Dating and Dragons (Dungeons and Drama, #2) (78)

“So you went behind my back?”

He leans forward, his eyes sharp. “Only because I refuse to let you quitting the group be a possible solution. That is not how we’re solving this.”

“Solving what?” Sanjiv cries, and throws his hands up in the air.

“And did you ever stop to think that maybe we should be coming up with these solutions together?” I snap.

“I would if you’d tell me what was going on inside your head instead of keeping secrets.”

“Okay, someone needs to stop and explain why you’re fighting,” Mark commands.

“We’re not fighting,” we say simultaneously.

“You’d better start making sense or I’m going to make you both quit,” Sloane says, their annoyance sharp enough to cut.

My heart is racing, and I clamp my mouth shut. Thoughts spin as I try to decide the best way to explain things without saying anything I shouldn’t.

“It’s me,” Kashvi says matter-of-factly. “I’m the reason she was acting that way. She wanted to talk to me first.”

Logan squints in confusion and the others look bewildered as well, but that’s their natural state at this point. I turn to her and shake my head to tell her she doesn’t have to do this. She only shrugs.

Kashvi lifts her chin to Logan. “You’re cute. I had a crush on you, and I told Quinn, and she didn’t want to tell you my personal business.”

“Oh, I…um,” Logan bumbles, looking deeply uncomfortable, but Kashvi laughs it off.

“It’s okay. It’s not that deep. I already have my eye on someone else.” She winks at me.

“You had a crush on Logan?” Sanjiv cries. “Kashvi, ew, that’s disgusting! You know we don’t date each other. That would be like me dating Sloane or Quinn or Mark.” He looks like he might be sick.

“Nice,” Sloane says bitterly. But they give me a significant look and I get the impression they might have already caught on.

“Okay, so here’s the thing,” I start.

Logan catches my eye, and my frustration from a few seconds ago disappears. It’s now or never. He opens his mouth, but I put up a hand. I need to be the one to say it.

“Logan and I kissed. I know it shouldn’t have happened, I know we promised we would never get involved with someone else in the group, but it happened.”

Sanjiv and Mark look thunderstruck, but not Sloane. “I’m absolutely shocked,” they say in a deadpan.

“You knew?” I ask.

“I wasn’t sure, but this explains a lot. You two have had vibes since the beginning.”

“Dude,” Mark mutters, and side-eyes Logan.

“So…what does this mean?” Sloane asks. They were quiet while we were bickering, but now that this relates to the game, they seem much more invested. “Is this why you two were talking about quitting?”

“It doesn’t need to go that far, does it?” Sanjiv looks around the table. “You already said you two know it shouldn’t have happened, so let’s just forget it and move on. We don’t need to make it a big deal.”

“Unless it is?” Sloane adds.

Kashvi’s eyes are on me, urging me to contradict her brother, but I don’t. Technically, Sanjiv is right. The kiss doesn’t have to change things. Logan and I could play it off as nothing and the group could stay exactly as it is. That certainly would be the easiest way out of this conversation. Until the next time I’m alone with Logan, of course. But one more word and our group changes forever.

I steel myself before making eye contact with Logan. In the split second before I do, I decide it’s okay if his expression is hesitant. Of course he’d be unsure—he’s putting all his friendships on the line for me. I’ll be okay if he wants to downplay what’s happened, despite his big talk last night.

But when our eyes meet, his expression is so full of reverence that my throat grows tight. No one has ever looked at me the way Logan is looking at me right now. Like I’m the most precious, beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

He nods, and the small gesture is all it takes to calm my fears.

“I’m in love with Quinn,” he announces calmly. “It wasn’t just a kiss—not to me—and I’m not getting over it and I’m not giving her up, so don’t even try.” He turns to me, his eyes studying my expression. “I love you. And I’m with you for as long as you want me to be.”

My heart might just pop out of my chest and hop across the table to him. It would only be fair since it’s his now.

“I love you too,” I whisper.

He turns back to the others. “We really botched this whole thing. I’m sorry we lied to you and went against the agreement and told you in this ridiculous, chaotic way, but the end result is the same. I love her, and if you say she has to leave, then I’m leaving with her.”

Everyone sits in utter silence at his proclamation. Whatever Sloane thought they knew, it clearly wasn’t this. Even Kashvi looks taken aback, and Sanjiv might as well have smoke pouring out of his ears from all the new info.

My phone buzzes, but that’s the only sound in the room.

“I hope we can find a way to make this work,” I say. “I love Logan, but I also love all of you.”