Author's Note: Hello! Thank you everyone for the encouragement, reviews, likes, and follows! And of course for even checking the story out! We thank you guys so much! You guys are awesome! We are glad you're liking it! We're enjoying writing it! So here's the next chapter. No worries there will be jealous Logan soon enough. Glad you guys are liking Matchmaker and insightful Dick! He's pretty fun to write and it's nice to have him trying to help LoVe. Please let us know what you think!

Thank you to: AliLorien, viki, The Scarlet Letter, Longingexpectantheart, Dani, bethelove, guest, nicole. louque. smith, Lady Mischief(X2!), Laetitia, BeWitchingRedhead36, Czomom, ViolaFaltiba, tigerlady1981, Guest, AngelPete87, NorCal91, Guest, cantarams, Kerali, irislim, & JosieLynn!

Enjoy!

Chapter 3: I Don't Care About The Presents

Mac felt nervous as she got into the car with Dick. They had ordered a taxi because, even if they had not been planning to drink, neither of them was allowed to drive Logan's car. Mac hadn't minded the idea of going out with Dick but now her nerves were catching up with her. She considered herself easy to talk to and get along with but now that she was alone with Dick she had no idea what to say. Prior to this trip they had rarely been alone together and this was the second time in one day they were forced to make conversation.

"This is going to be awesome." Dick said excitedly from beside her.

"Yeah, definitely." Mac said, tightening her grip on her wristlet. She thought back to Veronica grilling her with a million questions about whether or not she was ok to go out with Dick by herself. Mac hadn't minded Veronica's intense questioning, but now that she was actually going out with Dick she wished she felt as confident as she had when she was assuring Veronica that she was fine.

"So I think we should go to Scorpion first and then Earth. Maybe if we have enough time and it's not too late we should go to Kobalt because it has cheap drinks and the people in there are pretty cool." Dick said listing off the places they were going to go.

"Plus they don't card." He added with a wink.

"That doesn't matter either way since, thanks to Veronica, we have fakes." Mac said quietly so as not to alert the taxi driver.

"And that doesn't matter because money talks." Dick said making the international sign for money with his fingers.

Mac blinked at him. She wanting to reply with something witty about how money didn't buy you everything in life, but she decided instead to turn away and concentrate on the scenery passing them. She tugged nervously at the hem of the short skirt she was wearing and cleared her throat wondering if she should have said something back. But before she could form the proper reply they pulled up in front of a large building with a scorpion on the front of it. The cab pulled over and Dick paid the driver before they got out and joined the line to gain entrance into the club.

"We're still pretty early so the lines aren't too bad." He said using his height to an advantage to see to the front.

Mac nodded and wrapped her arms around her torso in an attempt to shield herself from the cold. They waited in silence to get into the club. Neither knew what to say so they decided to not speak at all. It seemed easier that way.

Back at the cabin Veronica sat stiffly on the couch and tried desperately not to stare at Logan. He was bent over and trying to get the DVD player to work, which gave her an amazing view of his ass. She licked her lips subconsciously as he stretched forward and the muscles in his back stuck out of the tight shirt he wore. She shifted uncomfortably as dirty thoughts filtered through her head. She suddenly had an urge to crawl forward and begin to kiss that spot on his neck that she knew drove him crazy. She tightened her hold on the thin blanket covering her legs and reminded herself that she couldn't act on her impulses tonight. They were just friends she repeated silently. Just friends meant that kissing or even wanting to kiss was totally off limits. Apparently reminding herself of their status didn't do much to stop her from thinking of a hundred ways she could seduce him into bed.

She cursed herself quietly for not joining Dick and Mac at the clubs. At least if she was at a bar she wouldn't want to succumb to the desire she felt. But she'd also probably have to put up with Logan flirting with numerous other girls who weren't her and she wasn't sure she could take that. Actually she was pretty sure she couldn't.

"So did you decide if you wanted popcorn?" He asked turning around suddenly.

She adverted her eyes quickly and prayed he didn't spot her checking out his ass.

"Um sure," she said. Happy to have something to occupy mind other than Logan's body, she swung the blanket off her legs and stood up.

"You don't have to do it. I can get the popcorn." He said scratching the back of his neck and looking down.

"It's fine. You always burn it anyway." She teased trying to lighten the mood.

He chuckled and sat down on the couch as she went to go make the popcorn. He casually glanced into the kitchen and watched as she moved around the room in the pajamas she had brought with her. She always moved so swiftly and he found it fascinating to watch her. He knew they were broken up, and if she caught him watching he'd be sorry, but he couldn't help it. Watching her do anything that demanded focus appealed to Logan. If he was being honest with himself he would have to admit that just watching her was his main form of entertainment these days.

He smiled knowingly at her pajamas too. They weren't anything particularly sexy - just a pair of flannel pants and a blue V neck t-shirt. The blue V neck was actually his, but he wasn't going to look into that too deeply. Or at least that's what he told himself. He had also bought the flannel pajama pants for her too. He'd seen them and, since she always complained about being cold in his suite, he figured he'd get them for her when she got too cold. He'd even bought himself a pair too.

He reluctantly forced himself to look away from her and focused his attention back to the movie that was frozen on the screen. She joined him soon after with a big bowl of popcorn made just like he liked it and they settled in to watch the movie.

Mac was feeling totally out of her element as she leaned against the bar and watched Dick dance with some spray-tanned busty blonde. She rolled her eyes in disgust and took another shot from the bartender. She chased it with a beer and continued to sit at the bar feeling bored. She almost wished she had stayed at the cabin and watched the movie with Logan and Veronica, but she knew that they both needed time with each other so the plan could work.

Mac smiled slightly to herself as she thought of how easily she had agreed with Dick's assertion that Logan and Veronica still having feelings for each other. Now that he had pointed it out, she was starting to see the bigger picture. She noticed the looks Veronica gave Logan and vice versa. She wanted to clunk them both on the head so they could finally just be together without all the bloodshed between them.

Mac also found herself feeling slightly jealous of Logan and Veronica's relationship. She wanted something like that for herself, but the only person whom she ever wanted to be with long-term was Cassidy. That simple fact, in itself, did not bode well for her ability to judge potential suitors. She wished she could talk to someone about him, but that wasn't going to happen. Mac didn't like the dark turn her thoughts had taken so she took another shot and continued to watch Dick on the dance floor while he grinded to the latest hip-hop sensation.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

Mac looked up and blushed when her eyes landed on the most gorgeous guy she'd ever seen. He was tall with ice blue eyes, an easy smile, and honey wheat blonde hair. If that didn't make him utterly delicious already, the British accent he was sporting made him completely irresistible.

"Sure." Mac choked out.

He grinned and waved the bartender over easily.

"What are you drinking?" the man asked.

"Um vodka, but I can switch it up." Mac said shyly.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

"I don't even know you," she said staring into his pretty blue eyes.

His response was a wider grin as he turned to the bartender and ordered them each a scotch. Mac had never tasted scotch so she hoped that she could stomach it, but she reasoned that she was already three shots and a beer deep tonight, so whatever was next wasn't going to be a big deal.

"So what's your name?" the guy asked.

"Mac." She said shifting so she could talk to him easier.

"I'm Dan." He said holding a hand out. When she placed her hand to his to shake it he instead lifted their joined hands to his lips. When Dan pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand Mac felt herself heat up and a blush color her face.

"I-it's nice to meet you." she stuttered feeling the tingle of his lips on her hand.

"The pleasure is mine." He said, sliding her one of the drinks the bartender just delivered.

She took a sip of her scotch and it took everything in her not to spit it right back out. To her credit, she managed to swallow the nasty-tasting liquor and even smile at him afterwards.

"So are you here with anyone?" Dan asked.

"No – well yeah I guess, but we're just friends." Mac said turning to look out onto the dance floor to find that Dick was mysteriously absent. She frowned, noticing his dance partner was already dancing with some dark haired guy. Dick was nowhere in sight.

"Do you live in Tahoe?" he asked bringing her attention back to him.

She shook her head slightly and gave him a smile trying to remind herself that Dick would never leave her in a club by herself.

"No I—" she began, but she felt a hand on her shoulder and she stiffened under the contact before looking up to see Dick right beside her.

"Mac-Attack, you ready to head to the next bar?" he asked completely ignoring Dan.

"Uh well—" she started.

"Hello, I'm Dan." Dan said lifting a hand to offer to Dick.

Dick looked at him for a minute before turning back to Mac.

"Let's go." He said poking her in the arm.

"But we just got here." She protested, annoyed that he wanted to go when she was starting to talk to someone. And she wasn't talking to just anyone – this was Dan, the hot Brit.

"That's fine, Mac. How about I give you my number and maybe we can get together soon." Dan said taking out his phone and giving it to her.

She smiled and put her number in his phone before drinking some more of her scotch and bidding him goodbye. Once they were out of the club and glared back at Dick.

"I was talking to someone." She said scowling at him.

Dick merely glanced at her and shrugged. "So? Dude, he wasn't your type anyway," he said leading her to a club nearby that had a big Earth sign in front.

She stopped and stared after him, aghast at his presumptuous claim to know what her type is.

"And how do you know what my type is?" she asked angrily.

He looked over his shoulder at her, "Smart. Like my brother." He said before continuing on and getting into line.

Mac let the air deflate from her body and felt her buzz instantly fade away. Dick's reminder of Cassidy left her feeling cold and empty. She silently followed him to the line outside the bar. The silence that they had shared at Scorpion was back once again, but this time the silence was full of tension; both of their thoughts were on Cassidy.

"Why did you have to bring him up?" she asked looking up at him with sadness.

Dick refused to look down at her, not wanting to see the hurt in her eyes. Instead he focused on the front of the line and the snails pace they were going.

"I don't know." He said quietly.

"I think about him a lot you know." She whispered looking down at the black boots she was wearing.

"I do too." He said finally looking down at her. She sensed his eyes on her and she looked up and gave him a gentle smile. They turned back to the front neither wanting to delve deeper into the Cassidy-sized hole in their heart.

Veronica realized about an hour into the movie that she hadn't been paying much attention to it at all. She wasn't even sure what movie they were watching. All she knew was that it had some action and a cheesy love story. Instead, she was focused on Logan's presence beside her. Her muscles were humming with the knowledge that he was so close but she couldn't do anything about it. Her thoughts were going a mile a minute, trying to figure out if she wanted to move away from him or closer towards him.

Her mind went to the times they had watched movies as a couple and how he'd hold her so close all snuggled up next to him. She'd always fall asleep cuddled into his side and he'd carry her to bed and tuck her in. She missed how snuggling with him made her feel so cared for. She missed the way he wrapped his arms around her as if she were delicate and precious and the way he looked at her with such love in his eyes she felt that she was the only one in the world. She just missed him and the longer she sat beside him watching this random movie the more she realized it. Not for the first time, she mentally kicked herself for letting him go.

"Do you want—"

"I'm tired—"

They said in unison. They both looked away sheepishly and Veronica made a motion for him to go first.

"Sorry. I was wondering if you wanted to watch something else? Or maybe play a game." He suggested, feeling just as on edge as she did.

She nodded vehemently. "A game would be great. What does Dick have?"

Logan got off the couch and went to look through the sparse collection of games downstairs.

"Cards and Scrabble." He said holding both of the items up.

"We could play Speed." Veronica said standing up and walking to the dining room table.

"Not poker?" He asked.

She grinned. "I think we both know I would kick your ass. I know you don't want to go home poor."

"Wouldn't that be a role reversal. Whatever would you do with all that money?"

"Buy a pony." She said easily.

Logan chuckled and sat across from her. He shuffled the cards effortlessly and dealt them out.

"Do you think Mac and Dick are having fun?" Veronica asked as she collected her cards and put them in order.

Loan shrugged. "Dick's probably half drunk and trying to make out with her."

"I thought you said he wasn't in to her."

"That doesn't mean Dick wouldn't want to make out with her. I saw the way he was looking at her when they left." Logan said wiggling his eyebrows.

Veronica scrunched her nose up in disgust and then quickly smoothed her features out. She looked down at her cards and pretended that she was contemplating her move.

"So what did you think?" she asked delicately.

"About what?" he asked distractedly.

"About Mac."

"What about her?"

"Did you notice what she was wearing?"

Logan shrugged and smacked the smaller pile with glee at having one the first round. They collected their cards and added them to their piles.

"Would you make out with her?" Veronica blurted out.

Logan's head shot up and he looked at her incredulously. "Did you seriously just ask me that?"

"Would you?"

"Veronica—"

"It's just a question, Logan. One friend to another."

He blinked and then shook his head before looking down at his cards. "She's not my type."

Veronica stared at him for a moment before looking away.

"I like blondes." He said meeting her eyes.

She gave him a tentative smile. "I could've told you that," she said smirking at him.

"Then why ask the question to which you already know the answer." He asked raising an eyebrow at her.

She shrugged and they began their next round. "Because, believe it or not, sometimes I don't know all the answers." She admitted.

He barked out laughter and she bit her lip to keep a smile from blossoming across her face. She knew he'd get a kick out of that.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Veronica Mars just claimed NOT to know all of the answers! The world must be coming to an end. Alert the media! Alert the press! We're all going to hell." He exclaimed slamming his hand down on the table.

She rolled her eyes, "Always such a drama queen."

"One of us has to be has to be with you always acting so butch." He said smirking at her.

"I don't always act butch, Logan. I'm trying to change my natural ways. I did just admit I wasn't always right." She said.

"True. And it is a start, but what does it mean?" he asked teasingly.

"It means we're growing up."

The smile slid off his face and he shook his head slightly. "I'm already grown up, Ronnie. You're the one who has to catch up."

"Yeah, like having meaningless sex, drinking at all hours of the day, and skipping class is model adult behavior. Logan, just because you're on your own doesn't mean you're an adult." She slapped the smallest pile and grabbed it. He sat beside her looking stunned.

"Thanks for reminding me of how shitty my life is, Veronica. I can always count on you to lift my mood. Memo received." He said before throwing the remains of his cards on the table and getting up.

She sat there astonished, watching him walk away. She didn't know why she was surprised because this scenario was nothing new. She always hurt him even when she was just trying to help.

Mac moved her body to the beat of the latest techno song that was playing loudly in the club. She was totally drunk and her eyes were closed as she danced to the beat. It was only when she felt someone's hands on her hips did she open them. She laughed when she saw Dick standing in front of her. They were a good distance apart, but his hands were still on her hips.

"What do you think you're doing?" she slurred, moving closer and putting her hands on his shoulders. They were doing a weird mix of slow dancing and sensual grinding to the techno beat. Everyone around them was twerking on each other. Mac thought that everyone looked like they were dry humping except for her and Dick. Maybe it was because of their relationship or the fact that they were too drunk to be coordinated enough to twerk on each other, but Mac liked the slower dancing.

"Dancing, dude." He said easily stumbling closer to her as some guy knocked into him from behind.

Mac laughed and shook her head. She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him closer. His hands reacted automatically and he tightened his grip on her hips.

"I'm making sure no creepy British dudes hit on you," he said in her ear since the club was pulsing with music.

"He wasn't creepy!" she protested.

Dick looked down at her and rolled his eyes. "Whatever, dude. Who kisses someone's hand when they meet? It's 2006."

"So? It was chivalrous! And when did you see that?" she exclaimed.

"I told you, Ghostworld! You're too good for him. He's probably a prick anyway." Dick said ignoring the second half of her question. Someone behind Mac pushed her towards Dick and he took the opportunity to pull her closer to him. He told himself that he wanted her closer so she didn't get lost in the crowd..

"And the girl you were dancing with was such a peach?" Mac said giving him a look.

Dick shrugged. "She knew what she was doing."

"Well maybe I knew what I was doing too." Mac retorted.

Dick chuckled. "Yeah, but like, dude, you and she are different. You aren't the type of girl to have a one-night stand. You're the kind of girl who actually cares about the people you date and sleep with. You're the kind of girl that a guy takes to meet his parents. You date good guys. Girls like her are just after the chase. You're just…" Dick trailed off as he stared into her eyes.

Mac gazed at him not knowing what to say. That was the nicest thing Dick had ever said to her.

"I'm sorry for what I said in the beginning of the year. I should've never said that…I was just..." Dick said clearing his throat uncomfortably.

"You were hurt. I get it." Mac said nodding.

"Yeah."

"I know what you mean. It's fine, Dick. I-I forgive you," she said quietly.

"Good." He said with a nod.

"I mean it is Christmas and everything." She said smiling up at him.

He grinned down at her. Their eyes were focused solely on each other and neither seemed to notice how close they had gotten. Their bodies were mere inches away from each other and both could feel the heat radiating off one other. The smile seemed to melt from Dick's face as he focused on her. The sparkle in her eyes and the innocence in her face brought unfamiliar feelings to his gut. He removed one hand from its placement around her neck and he gently touched her cheek. Her eyes were locked on his and she suddenly had the overwhelming urge to close the last few inches of distance between them.

Just as she was contemplating acting on her impulse, Dick leaned his head down towards her and she instinctively closed her eyes. Before the couple could make contact, someone slammed into Mac from behind. The bump caused her to stumble forward and trip over Dick's feet and effectively ruined the moment. Dick picked her up easily and ushered her off the dance floor until they were out of the club. Neither of them could look at the other as he hailed a cab.

After playing a few games of solitaire Veronica decided to finish the movie. She fell asleep sprawled across the cushions as the credits rolled across the screen.

Logan, who had had trouble falling asleep after leaving her, went downstairs to find her snoring quietly on the couch with the TV on. He turned the TV off and looked down at Veronica pondering whether he should wake her up or just leave her there. Knowing Dick well, he knew that if he left Veronica there Dick was most likely to fuck with her especially if he was drunk. So he decided to be the good ex-boyfriend-turned-friend and pulled her sleeping form into his arms.

He struggled to maintain his cool despite the feelings that arose in him as her small body pressed up against his own. He missed this. He missed her. But, as they had clearly demonstrated earlier, they were still not able to work together. Somehow they always just managed to hurt each other.

He carried her upstairs and deposited her into her own bed. As he tucked her in he heard her sigh pleasantly in her sleep.

"Logan." She mumbled a smile on her face.

Logan's eyes drifted up to her face to see that she was still asleep. He smiled at the serene look she had and felt more than thrilled to know she was dreaming of him. He brushed the hair from her cheek and leaned down to kiss her forehead. All of the warning bells going off in his head and reminders that they were only friends went out the window. He could only concentrate on her.

"Goodnight, Bobcat." He whispered before leaving the room. He went to his room just in time to hear the door downstairs open as Dick and Mac came home.

(A/n: What'd you think? Please review and let us know! Next up is Christmas Eve!)