“Yes, well, I thought I should finally see where my daughter has been living.” She gives me a suspicious look as she glances around. “It’s smaller than I was expecting. Where exactly do you sleep?”
“On the couch,” I say, waving off her concerns. “It’s much more comfortable than it looks.”
“Oh, cut the crap, Layla. The look on your friend’s face when she opened the door, coupled with the fact that almost none of your things are here. Tell me the truth. Are you in some kind of trouble?” Her eyes widen. “Are youpregnant?”
“God, no,” I snap, no idea why she would jump to that conclusion. “Of course I’m not. I just…” I stop, not exactly sure how to tell her. Is it better she hears it from me, or the both of us? Just then, there’s a knock at the door. Zoe side-eyes me as she walks over to answer it. Mum’s eyes widen when Logan strolls into the room.
“Logan,” she sputters. “What are you doing here…” Her voice trails off, then she turns her narrowed eyes onto me. “Oh, you’ve got to be fuckingkiddingme.”
“Surprise,” I say weakly.
“How long has this been going on?” she demands. “I swear if you put your hands on my daughter while we were together—”
“He never touched me,” I cut in.
I almost laugh at the irony. Now she suddenly cares if I’m being touched? What about her last three creeper boyfriends who couldn’t keep their filthy paws off me?
“Layla and I ran into each other about two months ago. We got to talking and realized there was a spark there, so we explored it,” Logan explains smoothly, sliding his arm around my shoulders. “I suggested she move in with me when she confided in me that your current so-called boyfriend kept hitting on her.”
“Maybe she wouldn’t have had to worry about that if she didn’t walk around my house dressed like a slut,” Mum snarls at him. I blink at her, my mouth hanging open in shock. How dare she call me that. It couldn’t be further from the truth, but even if it was, who cares if I did dress like that? It doesn’t give any man the right to treat me like his property.
“Are you seriously blaming your daughter right now?” Logan growls at her. Then he lets out a harsh laugh. “Just when I think you couldn’t surprise me any more, Melanie, you manage to.”
“This from the man who’s hooking up with a girl less than half his age, who was like a daughter to him from when she was five years old?” she hisses, her face inches from his. “Spin it however you like, Logan. We all know you’re the real creep here.”
“Okay, that’s it,” I snap. I walk over to the door and yank it open. “You’re right, Mum. Logan was like a father to me. He was a better parent than you’ve ever been, right up to the point where you screwed everything up. So just get the hell out.”
Mum glares at me, then she snaps her mouth shut and stalks over to the door.
“Don’t come crying back to me when this ridiculous relationship blows up in your face,” she spits, before storming out.
Shaking, I slam the door closed and walk over to the couch to sit down. Logan sits next to me, wrapping his arm around me. I feel instantly calmer, locked tightly in his big embrace. Zoe shakes her head and sinks into the seat opposite us.
“Wow, I guess that could have gone better,” she mumbles.
“And it could have gone a lot worse,” Logan replies, like he’s trying to lighten the mood. “She’ll come around. Once she sees that we’re serious about each other.”
“I hate that I even care what she thinks. She’s been such a shitty mother to me for all my life, yet I’m always trying to get her approval.” I let out a laugh, annoyed at how much she gets to me. “Well not this time. I refuse to let what she thinks get in the way of what I want.” I turn to Logan with a new sense of determination. “I’m glad she knows about us. Now we can stop hiding our relationship. We can go out. We can kiss in public.”
“We can dolotsof things in public now,” Logan murmurs, nibbling on my earlobe. I giggle as his fingers creep along my thigh, while Zoe makes a face opposite us.
“Gross. Get a room, you two,” she complains.
“I should get back to work,” Logan grumbles, getting to his feet. I take his outstretched hand and stand up. “Will I see you at home later?”
“Of course,” I say, feeling giddy all of a sudden.
Home. I can’t describe how that word makes me feel. It’s been so long since I felt at home anywhere and to have found something so special with Logan feels amazing. He tilts my head up, his strong hand cradling my chin. Butterflies dance in my stomach as he gives me a deep, lingering kiss.
“You really think we’re going to last?” I ask him softly.
“I have no doubt,” he promises without hesitation. “I waited so long for you, Sweetpea. Now that I have you, I’m never letting you go.
EPILOGUE
LOGAN
Twelve Months Later