Chapter 4 Icy Fury
FOUR
Icy Fury
Noelle
“Daddy!” Faith exclaimed as she ran for Logan, hugged his leg, and peered up at him. “See our decorations? Aren’t they great?”
“The best,” Logan said as he stroked her hair and patted her head. “Just like Mommy.”
Logan made eye contact with me, and I rolled my eyes.
“Morning, Logan,” I said.
Jesus Christ. Here we go again. Logan wouldn’t give up in his pursuit of getting me back.
He was an egotistical prick, and I’d have nothing to do with him if it weren’t for our daughter.
Logan attempted to get to me through Faith multiple times.
He insisted he cheated on me once, and it was the dumbest move of his life, but I don’t believe him.
Once a cheater, always a cheater.
Logan wanted us to be a family again, but that would never happen.
Especially with the cocky attitude he emitted in everything he did.
He gave me the ick, and I deserved better than him.
After all these years, I don’t understand what I saw in him.
He was my first, but he certainly wouldn’t be my last.
“Afternoon, beautiful. Remember? I’m picking Faith up for lunch,” Logan expressed with a smug attitude.
Asshole.
“I must have lost track of the time while I was outside decorating the house with our daughter and waiting for you to pick her...” I glared at Logan and crossed my arms. “You’re late. Again.”
“Faith, sweetie, why don’t you go get in the car?” Logan said as he pressed the key fob and the car chirped. “Sit in the driver’s seat while you wait.”
I hated when he let Faith do that because every button was there for her to reach, and she wouldn’t know how to stop the vehicle if something were to happen. It was unsafe while he wasn’t paying attention, but he wouldn’t listen to me. Logan called me a helicopter mom.
Faith dashed for the car door.
“Faith, no! I don’t think—” The driver’s door slammed shut.
I headed straight for the car that was running, but Logan grabbed me by my wrist.
“Oh, relax, Noelle. She’ll be fine. Stop being such a worrywart,” Logan said.
I yanked my hand away. “Why do you have to be such an irresponsible dick?”
I got away from Logan while he groaned at me, and I opened the door as Faith’s hand was right near the gearshift.
Panicked, I leaned inside and took her hand before she could do anything else and smiled down at her.
I didn’t want her to think anything was wrong because none of this was her fault. It was Logan’s.
“Faith, sweetie? Why don’t you wait for Daddy in the back seat?” I expressed.
Faith whined, “But I want to listen to Taylor Swift!”
“Okay. I’ll put on Taylor Swift if you stay in the back seat of the car. Deal?” I held out my hand and waited for her to accept the pact.
“Deal.” Faith smiled and squeezed my hand.
I led Faith to safety in the car’s rear. Whoo. Close call. Too damn risky.
What the hell was Logan thinking?
He wasn’t.
I put on “Enchanted” and got ready to give Logan a piece of my mind.
I marched over toward my ex, heated with fury as my boots crunched in the snow.
My glare was trained right on Logan, and he had the audacity to smile as if everything was right in the world.
We were at odds when we were supposed to be on the same side.
I wanted safety for our child, while he preferred to be more carefree.
I pointed right at him. “You need to stop doing that.”
“What?” He chuckled with a shrug.
“Crossing the line...” I put my mitten-covered hands on my hips. “We had an agreement to co-parent.”
“Exactly. Co-parent. Not single parent. You have too many rules and want control over everything, Noelle.” Logan pointed toward his car. “It’s okay to let loose and have fun. Geeze. Faith even gets it, and she’s only eight.”
“And you’re a thirty-year-old grown man who is supposed to be there for her,” I argued.
“I’m always there for my daughter.” Logan pointed toward the ground. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
I ignored his reassurance.
“Are you going to be at Faith’s Christmas concert?” I asked.
“She has another one?” Logan said.
I sighed. “Yes, Logan, she has a holiday performance every year. This one is important to her because she’s the lead. A young girl with a cheery, optimistic, and adventurous spirit.”
“Who?” Logan teased.
“God, Logan, seriously?” I groaned with frustration.
“I’m kidding, okay?” Logan scooped up some white dust from the ground. “I’ll be there.”
“Alright,” I mumbled.
Logan missed Faith’s concerts every fucking year, and I always had to deal with a disappointed child.
I had to make up some lame-ass excuse for him while all the other kids’ mommies and daddies came to watch.
Each time the letdown became harder for her, and this holiday season would be worse.
Faith had the lead role in the performance.
She was beyond excited for the part and would sing a wonderful Christmas song.
She’d blow the crowd away, and she’d hope for her daddy to be there. Logan better not let her down.
“Jesus. Live a little.” Logan patted the snow into a ball. “Here. Catch.”
Logan threw the packed snowball in my direction, and I sidestepped out of the way before it hit me in the chest. I wanted to beat my fists against him, scream in his face, and wring his damn neck.
He took nothing seriously and assumed I’d go along with his joke of a life, but this was reality.
Faith could’ve been in danger, and every time he took her, I got anxious, fearful of something happening that was out of my control because Logan led such an irresponsible life.
No wonder the asshole cheated on me.
Logan Lancaster may have handsome blue eyes, hair combed back to perfection, and neatly trimmed facial hair, but he lacked brains. He might appear reliable, ready to take charge, except he didn’t have parenting skills. He was too arrogant, and that quality got people in trouble.
Instead of lashing out, I’d be the adult and reason with the man-child.
I heaved a deep sigh. “When Faith is old enough to drive, she can sit in the front seat. Until then, try to be the reliable role model Faith needs.”
There. Acceptable enough.
Logan raised an eyebrow. “Then you’ll take me back?”
I patted his chest pocket, leaned in close, and whispered, “No.”
I turned back toward the decorations, pretended to test each light bulb to ensure they’d illuminate light and heard Logan groan behind me.
He cursed as snow squeaked against his expensive designer leather boots.
His hand touched my shoulder. I froze, as chilled as the ice in my driveway, and I wished my ex would accidentally slip. I had no such luck.
“Come on, Noelle. Faith needs us to be a family,” Logan expressed.
I spun around.
“She needs a father who shows up on time for visits,” I shot back, and his hand fell to his side. “Stop using our daughter as a reason to get back with me. It’s pathetic, Logan.”
I walked away from my ex without a glance back in his direction and hoped that this time, he’d get the hint.
I wasn’t interested in a reunion with a man who’d never respected me, let alone our child, in the first place.
That was clear as soon as he’d had sex with another woman.
He put his ego first, turned our lives upside down, and left me to pick up the pieces of his awful mess.
Logan acted as if he were a single man with no remorse, only lame apologies. Actions spoke louder than words, and my beautiful little girl deserved a wonderful father figure in her life. Not an absent or part-time parent.
Cool it, Noelle. Stay calm for Faith.
As I neared Logan’s car, I took a few deep breaths and plastered on a smile for my child. I opened the backseat door, and my heart swelled as Faith’s sweet, innocent voice sang off tune to the song blasting through the speakers. I giggled, leaned into the vehicle, and kissed her cheek.
“I’ll see you soon, sweetheart.” I tapped the tip of her nose with my index finger. “Daddy’s going to take you out for a bite to eat.”
“Okay, Mommy.” Faith beamed up at me and put on her seat belt. “Love you.”
Good. I taught Faith well. Safety first.
“Love you, too.” I closed the door.
My smile faded when my daughter was no longer watching. My once-expanding heart deflated as soon as I stepped back from Logan’s car and let him take over. I hated letting Faith go, but she had to spend time with her father. As much as I wanted to protect her and keep her with me, I couldn’t.
Instead, I waved goodbye to Faith as Logan sped away and probably didn’t follow the speed limit. I cursed that idiot until he turned the corner and was out of sight. Damn him.
A throat cleared. “Is everything alright?”
Oh, great. It was Jack. The nosy neighbor who couldn’t mind his own business.
“Why do you care?” I shot back.
Too harsh?
Yeah.
But did Jack deserve my nasty attitude?
Yeah.
My dad’s best friend needed to butt out.
Jack grumbled under his breath. I couldn’t make out the words and didn’t give a shit. He went back to unwind a string of green lights, turning his attention away from me and leaving me curious.
I let a few moments pass while he hummed and hawed, fighting with the festive electrical strand.
“I noticed you have more decorations than last year, Jack. Is something wrong?” I questioned.
“Everything is fine. Why do you care?” Jack snapped.
Sarcastic ass.
I ignored his terrible attitude.
“Are you sure?” I put my hands on my chest. “Got a heart attack coming along?”
Jack cursed. I grinned. We both went back to decorating. My house, with classic cheer, and his, with a grumpy spirit.
Yeah, old man. I can play dirty too. May the best house win this holiday season.