Luke Logan

Chapter 3

Finally it’s 4 pm. As with every Friday at Activate,  it’s game night. 

 I have been looking forward to this all week.

A nice chilled glass of wine, great company and a spirited game of 30seconds. Our Friday tradition at Activate. 

Yes that’s me, Alexandra Morgan

Thanks to good ol Jas  everything is already set up on the patio. 

I can finally put my feet up and unwind.

Just  sitting here, feeling the cool evening breeze on my face, surrounded by fairy lights, good friends, flowing chilled drinks and listening to everyone’s stories about their week. Usually this is my idea of the perfect ending to the work week.

Yet today I find myself drifting off, unable to relax and enjoy my surroundings, unable to fully be fully  present and engaged. A big part of me was still stewing about his royal highness the creature and what happened earlier in the day.

I mean really, who does he think he is? 

Just coming in and taking over??

 Not even a  thank you? Nothing!

And then has the nerve to ignore me and in effect  dismiss me?

What an ass!  

As for Mika, he just stood there and entertained the fool!

I need to nip this hostility and negativity in the bud. He is not worth it. I don’t even know his name for crying out loud! Why waste another second on him?

It’s Friday and  I am surrounded by friends, I can’t let that egomaniac ruin my night. It’s Friday and  I am surrounded by friends, that is what  I keep telling myself, trying to bring myself back to reality. With any luck, I’ll never have to see that arrogant ass ever again, so there’s no point getting all worked up. I keep telling myself this in an attempt to move on and enjoy my night.

I start making small talk with Jas, particularly about the especially delicious wine we’re having tonight… anything to get my mind off the day’s events.

She tells about how she discovered a cute little deli a few blocks from the office. She actually met a man there. Once again she thinks she is in love. She falls in every other month. Jas is a hopeless romantic. She loves love and all things love.

She was apparently drawn to a very handsome stranger and she decided  to follow him into a deli, when he noticed her, she pretended to be shopping for cheese and wine. Turns out he owns the deli and was more than happy to give excellent customer service. They spent hours chatting. She spent the afternoon feasting on cheese, olives and all sorts of lavish treats. 

I have always admired how freely she loves. Jas is one of the most loving and trusting people I have ever met. She sees the good in everyone. I wish I was like that, able to open myself up, able to let people see me, the real me. I wish I could really open myself up and let people in.

I really hope it works out with this one. From what she tells me they seem to have a lot in common. What I would give to have someone I can spend hours talking to, someone who puts a smile on my face even half the size of the one Jas has on her face when she talks about Eli. Someone who made me glow like Jas is right now. I have been single for far too long, four whole years. Then again, who can blame me, with the world so full of arrogant men like ... before I could even finish my thought, in walks Mika with Cousin IT. Grrr.

What is it with this man that keeps infuriating me? 

I guess that’s my queue to leave. 

 I quickly gulp down my wine, get up and try to sneak off to my lair. 

Unfortunately it was too late, before I could make my getaway Mika motions for me to come join them.

I slowly make my way towards them, avoiding eye contact.

He thanks me for helping him earlier and gives me a big hug.  

He introduces Cousin IT as Logan. I quickly shake IT’s hand, still avoiding making eye contact and I excuse myself. I couldn’t help it, all my instincts were telling me to run, telling me to get the hell out of there, not only did I agree, but for once, I listened. Trying desperately to ignore the tingling sensation in my hand from where our hands touched when we shook hands.

Pretending to not notice how he held my hand longer than the standard introductory handshake warranted. I had to get away.

I quickly make my way down to my lair, grab my stuff and drive off, eager to get as far away as possible.

No matter how fast I drove or how far I got away from the office, I could not stop thinking about Cousin IT. I couldn’t stop thinking about his big, warm and not too soft hands. His arms  so strong and toned, he has a firm handshake, that’s so rare to find these days. He probably spends at least 12 hours in the gym every week, well-built but  not freakishly masculine …It’s obvious that he is a very active man.  The way his charcoal designer tailored suit clung to his body, hugging and highlighting his perfectly toned body. His white shirt suggestively hinting of the perfection that lurks underneath it, just begging to be seen.

Wooooooow, I think to myself, that wine must have been more potent than I realised, I can see why Jasmine was in such a bubbly mood and so “in love” , this wine even has me stuck on Cousin IT. 

I am finally home, after an extra eventful week. Time to cuddle up on my couch with some wine, ice-cream and a few movies to ease myself into the weekend.