“Aren’t you guys lucky? I like you both. No, that’s not true. I love you both.” He laughed, glancing to where Analise and James sat. “And you guys are lucky too—that it ain’t your wedding. I never did get the private jet, Dad.”
James sat back, his arm resting on my mother’s chair. He raised it now and motioned to his youngest son. “Anytime. Let me know.”
“I will.” Logan leveled him with a hard stare. “I mean it. I’m taking that jet.”
James gave him a thumbs-up, appearing unconcerned.
“Dude.” Nate leaned forward from the other side of Logan’s empty chair. “Toast, please. Some of us are in line still.”
“Chill.” Logan motioned toward him. “Simmer down. Your time is coming, but now it’s mine.” He focused on us again, and I saw him melting already. He was softening, but with the slightly glazed look in his eye.
I wasn’t sure what he was going to say. Logan was unpredictable.
Mason’s hand touched mine under the table.
I had to laugh.
We were literally hanging on now.
“Talk, Logan,” Mason ordered.
There was no quick retort for his brother. Logan merely rolled his shoulders back and turned to the crowd. “I think you all know how much I love my brother. I worshiped him growing up, and then I started worshiping Sam when she moved in too. You guys all know the story. Mason and I were like orphans.”
People began laughing.
I did too.
Mason cracked a grin.
Logan winked at us. “Our mother cheated constantly on our dad, and when he decided to leave her, he left us too. Then we found out our mom wasn’t even our mom, and we were really in a situation. Who was our real mom? Could it be a magical lawyer from Boston? Maybe it was our neighbor across the road the whole time. Maybe we really had a secret brother? No one knew.” He kept a straight face until the end, then he began laughing. “I’m kidding. That’s Nate’s life story.”
“Hey!”
Logan ignored him. “For real, this is a weird moment for me, because I remember when Sam and Mason first met. I was there. I think I was there for everything, except a few sex scenes. Although . . .” His grin deepened, and a dimple appeared in his right cheek. “I heard plenty of those too. That’s the uncomfortable part of living together, and holy shit—we lived all over the place. The mansion. Nate’s house. Mom’s house.”
He glanced to Helen, then turned back. “Malinda’s house. The house in Cain. Shit. I’m sure I’m forgetting places, but we lived in a bunch of different spots. And no joking here, but we may have switched houses, but I never felt like I didn’t have a home. You guys were my home. You guys were my family. You guys are my family. That’s never changed, and I know it never will. Through everything, we were there for each other, and holy fuck—”
“Logan, there are children here,” someone hissed.
“Oh. Sorry.” He held a hand up, but didn’t look away from us. Only Mason and I saw the moisture building in his eyes. He stopped, and his Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed. Then he gripped the microphone with both hands. “We’ve been through a lot—a lot of hospital visits, a lot of middle-of-the-night phone calls, a lot of good old-fashioned schoolyard fights, and some nastier ones. Yeah.” He drew in a breath, so solemn now.
I felt a tear slipping free, sliding down my cheek.
Logan saw it and gave me a soft grin. “I love you guys. And I’m so goddamn honored to have you in our family, Sam.” A rueful laugh slipped out. “Despite your bloodline.”
“Logan!”
He ignored James, and his voice dipped low. He said softly, “I am proud to be in our Threesome Fearsome, and I wouldn’t do a damned thing to change us.” He kissed the side of his fist and met it to both of ours, then rocked back on his heels.
He raised his glass. “So I’m ending this toast, because I have a feeling it’s the most sober one you’re going to get tonight. Please help me welcome Samantha officially into our family. You know, besides the fact that she’s already our stepsister.”
His grin turned wicked, and he looked back at us. “Welcome to the family, Samantha. And just so you know, you’ve always been one of us, whether you wanted to be or not.” He raised his glass one more time, then finished it in one gulp.
Everyone drank, and Logan added, “Now I send my apologies, because you have to endure everyone else’s toasts.”
Nate stood up and his chair scraped backward. He held his hand out.
“Especially Nate’s, but be kind. We love him.”