Chapter 25

"We can still back out of this, Veronica. I don't want it to move too fast for you."

"Now you tell me? We're already at the Fennel's, Dad," I respond. We're sitting in his car outside their house on the street. I think he's more anxious than I am. I don't want him to stay with my mom; she was absent for so many years before she finally left. However, Ms. Fennel is the first mom replacement I've ever met. Are they just dating? Is he going to marry her? I'm not even sure he's actually divorced from Mom. "Let's go have an awkward family dinner with your mistress."

"Oh brother," he huffs as we get out of the car. Their house is not far from us. Wallace could have easily been zoned to attend the Pan feeder schools growing up, if he grew up here. I really don't know that much about him. I could have known him as long as I knew Richie and Mac. I wonder if I would be friends with him now if he went to Pan.

Wallace's mom is still making dinner when we arrive—we are about half an hour early. Wallace gives us a tour of their bungalow, both he and I visibly uncomfortable. I learn Wallace has a younger brother named Darryl who is at a friend's birthday party at Disneyland today. We make our way back to the living room, and I hear a familiar voice in the kitchen.

"Smells great, Ms. Fennel."

"Oh, hi, Logan. Did Wallace not tell you?" What the hell is Logan doing here? Did Wallace invite him to our family dinner? This is some sick, cosmic joke, orchestrated by Wallace. I officially hate him. No more snickerdoodles ever!

"Tell me what?" Logan responds. I'm sitting on the couch next to my dad, trying to hide the fact that the strange voice in the kitchen belongs to my secret boyfriend. I know my breathing has already changed, and if my dad weren't nervous on his own account, he would have noticed and prodded me about it.

"Wallace!" Ms. Fennel calls from the kitchen. Wallace gets up slowly from an armchair to face his fate. "Did you not tell Logan we have special guests today?"

"I forgot," Wallace answers sheepishly.

"Who are these special guests?" Logan asks. Dad rises to walk into the kitchen, presumedly to introduce himself. I want to sink into the couch and just fold my body into its crevices like lost change. No, I want a sinkhole to develop and swallow the whole couch—just bury me in the dirt. My dad is going to meet my secret boyfriend. He's going to know the minute he sees us looking at each other, and this family dinner is going south faster than a mudslide.

"Hi, I'm Keith Mars," my dad says. I know he's outstretched his hand to Logan.

"Logan Echolls," Logan says quietly. Shy Logan is a version I don't see often. I imagine from all the times he's suggested meeting my dad that this shy Logan is probably genuine.

"Logan, Keith is a special friend of mine, and I'm afraid you can't stay for dinner tonight," Ms. Fennel says.

"Oh. Ohhh. Yeah, I just came by to say hi. I don't have to stay."

"Nonsense," my dad says. "He can stay. We don't want to ruin your typical Sunday dinner."

"No, it's fine. We have a cook at home, so it's no big deal," Logan replies.

"Oh, you're that Echolls. Well, at least meet my daughter before you go. Veronica? Stop brooding," my dad shouts. Great. It's not enough that I have to endure this awkwardness; he has to embarrass me too.

As I walk into the kitchen, Wallace says, "Oh, Veronica knows Logan too." I can hear his smirk before I see it. He and I are having serious words when this charade of civility is over.

Logan looks…beautiful. He's showered and put on a button-up navy shirt and dark jeans that truly epitomize the tall, dark, and handsome persona. I wonder if he really didn't know my dad was going to be here. He certainly dressed for a first impression.

"Hey, Veronica," he says. He tries to maintain eye contact, but I see the momentary flash to my lips.

"Hi, Logan." Keep that voice steady, Veronica.

"You go to Neptune, also, Logan?" my dad asks. Logan nods. "Did Veronica attend all her classes while investigating mascot thieves?" Logan and Wallace both swallow. Luckily, my dad was sneering at me while he said this, so he didn't catch their deer-in-headlights looks before they could recover.

"We only had Newspaper together, so I can't attest to all her other classes." He walked me to half of them throughout the week. If anyone can corroborate my attendance, it's Logan. "But she was always around me during Newspaper." I try not to smile remembering Friday when we skipped. I think I was technically heading back home when we should have been in Newspaper, but I appreciate the way Logan tries to not lie to my dad.

"It really smells delicious, Ms. Fennel," I redirect. I have been known to stealthily change a conversation from time to time.

"Okay, dinner is ready," Ms. Fennel announces.

"And that's my cue," Logan says. "Mr. Mars. Veronica." Logan nods at both of us. He fist bumps Wallace and hugs Ms. Fennel. How close is Logan to Wallace and his mom? The way he showed up and the familiarity he displays now make this seem like a regular thing. I had no idea he and Wallace were that close. They don't even talk at school.

"I'm going to wash up," I say as I grab my purse and head to the bathroom.

Veronica to Logan 7:06 pm
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!

I rarely use all caps in a text, but if ever a situation called for it, this does. My phone starts ringing, and of course it's Logan. I end the call.

Veronica to Logan 7:07 pm
Don't call me right now!
I'm in the bathroom

Logan to Veronica 7:08 pm
I'm sorry
I didn't know you'd be there

Veronica to Logan 7:08 pm
We'll talk about later
I have to go

Logan to Veronica 7:09 pm
I really didn't know Veronica

I roll my eyes and scoff. I believe Logan didn't know. Something about him just makes me want to trust him, even though I don't trust anyone. Everyone lies eventually. Wallace on the other hand—I wouldn't put it past him to use this meeting as payback for the shakedown on Tuesday.

The dinner isn't a total disaster. If my dad suspects anything, he's keeping it to himself. Wallace's mom works at Kane Software and asks me about my sleuthing activities. She seems to worry about the danger involved. My dad assures her that we talk about every case I take on for a classmate. I nod enthusiastically even if it's not true. He doesn't know that, and that's what matters.

"Keith and I would like to talk alone. Wallace, can you entertain Veronica for a while?" Ms. Fennel asks her son.

"Sure he can," I shout, grabbing his wrist and leading him back to his bedroom.

"Easy, Jane Austen. Why are you so eager to help our parents get it on?" he says after I shut the door.

"Eww!" I throw his arm down. "I'm not. Did you set me up?" I whisper shout.

"What are you talking about?" He looks genuinely confused, which is in his favor.

"Did you 'conveniently' forget to tell Logan that my dad and I were 'coming over?'" I use air quotes abundantly.

"What? No. I've been helping my mom clean the whole weekend. I haven't even thought about Logan."

"Well, you sure seemed eager to spill the goods about us."

"You mean he doesn't know?" I look at him startled. Damn. Logan has knocked me off my game in all kinds of ways. Wallace knows something now that he can use for leverage. I usually don't reveal my cards so readily. He rubs his palms together. "Oh, this is good. We're even now, Mars. Let's see. What do I want?" He places his index finger on his lips while he looks up at the ceiling.

I sock him on his shoulder. "Whatever, Fennel. Give me a day. I'll have something else to hold over you." He gives me a goofy smile.

"But secret boyfriend from your father? That trumps everything, Mars." I grimace because I know he's right.

I call Logan once I hear my dad's door close. If I whisper, I shouldn't wake him once he's asleep.

"Hey, Veronica."

"Hi," I say softly. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"When did you yell at me, Bobcat? And why are you whispering?"

"I meant the text. It was a little strong. I'm sorry. I know you didn't show up on purpose. I have to whisper so my dad doesn't realize I'm on the phone." This is probably the first time I've ever apologized for yelling in a text, but Logan seemed so sincere in his responses that it felt necessary.

"Yeah, I eat with the Fennel's every Sunday night. I wasn't trying to ambush you."

"I know now. How long has that been going on?" Wallace told me about the dinners a little, but not how they started.

"Since beginning of the school year when I met Wallace." He pauses and doesn't continue.

"Sounds like there's a story there."

"Yeah, you'll have to ask Wallace for more details. Your dad's nice. I can't wait to meet him as your boyfriend." I don't know why he keeps pushing that.

"Logan, you're so going to regret this. He was nice precisely because he didn't know you were my boyfriend."

"We'll see, Bobcat."

I groan. The meeting is going to be a disaster when my dad realizes how much our relationship has progressed. "And if he hears you call me that, you'll be forbidden from seeing me."

"Veronica, I got it. No calling you Bobcat in Sheriff Mars' vicinity. I'll be a perfect gentleman. I was raised by two actors. I know how to handle overbearing fathers."

"Do you always dress like that for dinner with Wallace?" I'm sort of teasing him, but I'm also a little jealous. I hope he looks that nice on our date.

"I like to look nice for Ms. Fennel. She appreciates formalities. Did you like?"

"Maybe."

"Well maybe I'll dress like that Wednesday."

"That sounds nice. I should probably go now."

"Sweet dreams, Veronica Mars."

"Goodnight, Logan Echolls. I—" I close my mouth abruptly and smack my hand to my forehead. What was I about to say! It's like my mouth has a mind of its own. Instead, I don't say anything, and it's silent.

"Yes, Bobcat?"

"I'm glad I got to see you tonight."

"Me, too, Veronica. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay, bye, Logan." I hang up before I can further humiliate myself. I realize too late that he expertly shifted the conversation away from how he and Wallace met. He might even be better than me at deflection.