AllFreeNovel
Share Us
To hell with that. He wasn’t anything like Jonathan Pride. His father was a selfish flake who’d never loved his sons the way he should have. Perhaps they shared DNA, but Logan had been raised by Corinne, and he was more like her than he’d ever been like his father, no matter who said anything to the contrary.
Corinne had been everything they could possibly want in a mother, and he was going to do her proud when it came time to raise his own babies. Screw Jonathan, and screw Logan for having been stupid enough to hold himself back because of a self-centered piece of shit.
* * *
Gabby stoppedby The Den after she’d finished at work to pick up Logan. She’d dropped him off at the beach that morning for the last of his classes for the season. He’d told her he intended to surf on his own for a while afterward, before catching up on work.
She entered through the front, hoping to see Corinne, but instead, a stunning young blonde in the world’s tightest tank top was behind the bar. This must be Peach. Their eyes locked. Peach’s lips were bright pink, her hair streaked with lighter shades so that it looked sun-bleached, and her eyes appeared bright against her smokey eyelids and dark mascara.
Gabby faltered, struck by a bolt of insecurity. This woman was exactly the type Logan had hooked up with in the past. She knew because they’d discussed their histories, figuring it was best to get that out in the open. At the time, she’d thought they were being mature, but now she wondered if that knowledge had fed her insecurities.
Logan spent time around Peach, and he’d admitted that she flirted with him. Gabby hadn’t liked that, but nor had she been too concerned by it. She’d figured that the fact he was being open with her about it meant Peach wasn’t a threat. But now she was faced with the fact that the bartender was younger, blonder, and decidedly more svelte than herself. Heck, in this outfit, Gabby didn’t even look pregnant, just fat. How could she ever hope to keep his attention?
“Hi.” Peach’s eyes flicked up the length of her body as if taking an inventory, but she greeted Gabby with a smile. “Can I get you anything?”
Gabby frowned. “No, I’m just—”
At that moment, the staff only door opened and Logan strode through. Peach immediately tucked her hair behind her ear and propped one hip against the bar, emphasizing her curves. Gabby’s eyes narrowed.
“Hey, boss,” Peach said. “Looking good today.”
Gabby’s gaze skimmed Logan. He did look good. His toned chest and shoulders were lovingly covered by a soft long-sleeved shirt, and denim cupped his lower half in all the right places. She glanced back at Peach, who was checking out Gabby’s man, and her stomach hardened. She could see the other woman’s interest.
“Thanks.” Logan’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, which partially eased her mind. When he spotted Gabby, his smile widened, becoming more genuine. Her stomach relaxed. She should have known better than to doubt him. “Hey, beautiful.”
He reached her in a few steps and kissed her on the mouth. She couldn’t resist wrapping her arms around him and shooting Peach a look over his shoulder. He was hers. End of story.
“Let’s go home,” she said, taking his hand. She led him out to the car and they got in. He didn’t say anything, which unsettled her. Usually, he loved to regale her with stories from his classes. By the time they were halfway to her place and he still hadn’t broken the silence, she knew something must be wrong. “What’s the matter?”
He jerked as if she’d startled him. “My dad emailed.”
“Really?” She’d been under the impression he hadn’t had contact with his father in years. “Does he email often?”
“This is the first time we’ve been in contact since I stopped taking his calls when I was in high school. I, uh, emailed him after I found out we were pregnant. I wanted an explanation for why he left.”
Her heart softened in understanding. Given his hang-ups, he’d probably thought that hearing the truth from his dad would help him be a better parent himself.
“What did he say?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.
Logan scoffed dismissively. “He tried to blame Mum for keeping us apart. He said he’d just followed his heart and lived his dreams.”
Ouch. Poor Logan. It must have been hard to hear that and know that his own father’s dreams hadn’t included him, and that his heart had led him away from his sons.
“What an asshole,” she said. “I hope you didn’t let him get to you.”
He sighed. “I’m trying not to, but he’s my dad. It’s kind of hard to hear that and not take it personally.”
“I get it.” She wished she could track down Jonathan Pride and slap his stupid face. “His decision has nothing to do with you, though. He’s just a selfish, thoughtless little man who’s convinced himself he’s the victim.”
“Not so little,” Logan said. “I get my height from him.”
“Oh, shush. As far as I’m concerned, you get everything from Corinne.”
To her surprise, his expression warmed. He gazed at her with tenderness, and her insides fluttered. “That’s pretty much what I decided for myself twenty minutes ago.”
She winked. “Great minds think alike.” She hesitated, then added, “Are you going to email him back?”
Logan shook his head. “Nah. I thought about it, but it would only make me angry, and I want to get past that. I found out what I needed to, and it’s time to move on. I can’t let him hold me back forever.”
