Single Mom’s Guide to Love (Guide to Love #2)

27. Logan

27

logan

“You didn’t have to come with me.”

I give Maeve a side eye, making sure not to take my eyes off the road. “You’re going to pick up Jayce from his father’s, who is the same man who wants to take him away from you. Who, judging by messages he’s sent, isn’t thrilled about our marriage. Sorry, but me not tagging along wasn’t an option.”

“He’s not holding him hostage,” she says. “I’ve done this hundreds of times without you, Logan.”

Luckily I have to bring the car to a stop, so I can turn and look at her. “That was the past. This is the present. And in the present, I’m your husband. Which means that when you go and see your ex, I come with you. Deal?”

Her sigh signals that she realizes this is a losing battle. “Fine.”

“That’s my girl.”

I give her thigh a squeeze as I pull through the stop sign. Did she really think when she told me that she was leaving to go pick up Jayce that I wouldn’t come? And she said it so nonchalant, like she was running to the store for some milk. Then again, she’s been doing things by herself for so long it probably never occurred to her that I’d want to come. I’m probably lucky she told me.

“Now, when we get there, please don’t go all Logan Matthews on him.”

I give her a quick look before turning onto Josh’s road. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you like to play the rich billionaire card when it suits. And I can see a situation where you’re standing in front of my ex and need to one-up him, so you’re going to drop that you just bought a plane. Or remind him that you invented the video game that he and his son love to play.”

I shrug. She’s right. It’s always my ace in the hole. “No promises.”

She mumbles something about an “infuriating man,” but I just smile as we approach Josh’s home.

Yes, we’re about to have a likely drag-out with her ex. But something about this whole interaction feels so normal, which is not a word I use often.

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve never had a life that anyone would consider mundane. Between my upbringing, being a Brit in an American college who wasn’t on a study abroad program, and then gaining fortune quite early in my career, I couldn’t tell you the first thing about a normal life. But this? Going with Maeve to get Jayce, then heading to dinner at a chain restaurant because Jayce will likely want chicken tenders and neither of us want to cook, then going home as a family, feels pretty normal to me.

I mean, how we got here wasn’t. But I must say, I don’t mind the outcome. Not one bit.

“Okay, then here’s the plan,” she says as I turn into the driveway. “We’re going to go in. We’re going to address the elephant in the room immediately. You and Josh are going to shake hands. We’re going to be civil. We’re going to talk about that the date has been filed for February, but maybe try again to see if we can come to an agreement outside of court. What we’re not going to do is give him any ammo for the custody case. Deal?”

I put the car in park before holding my hands up in defense. “You have nothing to worry about from me. I’m British. I’m polite by nature.”

She raises an eyebrow with that side eye that she loves to give me. “Promise?”

I make an “X” over my heart. “I promise.”

I exit the car and come around to open hers for her. I offer her my hand, which she takes, as we exit her SUV, and I don’t drop it as we approach the house. And I’m glad I don’t since we have greeters at the door.

“Oh, look, it’s the welcome wagon,” Maeve drawls, a touch of snark coming from her voice as Josh and Vivian stand on the front porch.

So much for being nice…

I take a second to try and get a read on them. Vivian is standing like a dutiful wife, arm wrapped through Josh’s and striking a pose like she’s waiting for a photographer to take her picture. He’s staring at us—more so me—as we approach, like he’s trying to figure out how to beat me in a fight.

Won’t happen.

Maeve still thinks something is fishy about everything, and now that I’m seeing the two of them, I’d have to agree.

Josh takes a step forward, and while he might be talking about me, he’s talking to Maeve. “Just wanted to be the first to introduce myself to your new husband.”

Their eyes lock and I can tell they are having some sort of silent conversation.

Maeve’s nostrils flare.

Josh’s eyes narrow.

Vivian is looking at a bird that just flew past.

Yup. Polite is out the door.

“Why don’t we go inside?” I ask. “It’s a little chilly, and I think we should talk where neighbors won’t be able to hear us.”

No one says anything, but Josh does turn and open the door as we follow inside. The door is barely shut before Jayce comes scampering down the hall.

“Mommy! Logan!” he yells as he barrels into my leg. “Logan! I made it another level. It was my first time doing it. I just did it! Want to come see?”

I lean down and give him a hug that is more like a pat on the back before I ruffle his hair. “I’d love to. But me and your mum need to talk to your dad and Vivian. How about you see how far you can get, and then start packing up your things.”

“Okay,” he says, running back to what I’m assuming is his bedroom.

“Look at you, Bonus Dad of the Year.”

I promised Maeve I’d be polite. And I don’t want to start anything. As she said, I refuse to give this man something to use against me.

But what’s the expression though—ask for forgiveness and not permission?

“Just trying to be the best person I can be for Jayce,” I reply. “You understand that, though, right? As a dad. Wanting the absolute best for your son.”

We have our own stare down before Maeve’s words break it up.

“Okay, how about we sit and try to be adults.”

And we do—Maeve and I take one couch as Josh and Vivian take the other. I immediately go for Maeve’s hand, which she gives me. Josh sees that, tries to do the same, but Vivian is using both of her hands to type on her phone.

“I thought we should all meet,” Maeve begins. “It’s been a crazy few months.”

“Yes,” Josh says with a bite. “It would’ve been nice to meet the man who apparently my son is now living with, you know, before my ex-wife married him.”

“That’s understandable, and I apologize,” Maeve says diplomatically. “But maybe we can wipe that slate clean since you also gave me no warning that you two got married. And, correct me if I’m wrong, but I seem to remember you not telling me that you two were dating for months before we met.”

By the look in Josh’s eyes, I’m guessing that point goes to Maeve.

“Fine,” he huffs. “But that doesn’t change anything. I’m still filing for primary custody.”

Interestingly enough, that’s what gets Vivian to start paying attention. I don’t like to judge books by covers—or judge women simply by their clothing and makeup choices—but she doesn’t strike me as a woman who has deep-seated motherly desires.

Take last night, for example. Maeve and I FaceTimed Jayce when we got back from Los Angeles. She does it every night, and I asked if I could join. The three of us were laughing, talking and catching up. And I don’t think he meant to tattle, but Jayce did make mention that he and Josh went to the movies, but Vivian was too busy to go. And when they got home, she wasn’t there either. And while all of that wouldn’t strike anyone as strange, if Josh’s whole argument is that he and Vivian are a family, maybe she should do family things.

But what do I know? I’ve been a stepdad for two weeks and were raised by parents who shouldn’t have had kids.

“Josh, I need to ask you again, why are you doing this?” Maeve asks, a slight bit of desperation in her tone. “Is this what you really want? There’s still time for us to figure something out where we don’t have to get lawyers and the courts involved. I’d be willing to maybe talk fifty-fifty, or more days a week?”

“It is what we want,” Vivian interrupts, suddenly very present in the conversation. “We’re a family.”

“Oh, you’re here,” Maeve says. Yup. Polite has gone up the spout. “Glad you finally decided to join us.”

Vivian doesn’t respond, I’m assuming because she doesn’t pick up on Maeve’s sarcasm.

“Jayce is happy here,” Josh begins. “He’s stable. He’s not being shipped around. My job is here. So is Vivian’s. You have to get that Maeve.”

“The fact that you insinuate he’s not happy with me is absurd,” Maeve says, her voice growing louder. “Does he stay with my parents or with Ainsley or Stella sometimes? Yes. They’re family. It’s not like I’m asking strangers daily to watch my son. And now I have Logan. You know, because we’re a family too.”

Maeve makes sure to direct that last comment straight to Vivian. I understood the full meaning of what she said without saying it—that we can get married quickly too—but I don’t think Vivian did.

As they say in my new region of the country, bless her heart.

“Twenty-three.”

“Twenty-three what?” Maeve asks Josh. I’m confused as well.

“Twenty-three weeks last year you were gone for at least two days. That’s more than half of the weeks in the year, Maeve.”

“It wasn’t that many,” Maeve defends.

“It was. I checked. That’s a lot of days you were away. A lot of time figuring out what to do with Jayce.”

I glance over to Maeve, who looks like she just got slapped in the face. I hate not being able to do anything right now, but I’ve been in enough board room negotiations to know when it’s not your fight, you stay out of it.

And this isn’t my fight, as much as I want it to be.

“Let’s say it was twenty-three,” Maeve says. “Let’s hypothetically say—Vivian, that means let’s pretend—that you get primary custody because of my absences. That our lives switch up. Do you not think you’ll be taken away for work? You’re going all around Nashville telling anyone who listens that you’re the guy who opened the honky-tonk with Walker Boone. What if you decide to open another location? You might still be in Nashville, but you wouldn’t have the normal, cushy hours that you’ve built for yourself now with one location.”

Maeve turns to Vivian, now looking like she’s trying to be nice. I know that’s a lie. I don’t think Vivian does by the way she perks up in her seat. “And Vivian. I know you have aspirations of fame. What happens when the night comes? You know the one…the one that every singer in Nashville hopes for. The one where you’re singing at the bar and the producer comes in and notices you? Remembers you from your reality days and offers you the contract of a lifetime? You’d be traveling. You’d be constantly on the move. What then?”

The way that Maeve is playing this woman like a fiddle makes me want to bring her into the next board meeting when my directors are being daft.

“That’s behind me now,” Vivian says. “I’m just ready to be home and be a mom to Jayce-y.”

I don’t have to look at Maeve to know that her eyes just rolled in the back of her head. Which is how Josh is able to reenter the conversation.

“Maeve, you can spew all of the scenarios you want. We’re married. We’re a family. And whatever this is between you two? It’s a sham. Everyone knows it is. And a judge is going to see right through that.”

And that’s enough. I know Maeve asked me to not be Logan Matthews, but I’m not going to sit idle and let him bulldoze her.

Plus, what good is it to be a billionaire and not let assholes know about it?

“I’m sorry Josh, it just occurred to me that our introduction got cut short outside,” I stand up and extend my hand to him, which he doesn’t return immediately. “I’m Logan Matthews, CEO of GameTech and the developer of SpaceCraft. I hear you’re a fan. Thank you so much for playing.”

“Oh!” Vivian squeals. “You used to date Candace Kross! She and I are mutuals on Insta. And you’re like…super rich.”

All three of us look over to Vivian, who really thinks she just contributed to the conversation. I also don’t miss the way she just eyed me up and down.

“As I was saying,” I continue. “You’re correct that yes, Maeve and I did just get married. But so did you both, so I feel that point is null and void. But what isn’t to be ignored is that if you choose to take this to court—and you’re choosing to disrupt Jayce’s life because you feel that my wife is somehow a bad mother for doing her job that used to support you before you stumbled into fortune by kissing the right ass—I’ll be there every day next to her. As will her lawyers. I’m sorry. Our lawyers. They’ll bury you in paperwork. We’ll drag this out until you have to sell your precious bar just to pay your lawyers for the senseless paperwork our lawyers are making them do. I might be new here, but I happen to have a lot of disposable income and have discovered I really enjoy spending it on the people I love. And Maeve and Jayce? They’re my people. We’re a family. So if a fight is what you want, then a fight is what you’re going to get.”

I look down at Maeve, who’s eyes are huge as I hold out my hand for her. “Let’s go home.”

Josh and Vivian are speechless as we call for Jayce and leave their home without another word. It’s not until we’re a few minutes down the road when I realize Maeve still hasn’t said anything.

“You okay?”

I feel her eyes on me, and when I glance quickly to her, they’re big, and blue, and wide and maybe in shock.

“What is it?”

“You just said you loved us.”

Did I? I think back to my monologue—eat your heart out Shakespeare!—and…oh wow, I did. And by the looks of it, I just scared the piss out of my wife.

“Maeve…I…”

She shakes her head. “Don’t take it back. I…I don’t know if I’m there yet, but I know you had a head start. So, if you truly feel like it, don’t take it back. Just…wait for me to get there?”

I nod and grab her hand, bringing it up to my lips. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re not going anywhere?” Jayce says, apparently having overheard our conversation. “I thought we were going to Applebee’s! I want tenders!”

Maeve and I can’t keep in our laughter as I turn toward the restaurant. “You’re right, mate. We are going somewhere. And that place is Applebee’s.”

“Yes!” he exclaims from the backseat as I pull in. The car is barely in park before Jayce has his seatbelt off and is opening the door. Maeve hurriedly gets out, trying to make sure Jayce doesn’t run into traffic in his excitement.

But me? I sit back and take a second to watch. On the outside, this scene is probably hilarious: the billionaire and his successful business owner wife dining at Applebee’s, because the six-year-old truly runs the house.

But in reality? It’s perfect. And exactly where I’m supposed to be.

And like hell I’m going to let Josh, or anyone else for that matter, take this away.