“Hello to you, too!” Jessica said while her mother sent her an admonishing look.
“Do you want Isabella to think you have no manners?” She turned to her son. “Hello, Logan. Sorry to barge in on you, but I heard about the baby and I had to come see her.”
“Ah. Dad told you.” Logan’s brow cleared as he began to understand what happened.
“Yes.” His mother looked puzzled. “Why, didn’t you want him to?”
“Not really,” he admitted, taking a breath. He should have fucking known. “Although I didn’t ask him not to say anything. I just thought he’d figure out that it wasn’t a good idea.”
“Why not?” She handed the empty bottle to Isabella, and then cooed as she put Cinnamon on her shoulder and patted her back for a burp.
“Because of this.” He gestured to the baby, his jaw tight. “Look, I don’t know if Dad shared all of the details, but Desiree could return at any time and take the baby back. Child Services could put her into foster care. I haven’t taken a DNA test, and don’t even know for sure she’s mine.”
“Of course she is!” His mother smiled fondly as Cinnamon let out a soft belch, and then snuggled into her shoulder. “She looks just like Jessica when she was a baby.”
Logan’s gaze shot to his sister. She shrugged, as if to say, I tried to stop her, but fuggetaboutit.
He knew that look all too well.
But he wasn’t prepared for his mother showing up, all ready to take Cinnamon into her heart. It bothered him to see her expression as she gazed down at the little girl, and he hated the thought of her getting hurt. His eyes met Isabella’s and he saw understanding there, even as she moved to the door.
“I’ll take care of this,”—she indicated the bottle—“and put the food in the oven to keep it warm.”
She left the room, deliberately closing the door to allow the family privacy. Logan groaned as he glanced at his mother quietly rocking and singing to Cinnamon. She already appeared to be in love with the baby, and would only get more attached as time went by.
Grabbing Jess by the elbow, he steered her out of the nursery and into his room. “You couldn’t talk her out of this?”
“Are you kidding?” One copper brow shot up and Jessica looked at him as if he were insane. “She thinks that baby is her first grandchild! You know how long she’s been waiting for one of us to get married and reproduce.”
Logan’s shoulders slumped in resignation. “Yeah, I know. Just concerned the shit will hit the fan, and then what? I can’t believe the old man told her.”
“They are joined at the hip.” Jessica sighed. “And they tell each other everything. You had to know this would happen once you confided in him.”
“I had to.” Logan paced the floor in agitation. “I can’t find a trace of Desiree, and decided I needed help tracking her down. Dad had a contact, which I kind of figured since he belongs to all of the organizations in town. I just didn’t think it through that he would tell Mom.”
Jessica shrugged. “Well, she knows. She would have discovered it anyway; you’re all over social media.”
“I guess. It’s just another complication I don’t need. At this point, I just want to make sure that Cinnamon is okay. That’s what’s important.”
Jessica gave her brother a look of begrudging admiration. “You know, it’s pretty cool of you to step up like this, even without knowing the truth.”
“Isabella is a big help,” Logan said. “She knows everything, never gets rattled, is so organized and dedicated…What?” he asked when he saw the glint of amusement in his sister’s eyes.
“So how long have you been sleeping with her?” She couldn’t seem to hold back a smirk.
“What are you talking about?”
“C’mon, Logan, this is me. You are waxing poetic about this woman. And she happens to be friggin’ gorgeous. You would be an utter idiot not to try and make her yours, and you aren’t an idiot. So spill.”
Logan’s brow grew thunderous. “Listen, baby girl,” he growled, “you don’t have the first idea of what you are saying…”
“For the last time, I’m not your baby girl. And it’s crystal clear to me that your relationship with the nanny is more than just about the baby. I’m not judging; I think it’s great. I’m hoping you can be as happy as I am with Gavin.”
His mouth dropped, and he forcibly closed it. Pulling her into his arms, he gave her a bear hug. “Thanks. I needed to hear that. I tried to avoid a personal relationship with her because of the baby, but I just can’t help it.”
“Paid-up member of that club,” Jessica said, disengaging from his embrace. “When I met Gavin I was his physical therapist. There were a million good reasons why we shouldn’t have gotten involved, and only one as to why we should. But it’s a big one.”
Logan nodded thoughtfully. “She’s a hell of a woman. I’ve never met anyone like her, and Cinnamon aside, I care about her. Unfortunately, because of the circumstances, I haven’t been able to take her out, romance her, and do all of the things you do for a woman like her.”
“You are serious about her!”
“Damn straight.” He could admit that much to his sister, and even himself. But he’d had enough.
“Now that we’ve gotten the heavy shit out of the way, do you think your boy Gavin King is going over .300 this year?” He pulled his cell out of his pocket to check the stats. “I’ve got some serious money riding on him.”
Isabella looked up from stacking baby bottles in the dishwasher as Jessica entered the kitchen. “Can I help you with that?”
“No, I’m almost done. Cinnamon is probably asleep by now.” She gave Logan’s sister a smile. “That’s kind of how it works with the baby at this age. You either nap or catch up on the housework in between feedings.”
“That’s pretty intense,” Jessica commented with a frown. “You get much time off?”
“In other circumstances when there are two parents involved, I would. But right now I’m trying to help Logan learn the ropes, so when I do take some time, he knows how to take care of the baby, and what to do if she gets sick or something goes wrong. I have to admit, he’s doing a great job with her.”
“Yes, I’m surprised, too. Not that he isn’t a good guy; he is and then some. He’s just sort of that alpha type, but he has a heart of gold.”
Isabella gave her a smile. “Why do I get the feeling that you might be trying to sell me?”
Jessica laughed. “So you’re smart, too. Completely unfair to be gorgeous as well. Listen, I’ve been thinking. I really appreciate everything that you are doing for my brother and Cinnamon. Why don’t you and Logan take the night off and go to a movie or something? It sounds like the two of you could use a break.”
She looked at Jessica in stunned surprise. “Did Logan tell you about us?”
“He didn’t have to. The way you two look at each other…It’s pretty apparent. But maybe that’s only because I know him so well.”
Isabella busied herself with the dishes. She wasn’t prepared for all of this, for Logan’s family to know that they were romantically involved. She must have betrayed her thoughts with her expression, for Jessica rushed to reassure her.
“Don’t worry. I don’t intend to tell anyone. I think it’s up to you two to decide when you want to go public.”
“Thanks.” Isabella exhaled, able to breathe again. She closed the dishwasher and stood erect. “There is already enough speculation on social media. With so many unanswered questions about the future, I think the less gossip, the better.”
“Agreed.” Jessica nodded. “But I would like you guys to have a chance to enjoy each other’s company without all the pressure of the baby and everything. What do you think?”
“About what?” Logan said, interrupting them as he entered the kitchen to grab a beer from the fridge.
“I’m offering to stay with the baby tonight. Thought you and Isabella could use a real date. You know, like dinner and a movie or something?”
Logan grinned, and then ruffled Jessica’s hair even as she stepped away in annoyance. His gaze returned to Isabella, and he gave her a questioning smile.
“Sounds good to me. I can put the takeout in the fridge. How about you?”
“Me too,” Isabella said, giving Jessica a warm look. “Thank you. That’s very generous.”
“No problem. I’ll just run Mom home, and be back shortly. That is, if I can pry her away from Cinnamon.” She gave her brother a smirk. “You owe me, pal.”
“You won’t get an argument out of me, baby girl.”
A date with Logan.
Isabella fished through her closet, looking for something to wear. She hadn’t brought many dressy clothes with her, and wished she’d had time to run back to her apartment for an evening dress. But Jessica’s offer had been impromptu, and she wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
She found a black pencil skirt and a simple white blouse. Fortunately, she’d thrown some jewelry in her bag and decided to layer a few pearl necklaces to give the outfit a more elegant look.
As she heated a curling iron, she thought about how long it had been since she’d dated anyone, let alone someone like Logan. Her last boyfriend, Josh Renfield, had broken up with her after a year, explaining that he had to marry someone who could give him children. While she got that, it still hurt like hell and made her feel like less than a woman.
So she’d taken a sabbatical from romance, intending to let a few weeks go by to get over the loss. But weeks became months, and before she knew it, it had been over a year since she’d been with Josh.
Not that men weren’t interested. Unfortunately, they were usually the husbands of women who hired her as a nanny, or guys who, for one reason or another, weren’t really available. And she was being more careful this time, trying to qualify them in advance. She wasn’t looking for another broken heart.
But with Logan, she hadn’t stood a chance. She’d fallen for him hard, and while she wasn’t ready to use the L word, she felt herself like Alice, spiraling helplessly down the rabbit hole.
She should be more scared. And to a degree, she was. But something about Logan made her feel safe. At some point she’d have to tell him the truth, that she couldn’t bear children, and he could very well react the way Josh had, if having a family was important to him.
Yet he has Cinnamon. That thought made her pause as she applied a red lipstick. Could that be enough for him? Maybe this could work for everyone involved?
She didn’t know. All she was certain of were her own feelings for Logan, which were growing by the day. She knew she should pull back, protect her heart, but she couldn’t stop anything at this point.
Moreover, she didn’t want to. She couldn’t be here now, around Logan, without wanting his arms around her, and his hard-muscled body cradling her as she slept. Even now she shivered as she thought of going out with him, sharing a meal like a real couple, and when they got home…
Excitement pulsed through her. Logan might be hard to hold, but impossible things happened every day. And if everything crashed and burned, she would have a memory that would last a lifetime.
She only hoped it would be enough.