all.”
Logan closed his eyes and she could hear his shuddering breaths. “All I wanted was you, Julie. I don’t know how to make you believe it.”
“I don’t think you can,” she said quietly, closing the laptop. “I don’t know where we go from here.”
Logan looked at her, and she could see him fighting not to cry. It was in his movements, in the way he shuddered, and the little whimpers she was fairly sure he had no idea he was emitting.
Her heart broke, but she couldn’t think about letting him shatter it into even more pieces. “I have to get Greg’s bag ready,” she told him, wondering if there was even a point in trying to make this work. Why not keep Greg here anyway? But Mom and probably Dad were on the way. “Here, you hold our son, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Julie kept her head high as she went to the second bedroom, which was more like a closet. As she gathered his things, Logan’s voice filtered in. Julie suspected he had no idea how the apartment funneled sound to the back rooms.
“I love her, buddy. How can I get her to understand. Those girls, they came in their own limos. I was just there for conversation and the red carpet. It is all smoke and mirrors, Greg. And I may lose your mom because of that. I just want a shot with her to show her what I feel for her is real. It is real, Greg. You were conceived on one amazing night and I want us to have a lifetime of them. I should have told her sooner. I shouldn’t have missed a day without you. All I can say to you and your mom is that I’m sorry.” He choked off a sob.
Julie clenched the diaper bag and let her own tears flow. Could this be real? Could they actually make it work? Could she trust him?
And did she have the courage to try?
Julie tried to control herself, the thoughts running roughshod through her head. She’d had several talks with Logan's sister, Dara, who maintained her brother dated some but wasn’t a player. Dara hadn’t seen Logan bring a woman home since college; that had to mean something. Right?
When the doorbell rang, Julie jumped. Mom and Dad had keys, so clearly it was just a warning, in case she and Logan were in a compromising position. She listened to Mom and Dad greeting him, and tried to catch her breath and calm her breathing. When she was in control of her emotions, she went to the living room, head high, shoulders back.
‘Hi, Mom, Dad,” she said. Mom was cuddling Greg, while Dad looked concerned about Logan’s shoulder. Julie just took in the family warmth for a moment, basking in it. Could this be her future if she was just brave enough to let Logan in?
“Hi, honey,” Mom said, giving Julie a little smile. “You kids are going to talk?”
“We need to.” Mom didn’t know everything, but the fact that Julie had gotten pregnant with Greg, and Logan was involved, said something.
“Good luck, honey,” Mom said, kissing her cheek. “Luke, we have to go.” Mom bustled them off, grabbing the bag from Julie. “I’ll be here when you’re done with work. Come on, Greg, You’re going to have some time with Gran and Gramps.”
When they left, the room seemed much more lively, not to mention smaller. Logan dominated the space he was in, whether it was his powerful body and his charisma, or just something more elemental, she didn’t know.
“Can we talk?” he asked, and she shook her head.
“I'm tired of talking for now. Can I...will you just...come on.” She turned and headed for her bedroom, Logan’s heavier footfalls behind her comforting her.
“What?” he asked, when they were in the bedroom.
Julie looked at him, wondering if she was foolish for asking this. “Can you just...this is silly but… I’ve been alone in this for so long. Will you just lie down with me and hold me. I don’t care if we’re fully clothed or naked, but I need to lean on someone else and feel their strength instead.”
Logan nodded and sat on the edge of her bed, first removing shoes
Logan closed his eyes and she could hear his shuddering breaths. “All I wanted was you, Julie. I don’t know how to make you believe it.”
“I don’t think you can,” she said quietly, closing the laptop. “I don’t know where we go from here.”
Logan looked at her, and she could see him fighting not to cry. It was in his movements, in the way he shuddered, and the little whimpers she was fairly sure he had no idea he was emitting.
Her heart broke, but she couldn’t think about letting him shatter it into even more pieces. “I have to get Greg’s bag ready,” she told him, wondering if there was even a point in trying to make this work. Why not keep Greg here anyway? But Mom and probably Dad were on the way. “Here, you hold our son, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Julie kept her head high as she went to the second bedroom, which was more like a closet. As she gathered his things, Logan’s voice filtered in. Julie suspected he had no idea how the apartment funneled sound to the back rooms.
“I love her, buddy. How can I get her to understand. Those girls, they came in their own limos. I was just there for conversation and the red carpet. It is all smoke and mirrors, Greg. And I may lose your mom because of that. I just want a shot with her to show her what I feel for her is real. It is real, Greg. You were conceived on one amazing night and I want us to have a lifetime of them. I should have told her sooner. I shouldn’t have missed a day without you. All I can say to you and your mom is that I’m sorry.” He choked off a sob.
Julie clenched the diaper bag and let her own tears flow. Could this be real? Could they actually make it work? Could she trust him?
And did she have the courage to try?
Julie tried to control herself, the thoughts running roughshod through her head. She’d had several talks with Logan's sister, Dara, who maintained her brother dated some but wasn’t a player. Dara hadn’t seen Logan bring a woman home since college; that had to mean something. Right?
When the doorbell rang, Julie jumped. Mom and Dad had keys, so clearly it was just a warning, in case she and Logan were in a compromising position. She listened to Mom and Dad greeting him, and tried to catch her breath and calm her breathing. When she was in control of her emotions, she went to the living room, head high, shoulders back.
‘Hi, Mom, Dad,” she said. Mom was cuddling Greg, while Dad looked concerned about Logan’s shoulder. Julie just took in the family warmth for a moment, basking in it. Could this be her future if she was just brave enough to let Logan in?
“Hi, honey,” Mom said, giving Julie a little smile. “You kids are going to talk?”
“We need to.” Mom didn’t know everything, but the fact that Julie had gotten pregnant with Greg, and Logan was involved, said something.
“Good luck, honey,” Mom said, kissing her cheek. “Luke, we have to go.” Mom bustled them off, grabbing the bag from Julie. “I’ll be here when you’re done with work. Come on, Greg, You’re going to have some time with Gran and Gramps.”
When they left, the room seemed much more lively, not to mention smaller. Logan dominated the space he was in, whether it was his powerful body and his charisma, or just something more elemental, she didn’t know.
“Can we talk?” he asked, and she shook her head.
“I'm tired of talking for now. Can I...will you just...come on.” She turned and headed for her bedroom, Logan’s heavier footfalls behind her comforting her.
“What?” he asked, when they were in the bedroom.
Julie looked at him, wondering if she was foolish for asking this. “Can you just...this is silly but… I’ve been alone in this for so long. Will you just lie down with me and hold me. I don’t care if we’re fully clothed or naked, but I need to lean on someone else and feel their strength instead.”
Logan nodded and sat on the edge of her bed, first removing shoes
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