Fallen Crest Forever (Fallen Crest Series Book 7)(90)

She gave him a look. “Logan.”

His arm dropped. “I’ll tell you later, but I don’t want to talk about it right now. How was your first day of nursing classes?”

She sighed. “Fine, but it’s going to be a hard year. I have a lot of labs.” She said to me, “I might have to quit the team. I don’t think I’ll be able to do both. I’m so sorry.”

Faith’s words came back to me. “ . . . Your friend Taylor. You’re distracted when you worry about her.”

“No. I’m okay with that,” I said quickly.

“Are you sure?” She looked to Logan for clarification, but he didn’t react. Her mouth turned down.

“Yeah. I’m fine with it. You have to focus on your studies.”

“Yeah, but you won’t have the extra backup.”

“I have Courtney and Grace. Besides, I might ask Coach if I can do some runs alone this week.”

“Oh.” She perked back up, her frown disappearing. “Are you sure? That’d be good if he let you do that.”

I nodded. I was going to make him, if I had to. I glanced at Logan, but spoke to Taylor, “Yeah. I’m sure I can figure some way to twist his arm.”

Logan nodded, just the slightest of movements so Taylor didn’t catch it, but my message was clear. If we were finding leverage to use against Shaw, we could find some to use against Coach Langdon too. I knew there was no way I could kiss Faith’s ass or run with her, so we had to find something.

“Okay,” Nate spoke up. “I have business economics next. I think I might actually go and prep for it.” He started off, walking backward. “See you guys tonight. Or wait . . .” His eyes lingered on Taylor. “Maybe not. Never mind.” He held his hand up, rotating around to walk forward.

“Okay. What’s going on?” Taylor asked. She leveled Logan with a warning look. “And don’t try to placate me and say nothing. I can tell. I know you guys.”

I cut him off. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

“Sam?”

I winced at the hurt in her voice. “You’re right. It is something, but trust me. I’ll tell you later. I promise.”

It wasn’t that I wanted to keep her out of the loop, of us finding leverage against Faith or even Coach Langdon, but Taylor was like Courtney. She had some bad shit happen to her, but she was still good. I didn’t want to take the ‘good’ part out of her. She’d already been too involved over the summer. Logan’s eyes met mine, and I knew he understood where I was coming from. He looked relieved.

“It’s not to exclude you, Taylor,” I added, softening my voice. “It’s to protect you.”

“Isn’t that what you were pissed at your boyfriend for doing before?”

She was right.

I didn’t care.

Call me hypocritical.

“I’ll explain it, but not yet,” I said. “Not until something actually happens.”

She’d just said she was going to quit the team. If she were brought into the fold, she’d refuse. She’d keep running, and Faith was right. I would be distracted, worrying about her. She was out of the line of fire this way. Everything would work out.

She set her jaw in a determined line.

“Please?” It worked. I saw her softening when I used that word. “I’ll explain later. I promise.”

“You promise?”

I nodded, feeling some of my unease lessening.

“Okay.” She sighed, raking a hand through her hair. She leaned back against Logan. “I suppose it’s for the best anyway. I wasn’t lying when I said this year is going to be hard. I’m even worried about finding time with you.”

Logan’s arm curled around her. “You can study at the house. We’ll stop partying there as much.” His eyes flicked to mine. “Classes and all.”

She groaned. “Yeah, maybe, but I’ll be at home tonight. I want to try to get a head start on things. See?” She pointed to herself. “Me getting ahead of my studies, totally believable.” She waved in the direction Nate had gone. “Him, not so much.” She pulled away from Logan and glanced at her phone. “I have lab in twenty minutes. I should grab something to eat, then jet over there.” She pecked Logan’s cheek before walking toward the food court. “I’ll see you guys later, and I gotta talk to Coach about quitting, so maybe I’ll see you at practice. Bye!”

We watched as she turned around and picked up her pace.

Logan said quietly, even though it was just the two of us, “If this spreads to Taylor, and Shaw hurts her.” He looked at me. His eyes darkened in a dangerous glint. He didn’t say anything more, but his threat hung in the air.