Chapter forty
EVELYN
The girls were fine…
That was the last, comforting thought I had before consciousness slipped away in Logan’s arms.
I had never known a fear so consuming. Staying in the car, as Logan had asked, was one of the hardest things I’d ever done.
The moment I saw the babysitter running terrified from the neighbor's yard, I broke.
I rushed to her, demanding to know what had happened and if my girls were safe.
She assured me they had been asleep when she escaped.
But I couldn't just wait. The moment the police cars appeared at the end of the street, I ran inside.
Logan had said to wait for the police. I decided that "on the street" was close enough.
When I reached the top of the stairs and saw Rory in the hallway, with that monster leveling a gun at her, I didn't think. I just acted, throwing my body in front of hers.
What came next was a searing pain, the warm, sickening feeling of blood, and the profound relief that my girls were safe.
I don’t know how long I was out, but when I woke, a dull ache pulsed in my left side. I blinked at an unfamiliar ceiling, confused and disoriented, until a familiar hand gently covered mine.
“Hi, love,” Logan said, his voice instantly grounding me.
I turned my head to find him sitting in a chair beside my hospital bed.
“What happened?” I asked, my voice thick and slow from medication.
“You were shot. But you’re okay. The bullet didn’t hit any vital organs. I removed it myself.”
“You operated on me? I thought you were a neurosurgeon.”
He gave a soft, weary laugh. “We learn the basics for a reason. It wasn't a complicated procedure, but I wasn't about to let anyone else touch you.”
I turned my palm up to intertwine my fingers with his. “You were hurt, too…”
He touched his bandaged shoulder. “Just a flesh wound. Nothing that could stop me from taking care of you.”
“The girls?” I asked, my voice gaining a little strength.
“They’re fine. My mom flew in from L.A. this morning and is with them. You’ve been sleeping since the surgery last night.”
“How are they really, Logan? Not just physically. What they saw…”
“They were terrified. I had the sitter bring them here last night, after you were out of surgery. They saw you were just sleeping, and that helped calm them.”
“And Peter?”
“They asked if ‘the bad man died.’ At the time, I could say no. He was alive when they brought him in, but his condition is… dire. If he survives, he’ll spend the rest of his life in prison. We found out why he was really on the run.”
“It wasn't just the debts?”
“He killed his supplier. The new one put a price on his head. He came to New York to get money from us—to fund his escape and get his revenge all at once.”
“He was going to shoot Rory.”
“And you saved her.”
“I would give my life for them, Logan.”
“I know. But what you did… charging in there after I asked you to wait… that was reckless, Evy.”
“Oh, really?” I managed a weak smile. “And confronting an armed drug addict with a couple of kitchen knives was the picture of caution, Dr. Turner?”
“I love you,” he said, his voice dropping, all teasing gone. “I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you. Or if anything had happened to the girls.”
“You didn’t lose me. And we didn’t lose our girls. We’re okay.”
He leaned in, and his lips met mine in a kiss that seemed to stitch my soul back together. I could have sworn the pain in my side vanished completely.
We broke apart at a soft knock on the door. Logan called for them to enter, and a nurse peered in.
“Dr. Turner, your patient has visitors. Is she up for it?”
Logan looked to me for the answer.
“Of course,” I said. “I’m fine. When can I go home?”
“In two days,” he stated firmly, then nodded to the nurse. “Send them in.”
“Two days?” I protested. “But I feel fine!”
“And who’s the doctor here?”
“I’m practically a doctor! I have nineteen seasons of Grey’s Anatomy under my belt!”
He rolled his eyes, a genuine grin finally breaking through. “Noted. But this time, the one with the actual medical degree is giving the orders.”
He kissed me again, quickly, as the door opened.
I was surprised by the crowd. I’d expected just Trinity with Anna and Aurora. But they were just the vanguard, carrying flowers and cheerful balloons. Right behind them came Camila and Michael with Alice, followed by Jenna and even Sebastian.
“When did you all get here?” Logan asked, sounding as stunned as I felt.
“We came to see Aunt Evy, didn’t we, Alice?” Michael said, hoisting his giggling daughter. She was getting so big.
“Aunt Evy!” Alice cheered.
I blew her a kiss, then received gentle ones from Anna and Aurora, who climbed onto the bed to reach me.
Trinity stepped forward, her expression a mix of concern and maternal authority. “Did you really think your family wouldn’t come at a time like this? It doesn’t matter that my son decided to live on the other side of the country…”
“Mom!” Logan complained, though he was clearly used to his mother’s theatrics.
“She’s right,” Michael agreed. “The Turner family has its ups and downs, but we stick together when it counts.”
“Well, I’m not exactly a Turner…” Jenna added lightly.
“Don’t be silly, Jenna!” Trinity interjected, waving a dismissive hand. “You may not have the name, but you’re family. Your granddaughters joined this family, and so did you.”
My breath caught. I didn’t know what moved me more—being considered a granddaughter to Jenna, or the simple, profound acknowledgment that I had joined a family.
Unfortunately, they couldn't stay long. Even as director, Logan was strict about hospital rules. But he did manage to have an extra bed brought in so Anna and Aurora could stay, while the rest of the family returned to our house to prepare for a welcome-home dinner once I was discharged.
Everyone left except Sebastian, who was returning to Los Angeles that night.
I overheard him telling Logan he still wasn’t ready for family gatherings.
He’d thrown himself back into his role as CEO of the family firm, while Michael, relieved to step back from the top job, was happily focusing on his wife, young daughter, and their baby on the way.
Sebastian seemed to need the constant work to keep his grief at bay.
“Did you know Alice has a dog?” Anna announced later that night, when it was just the four of us in the quiet room.
“Ares?” Logan asked from his chair.
The two girls, sitting on their companion bed, shook their heads in unison.
“It’s Apollo!” Anna corrected him.
We all laughed, and then she added, “Daddy always gets the dog’s name mixed up.”
Logan and I stopped laughing at the same time, stunned by the casual use of the word. Anna, however, carried on talking to Aurora as if nothing had happened.
“Did she just say what I think she said?” Logan whispered, his voice thick.
“She did,” I confirmed softly. When I looked at him, he was blinking rapidly, fighting back tears. “It’s okay to get emotional, love. Now both your girls call you Daddy.”
He smiled and shook his head, still keeping his voice low. “She didn’t even notice she said it. You know how proud she is. If we make a big deal, she might get embarrassed and never say it again.”
“I know. She gets that from her father.”
“Which is why I should act natural, like it’s no big deal.”
“I agree. How about you put them to sleep? I’d help, but my doctor has me on strict bed rest.”
“Your doctor is very wise.” He gave me a quick kiss before heading over to the girls. “Alright, it’s time for Daddy to put you to bed! Come with Daddy! Would you like Daddy to tell you a story?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Is this your version of ‘acting natural,’ Logan?”
He just shrugged, a mannerism he’d unwittingly copied from Anna. She looked at him, confused.
“Evy, why is daddy talking to us like we’re babies?”
“Because you will always be his babies,” I said, my heart full. “And mine, too.”
Aurora was quick to sign that she was not a baby—she was almost six! Anna vigorously nodded in agreement.
Logan tucked them in and, true to his word, told them a story. He was getting good at it, weaving in sign language so Rory understood every word. Once they were asleep, he came back to me and, defying all hospital protocol, carefully settled onto the bed beside me.
“Thank you,” he said after a long, comfortable silence, our eyes on our sleeping daughters.
“For what? I should be thanking you. You saved my life, Dr. Turner.”
“That day in Los Angeles, when I asked you on the phone to come to New York… when I said the agreement was over… I was so afraid you’d say no.”
“By then, I was too in love to say no.”
“Thank you for coming. And for staying.”
“I love you too much to want to be anywhere else.”
“I love you, Evelyn García. And I can’t wait for you to become Evelyn Turner.”
I felt a radiant smile spread across my face. “Is that a marriage proposal?”
“Or Evelyn García-Turner, if you prefer. Or keep your name. It’s just… it feels completely wrong to introduce you as my ‘girlfriend’ when you are so much more than that.”
My smile widened, tears of joy welling in my eyes. “I like Evelyn Turner. For a special reason.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ve always wondered how it would feel to share a name with someone who loves me exactly as I am, without ever wanting to change a thing.”
“I love you because of who you are. So, to answer your question… yes, that was a marriage proposal.”
I leaned in, bridging the small space between us until my lips met his.
When we parted, I gave him my answer.
“Then that was a yes.”
*****