Chapter Six
S adie finally got me down to the beach on Friday. I’d avoided talking about her “sand date” all morning and early afternoon, hoping she would forget about it.
A little after four o’clock she stomped into my room, her arms full of sand buckets and shovels. “We have to go so I’m not late to build a creature with Logan!”
I didn’t have the heart to tell her no. I was also uneasy about possibly standing Logan up on the minuscule chance he actually showed.
I settled in my beach chair, watched Sadie start to pile sand, and let my thoughts drift back to what had kept me up most of the night.
I’d decided it didn’t make sense that Logan would have chosen to kiss me. There was no way a man like that was attracted to me. It only happened because he’d been drinking and confused in his sorrow .
He clearly still missed his wife a great deal and I wanted to believe he hadn’t been trying to take advantage of me either, that it was all an innocent mistake.
I didn’t have the slightest clue how to address it though, and it would be incredibly awkward if he came today. At least for me. Logan might not even remember what happened the night before.
I kept glancing anxiously toward the boardwalk and parking lot. By five o’clock, it was clear Logan wasn’t coming. I felt relieved but also sad for Sadie. She kept looking to the stairs as well, with excitement at first, then gradually with crestfallen eyes.
I already felt so much guilt over her father not being around and now I was part of another letdown for her.
“Bug,” I called.
Sadie looked up from her project with a frown.
“I know you’re sad, but I’m sure Logan has a good reason he couldn’t make it.”
Sadie sighed. “Probably an emergency.”
Or a massive hangover. I nodded my agreement as I got up and walked to her side. “Come on, girly. Let’s make the ugliest creature we can think of.”
Sadie giggled when I plopped down on the sand and my worry slipped away as we played.
Early Sunday morning, I opened the door to take the first bags to my car but stopped in my tracks.
Logan was standing there with his hand raised to knock. He slowly lowered it back to his side; he had a shopping bag in the other.
We stood silently until he lifted his hand again to scratch his jaw as his eyes darted everywhere but on me. “Do you have a minute?” he asked.
I cleared my throat and nodded. Logan took a few steps back as I closed the door behind me. We stared at each other for a moment before he looked down again.
“I’m sorry, Madison!”
I jumped, startled by his sudden declaration and Logan winced before he continued.
“The other night… I don’t usually drink like that… I wasn’t myself and I screwed up big time. I shouldn’t have grabbed you and… and done that. Please forgive me for being an idiot.”
My face felt like it was on fire. So Logan remembered.
He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “And I’m so sorry I bailed on Sadie Friday. It’s completely inexcusable and I hope you will be okay with letting me make it up to her.”
Logan looked up again and I saw genuine remorse in his eyes, that he did care about letting my daughter down.
I had to look away this time, struggling not to think about the kiss I now had confirmation was a mistake and not intentional. I felt relieved but also a small twinge of disappointment. Of course, this gorgeous man hadn’t wanted to kiss me.
I shook off the selfish thought and focused on deciding how to handle the Sadie aspect of the situation. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before.
Based on every other interaction we’d had, I did believe Logan was a nice guy. He’d just been in a bad state that night and for an understandable reason. Maybe the best thing to do was accept his apology and move on quickly for my daughter’s sake.
I knew Sadie was craving more male role models in her life and now I was aware that Logan also had a hole in his. I could make things awkward or let it go and allow Sadie to continue her friendship with him, something I now understood both the child and man might need.
I made up my mind and cleared my throat again. “It’s okay. And yes, if you don’t make it up to Sadie, I’ll have to start breaking things around here on purpose.” I tipped my head down the breezeway. “Starting with the light outside 605.”
Logan looked surprised by my playful threat then he let out a hard breath. “Thank you.” He held up the bag in his hand with a grimace. “Uh, is Sadie awake yet?”
I laughed.
“Hell no. If I made her get up this early, the whole building would send me hate mail for a month. I let her sleep until I’m ready to put her in the car to head home. I even make my uncle take her down for me. She forgives him easier since she won’t see him again until the holidays. ”
Logan looked relieved and even smiled. “I was kind of routing for her being asleep. I don’t know if I would’ve been able to handle apologizing straight to her unhappy little face.”
“Oh yeah, you’re getting off easy only having to deal with mine.”
Logan said something under his breath that sounded a lot like ‘ I don’t mind your face at all’... but I obviously misheard him.
I lifted my brows in question but his features shifted and his usual, polite appearance fell into place as he held out the bag.
“I wrote a note in case. It’s in there with a little something for her.”
“That was thoughtful of you.” I took the bag and we both fell silent again. Feeling stupid, I reached for the doorknob. “I better get back to packing up the car…”
Logan opened his mouth, then pressed his lips shut. He nodded and took a few steps down the breezeway. “Yeah. Safe trip home. See you this summer.”
I went inside, sharing an uncomfortable smile with him until the door was closed.
I turned and reached into the bag to pull out the note.
Hi Sadie,
I’m very sorry I missed sand time. I hope you will forgive me. I promise we will make some sand creatures over the summer.
See you when you’re officially a 2 nd grader!
- Loga n
I pulled out a workbook next and grinned as I read the title along the top.
MATH PRACTICE FOR
MULTIPLICATION MINI MASTERS