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Damn, it was probably time to cut her loose
before this territorial thing most women developed after six months
ramped up.
    Billie was watching him and he nodded, a
quick, short movement, before turning away and tossing some cash
onto the bar. “That should cover my tab, Duke.”
    Shane ordered up another draft. “I think I’ll
stick around and uh, make sure little Billie doesn’t get
harassed.”
    Logan eyed his friend closely, suddenly
rankled and not sure why. “She’s not Bobbi, you know that
right?”
    Shane’s eyes darkened as a scowl crossed his
features. “I got that.” His friend was silent for a moment. “What
do you care anyway?”
    [i] What kind of question was that ?[i]
He was just looking out for the kid is all. “I don’t. I’m just
saying.”
    Except for whatever reason he did. The
thought of Shane Gallagher anywhere near Billie, had his gut
tightening and that only irritated him more. Since when had he
decided to become her all around protector and bodyguard? He was
losing it. No question. He needed to deal with the Sabrina problem,
and get a good night’s sleep.
    “Sure,” Shane said slowly. “Okay.”
    Logan reached into his pocket and tossed
Shane a key to his place. “I’ll see you later.”
    “But aren’t we going to at least grab a
drink?” Sabrina pouted, not understanding.
    “Let’s get out of here.” His intention was to
have, [i] the talk [i], the break-up chat. She was getting too
comfortable and that led to problems. The signs had been there for
a while. That last time she’d spent the night at his house he’d
woken up to find his clothes freshly laundered and folded. Bad
sign. Hell, she’d probably have put them away except he’d stopped
her cold.
    Yep, too damn comfortable, which, for some
guy out there would be cool, but not for him. [i] She [i]
wasn’t for him.
    Sabrina glanced toward Billie once more and
smiled, a sly, sexy smile. “Sounds good to me,” she purred.
    He knew she thought they were heading
straight to bed and if he were some other guy, he’d take the offer,
use her body to alleviate some of the frustration he felt and blow
her off the next morning. Except Logan wasn’t that kind of guy. He
didn’t want to hurt her. It wasn’t Sabrina Fairfax’s problem that
his feelings didn’t run down the permanent road she was travelling.
He sighed and nodded toward the door.
    It was going to be a long night.

Chapter Four
     
     
    Billie loaded her hockey bag into the back of
her car and placed two sticks alongside it before slamming the door
shut. She was running behind, after taping both sticks. A quick
glance at her watch told her she had to be on the ice in forty-five
minutes, so she needed to get her butt in gear.
    “So, you’re really going through with
this.”
    Billie turned from her vehicle and faced her
sister. They’d not talked at all since their disastrous dinner a
week ago. Both of the girls had gone out of their way to avoid the
other. It was for the best considering the Barker triplets’ tempers
had always run hot and they’d learned a long time ago to leave each
other alone when things got dicey.
    Billie studied her sister. Bobbi and Gerald
were taking a weekend trip to some swank bed-and-breakfast an hour
north of town. They were leaving within the hour. Billie had hoped
she’d be able to escape without a confrontation, but she supposed
it was too much to ask for and maybe it was time to clear the
air.
    She just needed it to happen in less than two
minutes.
    “Looks like it.” Billie quipped before moving
around her sister and heading toward the wide porch steps. She’d
left her Gatorade in the kitchen and once she had it was good to
go.
    “Did you know that Jackie Everett isn’t
sleeping with her husband?”
    Billie rolled her eyes and turned back to her
sister. [i] Here we go [i].
    Bobbi stood at the bottom of the steps,
dressed to the nines in a fitted moss green coat with a fur ruffle
at the collar and indigo-blue skinny