Logan
Chapter nineteen
I’m probably fucking crazy for thinking I can handle spending the day with a five-year-old. Maybe not certifiable, but enough so that when I told Luke what I was doing today, he laughed and wished me luck.
Thanks, brother.
I meant it when I told Tessa I was all in.
And fuck if I’m not already crazy about her.
It’s a different kind of crazy, though. The good kind that makes my heart jolt in my chest every time she smiles at something I said or when she says my name in that slightly raspy voice of hers.
The kind that makes me want to savor and slow down time when we’re together and speed it up when we’re apart.
Which, again, I know sounds absolutely fucking insane because, other than the night we hooked up, yesterday was the first day we spent a decent amount of time together.
And now I’m getting ready to spend the entire day with her and her son.
Google became my best friend last night when I spent more time than I care to admit looking up ideas for things to do in Hartridge and the surrounding towns.
Shocker: not a whole fucking lot. I managed to find a small zoo about an hour away, and if that’s a no-go, then there’s also a bowling alley with an arcade.
Is five too young for bowling? I don’t know if they make bowling balls small enough for kids, but I figure, worst-case scenario, I get to teach the little guy how to do a good ol’ fashioned granny-roll.
My goal today is to have fun with them and make sure Jake is comfortable because I don’t plan on going anywhere.
Sliding into my truck, I pull my phone from my pocket and shoot off a text message to Tessa to let her know I’m on my way.
Clicking my phone into the dash mount, I get my playlist loaded and make the short drive over to her place.
The town may be small according to the population count, but it’s so spread out that it takes a solid fifteen minutes to get anywhere.
My pulse begins to race as I pull up in front of her house, and I take a moment to steady myself.
A few deep breaths later, I’m out of the truck and walking up her painted white front porch steps.
My fist barely has a chance to knock before the door swings open.
Jake brushes his sandy blond hair out of his eyes as he peers up at me.
A smile lights up his face as he exclaims, “Hey, you’re the fireman from the store. ”
I reach a hand up and rub the back of my neck as I chuckle.
“That’s me. I’m Logan.” I extend a hand out to him, but his little brows furrow as he looks at it, and my skin prickles with a hint of embarrassment as I drop my hand to my side.
Was it weird to introduce myself to him?
Does he even know to shake hands with someone when you introduce yourself?
I probably should have waited for Tessa to tell him who I am.
Fuck. I’m already messing this up.
“Is your mom ready?” I ask, trying to shove away the feeling of doubt.
“Jake, I told you not to open the door,” she scolds, walking up behind him. She pulls the door open wider and steps to the side, glancing down at her son. She places one hand on his back, gesturing to me with the other. “Jake, this is my friend, Logan.”
My heart aches at her use of the word “friend,” but I understand her need to keep our relationship between us for now.
Jake leans into his mom’s side and offers me a gentle wave along with a mumbled, “Hi.”
“Come on in, Logan. I just need to throw my shoes on,” Tessa says.
I close the door behind me as she sits on the couch and pulls on a pair of white shoes. She’s wearing a flowy, floral-patterned skirt that falls just below her knees, a plain white shirt with a small knot tied in the front, and her dark brown hair is pulled back with one of those big clips.
She looks fucking gorgeous.
All I want to do is march across the room, pull her into my arms, and kiss her.
I’ve been dying for another taste of her since the morning I woke up to find her gone, but now isn’t the time to indulge in that craving.
As soon as I get the chance to have her all to myself, and I know she’s ready, I plan on taking my time to properly discover every little thing that pulls those delicious sounds from her lips.
For now, the memory of them will have to suffice.
“Why are you not dressed like a fireman?” her son asks, stepping up to my side as he looks up at me.
Smiling, I crouch down so we are eye-level. “Last time I saw you, I was working. I have to wear certain clothes when I’m on duty, but today, I’m hanging out with you and your mom instead.”
His nose scrunches as he looks me over. “But what if there’s a fire?”
My smile widens as I reach behind me and pull my phone out of my back pocket. “Well, if there’s a fire, the firefighters who are working today will handle it, and if they need extra help”—I hold my phone up—“they’ll call me.”
That seems to satisfy his question. He turns toward his mom, and my gaze follows. She’s still sitting on the couch, her elbows braced on her knees as her chin rests in her palm. Her lips curl into a smile as our eyes meet.
I’m well aware that this outing, as nervous and excited as I am, is for her to see how I handle being around him.
I can’t imagine how someone would have a problem getting along with a five-year-old, but at the same time, I’ve seen enough shit to know that not every adult has what it takes to be a parent.
“Can we go now?” Jake asks, dragging out the last word.
Tessa laughs as she stands and grabs her purse, a tan one she slings over her head and shoulder so that it sits diagonally across her torso, and crosses toward us.
We step out onto the porch as she closes the front door and locks it.
She keeps her keys in her hand and begins walking to her SUV, but something about her posture changes in the few seconds it takes to reach her driveway.
Her steps slow, her shoulders stiffen, and her focus seems locked on the vehicle.
“Mind if I drive?” I ask, holding myself back from reaching out to grab her hand.
She glances over her shoulder at me, then looks down at Jake. “What do you think, buddy? Do you wanna ride in Logan’s truck?” she asks, a smile spreading across her face.
He pumps his little fist into the air. “Yes!” He seems genuinely excited to ride in my truck, which I was hoping for.
It can’t be too hard to switch over a booster seat, and I would much rather drive and be able to surprise them both with what I have planned for the day. But if she’s against it or uncomfortable in any way, then I will tell her my plans, and she can drive instead.
“Guess you’re driving,” she says, her eyes lifting to mine.
After transferring his booster seat to the backseat of my truck and making sure it’s secure, we all climb in. We only make it five minutes down the road before Jake asks where we are going, and she answers by telling him it’s a surprise for both of them.
I’m starting to second-guess the decision to take them to the zoo, but I don’t have time to change plans. I’ll figure something else out if my idea is a bust, because no matter how this goes, I’m determined to see nothing but smiles on both of their faces today.
Fuck.
Should I have gotten over the idea of surprising them and asked her if taking them to the zoo was alright?
Once I settled on the idea, I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to look up what sort of things someone would need to bring with them if they were planning on a trip to the zoo with a small child.
I’ve got snacks, water, and sunscreen. Thankfully, Tessa grabbed a hat and sunglasses for Jake before we left the house.
The drive to the zoo is thankfully not a long one, and as it turns out, it’s pretty easy to keep a kid entertained with silly jokes, music, and a few rounds of I Spy.
A loud gasp comes from the backseat as we pull into the parking lot. “Are we gonna see animals?” Jake exclaims, his face pressed to the window as if he’s going to be able to see them from here.
Tessa looks over at me, her lips momentarily parted in shock. “This isn’t at all what I was expecting.”
She doesn’t sound upset. At least, I don’t think she is.
Smiling, I shrug my shoulders. “I wanted to go somewhere he’d have fun. Is this okay?”
“Can we get out now? I want to see the monkeys!”
She laughs and undoes her seat belt, reaching for her door.
“Don’t.” I reach over and gently grasp her arm, and her hazel eyes flick in my direction. “Let me.”
Keeping my hands to myself and my words kid-appropriate is going to be a challenge, but I refuse to let her open her own door while we are together. If her son asks, I’ll tell him I’m a gentleman, and gentlemen open doors for people.
Once I’ve grabbed my backpack from the back seat and Tessa has applied a generous coat of sunscreen to Jake’s face, arms, and neck, we head for the entrance.
I pay for the three of us, despite her protests and insistence that she can cover their tickets.
Jake is damn near bouncing on the balls of his feet as we step through the gates, and I clap my hands together before I say, “Alright, now. Who wants to go see some animals?”