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Logan hesitates for a second but then slowly admits, “To suggest that you might be going after Liam as revenge for your sister and Eric.”
Oh, God. I feel sick. But also, what a joke. Surely, no one will believe that.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath before opening them again. I hate the words that are about to come out of my mouth, but only because I love Logan. Everything else about it feels right.
“You know this doesn’t change anything? I’m still going ahead with the hearing,” I say, my voice breaking as I speak.
Logan runs his spare hand through his hair and nods. It’s only then I notice his fingers are still curled around mine, holding on for dear life. Holding me together.
“I knew you’d say that before I even told you,” he says with a tiny smile, making me huff out a laugh. A laugh—something I didn’t think I’d be able to do for a while. So, I’m grateful I can.
“When did that happen? Us going from complete strangers to knowing so much about each other?”
Logan chuckles. “Somewhere along the way. It seems to have snuck up on us.”
“It really did.”
We’re silent for a moment until Logan sighs. “I’m sorry I had to tell you that. That anyone had to tell you that. But it doesn’t necessarily mean something was going on. It could have been a misunderstanding. A coincidence.Fuck, I don’t know.” His obvious empathy creates an ache in my chest, knowing we probably won’t survive this. And I find myself wanting to heal my pain just to take away his.
“I don’t know what it means. But thank you for telling me. It’s definitely better that I know. It’s something I needed for closure.”
Logan nods before his head falls back, and he groans. “I want to understand why you’re doing this, and in some ways I do. But I’m also looking at it from Mom’s side, and she’s been through so much these past few months. I just can’t be involved in taking Liam away from her.”
“I get it. I know.”
He gazes back at me; a pleading look in his eyes. “Can’t we work something out? Joint custody, maybe?”
Sucking my lips into my mouth, I shake my head. “That’s not fair to Liam. He needs stability.”
“And that can’t be my mom?”
“Have you really thought about it? Has she? Will she want to be worrying about puberty when she’s in her sixties? Or driving to pick him up at some ungodly hour when she’s seventy? I’m not saying she’s not capable. I’m just asking if she’s really thought it through. You told me yourself that she only ever wanted one child.”
“I didn’t know you were planning on using it against her,” he fires back quickly, but while there’s accusation in his words, there’s no bite to his tone. He’s simply stating a fact.
Letting go of our connection, Logan sinks his face into his hands before dragging his fingers down to his chin. “She’s obviously changed her mind. She loves him, Dani.” I’m not sure if he’s trying to convince me of that or himself. But it doesn’t matter.
“So do I, Logan. And I want to give Liam the world.”
“That’s one thing we have in common.”
My lips pull into a soft smile as Logan bumps his shoulder into mine.
Looking back at the horizon, I notice the weather’s finally beginning to clear up, and it makes me feel like our time is coming to an end. Like we made a truce during the rain but it’s almost over.
“I’m sorry for how everything played out,” I say because it’s true. “But I’m not sorry for wanting what’s best for Liam.”
Logan sighs as he gives my thigh a squeeze. “And that’s why you’ll make a wonderful mother figure to him.”Huh? My eyes flash to his, confusion all over my face as he continues. “You’re going to be an amazing guardian to Liam, if that’s how this ends. And I won’t argue if the courts decide that’s best for him. I hope you know that.”
I swallow a lump in my throat and croak out a “Thank you,” because I don’t know what else to say.
Logan smiles. “And we definitely won’t be allowing our lawyers to suggest you’d be anything other than an amazing parent to him. Their plan is ridiculous.”
“I appreciate that,” I say, smiling back, though it’s not at all funny and makes me a little nervous.
It’s a moment before Logan talks again, but before he does, his expression turns somber and his body visibly tenses. “I care about you so much, Dani.” He pauses, his eyes briefly closing, his face contorted in pain. “But I think this has to be our goodbye.”
I don’t react; I can’t. I’m numb. This should have come as a shock to me, considering I’ve been holding out hope. But really, how did I expect this to end?
