New tears glistened from her eyes as she whispered back, “Thank you. I love you right back.”
I knew she did. That’s something she always gave me.
It was when we were leaving that she saw the sign.
“Logan!”
I laughed and started taking off.
“You named this roller coaster The Taco Taylor Coaster? Are you SERIOUS?”
23
Forever Present
Taylor
We drove back that night, but Logan must’ve sent out a request or something. We went to the house, and we were left alone for that night, the next day, and a second night. No calls. No texts. Nothing. Total and complete silence.
But six a.m. on our second morning, the small respite was done.
Malinda was knocking on the door, and thirty minutes later, Mason called. The rest of the morning consisted of phone and video calls.
Mason gave us shit. And congratulations.
Samantha gave us shit. And congratulations. She was a little weepy.
Nate. Same as the others. Also weepy. Quincey was with him, but she wasn’t crying. She was all smiles.
Matteo. Same. One tear.
Heather came to the house with Channing. He gave us congratulations, but Heather gave Logan the most shit. “It’s about time.” “What took you so long?” “Honestly, what did take you so long?” “You’re the marriage dinosaur.” And so forth.
Logan didn’t have the quick retorts as he typically did. He held me on his lap and smiled and laughed and kept holding onto me. I could feel him resting his cheek to the back of my shoulders at intervals, his hands under my shirt and firmly resting over my stomach.
Heather noticed the location, her eyes darting back to mine, but she didn’t comment.
Malinda was alternating between huffing about not being invited to our wedding, being irate at Helen, and still wanting to twist ‘the weasel’s balls off.’
It was that evening when the doorbell rang, and the door opened. “Logan?”
It was Nate.
He came in, holding hands with Quincey. He paused, seeing us in the dining room.
Malinda was there. Heather too. Channing left because someone skipped bail, and he needed to go ‘hunting.’ His words, not mine.
“If I knew you were doing company, we would’ve come earlier.” Nate gave the rest of us nods in greeting.
I moved to the chair next to Logan, but he kept his hand on my leg, dragging my chair to touch his. Heather had started inspecting our closeness with more speculation in the last couple of hours, but she was also watching Malinda with the same look.
Heather did not seem surprised at Nate and Quincey’s arrival, and when both dropped into two chairs around the table, all gazes went to Malinda, then to Logan, and everyone sat back. They were waiting.
I frowned.
Logan sighed, removing his hand and leaning forward. “I don’t want to deal with Tate.”
Ooooh. That’s what this was about.
Nate’s eyes widened, and he shot Heather a quick look, which she matched, but she didn’t seem so shocked before he turned back to Logan. “Uh. Okay.” He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “Gonna put my cards on the table here. James isn’t my dad. He’s not Heather’s. He’s not Quincey’s. He’s yours and Mason’s, and he’s getting scammed by Tate.” He glanced to Malinda. “Did you tell him what Mark said?”
Malinda’s mouth tightened. “Not yet.”
I felt another entire body sigh from Logan, one that wasn’t audible, but he asked her, his voice resigned, “What’s this about Mark?”
Her eyes darted from Nate to Logan. “It’s not really what Mark is saying. It’s what Cassandra is saying.”
“You still don’t like her?”
If it was possible, her mouth got even tighter. She jerked her chin up. “She’s grown on me, been through some stuff with her family, but she came forward yesterday. Mark got an earful from me on the phone about your dad. I was in a venting mood, and well, Cassandra asked around. You know they’re related?”
Logan shook his head. “I didn’t, no.”
“Distant cousins, I think, but she was told by someone credible that Tate was having an affair with some banking CEO. Not James Kade. She knew someone at the hospital who switched paternity tests, got the results she wanted. It’s a scam. That’s what Cass is saying.”
Normal Logan would’ve erupted or spewed some vow to take his ex-girlfriend down.
That didn’t happen.
He was quiet, giving a slight nod before turning and locking eyes with me.
I saw it then. He was tired. I saw the plea too. He needed me.
I nodded, standing up and taking his hand. “If you all will excuse us?”
Crickets could’ve been heard. No one said a thing, not one thing.
All eyes tracked us, and I could feel the stunned silence as I led Logan up to his old room. It was a small trek, this house was so huge, but I didn’t need to say anything once we were in.
Logan grabbed me in for a hug, almost crushing me, his head buried tight into my neck.