall saying anything about it." He frowned.
"Like you'd need to." She snapped at him.
"As much as I'd like to participate in the fight you are trying to start, I wasn't kidding. We need to move." He gestured toward the door.
"Well, go ahead and throw your coat over my head and push me through the restaurant again. That was super fun." She quipped.
"Please, give me some more shit about trying to protect you." He remarked sarcastically as he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward another door that apparently led straight to the kitchen. They went out a different door than the one that led to the stairs down to the beach and she noticed they were in a private alleyway.
"You have a lot of nerve being mad at me for talking to Casey." She argued as they rushed down the alley.
"I'm not mad. I never said I was."
"You're acting mad." She sulked. He moved them faster.
"I am not. I'm just trying to get us out of her undetected."
"Right. You won't even look at me. And you wouldn't make eye contact at all during dinner, either."
"When you were trying to make me jealous by only talking to Trina?"
"Even before that. You wouldn't sit with me."
"Because you're driving me crazy, Veronica!" he exclaimed. She didn't have to pretend to be hurt by his proclamation. It cut her down to the bone. "No." He softened when he saw her face crumple. "Not like that." He assured her. "I can't look at you because every time I do I think of what you're wearing under that dress. And I didn't want to sit by you because you smell so damn good. And I am seriously having trouble controlling myself. And every fucking time we start something we get stopped. It's like someone's given me an everlasting cockblocker!" He frowned. She laughed in relief. "I'd take you right up against this wall if I didn't expect your dad to come down here and make me disappear from the face of the earth."
"Really?" Her voice was small and unsure.
"Of course, really." He reassured her and put his arm around her waist to hurry them along.
XXXXXXX
psst...please review!! Thanks!