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‘uh-oh.’
    Refusing to be intimated I broke her gaze and smiled at Oliver.
    “Thanks again for your help.”
    “No problem. Maybe next time we’ll catch a snake.” He grinned and for the first time I saw his father.
    It was almost the exact grin Logan threw me more than once that morning.
    “Oliver.” Julia warned.
    “I’m going.” He pouted. “Bye Cassandra.” He waved as he walked away leaving me face-to-face with his strangely terrifying aunt.
    She stood my height, barely five six, and weighed no more than I did. I felt fairly confident I could take her if need be. I was more athletic in stature than she was. Problem was, I still had no clue what the reason for needing to take her down was.
    “Stay away from Logan,” she hissed once the door slammed shut behind Oliver. “He needs to focus on his son, not you.”
    “I’m not—”
    “Logan’s not known for self-control. If you show interest in him, he’ll waste no time luring you into his bed and, if you’re lucky, possibly keep you around for a day or two. But that’s all you’ll get.” Her tight expression and cold tone slowly began to soften and I had a feeling it was due to my stunned expression.
    I was well aware exactly how unlucky I was in life so I nodded dumbly, stunned at her harshness. “All right.”
    “I’m sure you think I’m a bitch. I don’t mean to come off like some crazed sister from hell but you have to understand, my only concern is for Oliver. I saw the way Oliver looked at you, he likes you, and he just met you. Oliver’s not normally one to speak to strangers, let alone makes friends with them.” She dropped her arms from her chest and sighed. “Look, Logan plans on living here for at least two years so the last thing Oliver needs is to have you pissed off at his father when he plays with your emotions and then drops you like last week’s garbage.”
    “No offense, but you’re really good at making your brother sound like a jerk. You do know that, right?” A nervous laugh cracked out, but I was completely serious.
    “He’s really not.” She laughed softly walking back to the house. I followed, listening intently to every word.
    “Logan’s an amazing brother and father. He’s paying my tuition at school and all my expenses and spends nearly every Sunday with our mother. The whole reason he moved here was because he wanted Oliver to be close to me while I went to school. I start this fall at the college in town. Logan just…doesn’t let anyone besides family get…close.”
    Just as we stopped at Logan’s back door, the realization hit me—if Julia was not Oliver’s mother than where was she?
    “She broke his heart,” Julia said, reading my mind. “Oliver’s mother was everything to Logan. She left shortly before Oliver’s first birthday and hasn’t come around since.”
    My heart broke not only for Logan, but also for his innocent son. The sadness in his eyes now made even more sense and I wished I could take it away for him. I knew all too well what it was like to have a parent disappear out of your life never to be heard from again.
    “I like Oliver. He seems like a sweet kid. I don’t mind keeping an eye on him when I’m around. As far as his father goes, I’m actually known to have impeccable self-control.” I laughed, lighting the somber mood we’d fallen into.
    “It was nice meeting you, Cassandra.” Julia smiled sincerely. “Once school starts up next week I won’t be around much, I’m staying at the dorms, so I’m glad you’ll be right next door.”
    “I have to ask. Why would you move here to go to school? Harmony has the smallest college in the state. I graduated from there last month and I have to admit it’s nothing special.”
    “One guess,” she said, smiling ear-to-ear.
    I knew that look. It’s the same one Hilary got every time Caleb was brought up.
    “Ahh,” I chuckled. “The things we do for men.”
    I walked away after one more—‘nice to meet you,’ ‘we