Chapter 23 – Nalia
Twenty-Three
NALIA
With Logan’s hand wrapped around my thigh, the sun beats down on us.
He exits the dirt parking lot of Olive and Oregano behind my parents, who are headed to their place with Zuri.
Their plans for the night also include Nash, who Sage is dropping off, a bonfire, s’mores, and night swimming.
I’m kind of bummed that I’m missing out, but I’m also looking forward to a childless evening, even if I do feel guilty for looking forward to a childless evening.
When Logan’s cell phone starts to ring, Billie’s name pops up on the screen, and he takes his hand away to press the button and answer the call.
“Hey, honey.”
“Hey, Dad, I need a favor.”
“Okay.” He covers my hand with his, twining our fingers together.
“I was wondering if you could bring me my school bag. I forgot it, and Cat and I are going to try to do some homework tonight so that we don’t need to do it tomorrow, and we can just enjoy a pool day.”
“You know if you would have driven your car currently sitting in the driveway you wouldn’t need me to drop stuff off to you.”
“Dad,” she groans, making me laugh, and Logan’s fingers around mine tighten.
“I just got my license, and I don’t know if I’m ready to drive on my own yet.
” She tells him, and I smile. Yesterday, she passed her road test, and we celebrated by going out to dinner since Kristy had already celebrated with her at lunch.
She was relieved that she passed, but also nervous about the idea of driving without an adult in the car.
It was cute, it’s still cute that she’s so mature and cautious.
“Alright, I’ll be there in probably thirty minutes. Is that alright?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. Mom said she would take me, but she and Coop are baking, and I don’t want them to have to stop what they are doing.”
“It’s fine, I’ll be there.”
“Thanks, Dad, love you.”
“Love you, too.” He hangs up the call and glances over at me. “You up to going with me to Kristy’s, or do you want me to drop you at home and you just meet me at my place in an hour or so?”
Oh shit.
I stare at him while my heart starts to pound.
“Ummm…”
“I’m good either way.”
“I…” Oh my god. “I think I’ll meet you at your place in a little while.” I finally get out.
“That works.” He brings my hand to his lips, kissing my fingers.
When he pulls up in front of my house a few minutes later, I fumble with my seatbelt while he gets out and walks around to my door, opening it up.
Instead of letting me out, though, he crowds me back into my seat and wraps his hand around my jaw. “I’ll call when I get home.”
“Okay,” I agree breathlessly, and he smiles before he leans down, kissing me.
It’s not a soft, sweet kiss; it’s hot and filled with promise, which makes the nervous flutter in the pit of my stomach spread up my spine to my scalp.
Pulling back, his gaze searches mine for a moment before he takes my hand and helps me out of my seat.
My knees literally shake as he walks me to my front door, and I can’t even get the key in the lock because my hands are shaking so bad.
“You alright?” He takes the key from me, opening the door himself.
“Yep, totally,” I lie, and he smiles as I squeeze past him to get inside.
“I shouldn’t be more than an hour.”
“An hour, then I’m coming over to your place.”
“Unless you want me to come back here.” He takes a step towards me, and my whole body warms.
“I can come to you.”
“Alright.” He reaches up, cupping my jaw, then leaning down to brush his lips across mine. “See you in a bit.”
“Okay,” I agree. Letting me go, he turns and steps down the porch, then heads to his Jeep while I watch. Then, realizing I was watching and wasting precious time, I shut the door and took my cell out of my purse before tossing my bag across the room to the couch.
As I walk into my bedroom, I dial the group chat my sisters and I are in.
“Hey,” July answers, and I look at the call, realizing I didn’t dial my sisters, I dialed the girls’ chat that includes all my cousins and my sisters.
“Shit,” I whisper as faces begin filling the screen: Harmony, May, June, Willow, December, Hanna, Ashlyn, and April. Everyone.
“What’s up?” Willow asks, and it’s too late to back out now.
“I have an emergency,” I declare while my heart pounds.
“What kind of emergency?” April asks.
“Are you okay?” May questions.
“No,” I tell her, feeling lightheaded.
“No, you’re not okay?” Ashlyn frowns.
“Yes, I’m okay, but also no, I’m not okay because I just agreed to meet Logan over at his place in an hour.”
“Haven't you seen him every day this week?” Harmony asks with a frown.
“Yes, but not alone.”
“I’m so confused,” June says.
“His kids are with their mom, and Zuri is with Mom and Dad for the night.”
“Oh.” Willow’s expression fills with understanding.
“Yes, exactly.” I fall onto my bed while my heart pounds.
“Is this the first time you two have been alone without the kids?” Harmony asks.
“Yes, I mean we’ve been alone a few times, but we’ve never really been alone with enough time for anything…intimate to happen.”
“Oh shit,” April says quietly. “So, you two haven’t…”
“No,” I cry, cutting her off, knowing exactly what she is asking.
“Do you want…”
“Yes.” I press my hand against my chest to keep my heart in place because it feels like it’s going to come out of my chest. “I mean, we’ve been so busy, and we always have the kids, but I want to, and I would guess he does too.
I mean, I think he does, he hasn’t said anything, and he didn’t even say anything about something happening today.
But we are going to be alone.” The last part comes out in a squeak.
“You guys have been seeing each other for a few weeks; he for sure wants to,” July cuts me off.
“What if it sucks?” I whisper the question that has been haunting me since I realized that he and I are going to have a lot of time on our hands and no one around to interrupt us.
“I doubt it’s going to suck,” Harmony says, then mutters, “He looks like a dude who does not suck in bed.”
“I don’t think you can base how he’s going to perform on his looks. I’ve met some really hot guys who have no idea what they are doing in that department,” April says, and all the girls nod in agreement.
“None of this is helping.” Seriously, I don’t know what I was thinking, calling everyone. I need to be in the shower.
“You’re making this a big deal, and it’s not a big deal,” Hanna tells me.
“Says the girl who called us about hooking up with a guy on vacation and ended up married to him after he stalked her,” May says.
“Walker didn’t stalk me, he just...”
“Stole your phone and left you no choice but to see him again,” May cuts Hanna off.
“You’re one to talk, you fell for the guy you thought was catfishing you.”
“Touché.” May grins.
“Okay, I’m going to hang up. None of you are helping me out.”
“Just shove some cute PJs and your toothbrush in your bag and go with the flow when you get to his place,” June tells me, and that’s the first bit of advice that is honestly helpful. “It’s not exactly something that you want to plan, well, unless you’re into that kind of thing.”
“No one is into planning unless you have kids, and it’s totally necessary because you can hardly get a moment alone,” Harmony says, and April raises her brow.
“Are you okay, friend?”
“Fine, totally fine, but I miss not planning.” She sighs. “But this isn’t about me.”
“It will be okay,” Willow says softly. “You like him, right?” I nod even though I don’t just like him; I’m two steps from being stupidly in love with him, which is ridiculous.
I didn’t even want a relationship. I for sure never thought about getting into a relationship with someone who had kids of their own.
And he and I still have to navigate our relationship with kids involved.
So far, that has been surprisingly easy, but that could change at the drop of a hat.
I mean, what would we even do if the kids decided that they hate each other and that they don’t like me?
“Don’t psych yourself out,” Harmony says, cutting into my spiraling thoughts, and I drag in a breath. “Just go shower, shave all the appropriate places, lotion yourself up, and enjoy an evening alone with your guy.”
“What she said,” Ashlyn says quietly.
“Right, okay I’m going to go shower.” I stand and walk towards my bathroom. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
“Text us later,” Harmony says.
“Hopefully, she's going to be too busy to text us,” April mutters as I end the call.
Flipping on the light in the bathroom I get undressed then quickly get down to cleaning myself up while I internally panic because OH MY GOD.