Page 39 of Whiskey and Wildfire

“Looks like dinner’s here,” I said, standing up. Logan followed suit, his hand falling away from my knee. I immediately missed its warmth.

As my mom stepped out of the truck, I could see her eyes darting between Logan and me, a knowing smile playing on her lips. She was carrying two large paper bags that smelled heavenly.

“Evening, boys,” she called out, making her way up the porch steps. “I hope you’re hungry. I might have gone a little overboard.”

Logan stepped forward, his manners kicking in despite his exhaustion. “Mrs. Parker, thank you so much for this. You really didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

My mom waved him off with her free hand. “Nonsense. It’s no trouble at all. And please, call me Diana.” She turned to me, handing over the bags. “There’s enough here for leftovers tomorrow. I figured you’re a bit busy to cook right now.”

I peeked inside the bags, my mouth watering at the aroma of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and what smelled like apple pie. “Thanks, Mom. This is perfect.”

Logan cleared his throat. “Would you like to join us, Mrs. Par- I mean, Diana? There’s plenty here.”

My mom smiled warmly but shook her head. “That’s sweet of you to offer, but I think you boys need some time to yourselves. Logan, honey, I’m so sorry about your father. If there’s anything I can do to help, you just let me know.”

Logan nodded, his eyes glistening slightly. “Thank you. I really appreciate that.” Then he paused, glancing over at me. “Actually… maybe there is something.”

“Oh? What did you need?” she asked, surprised but happy to help.

“Dakota said you’re in town for a bit and I can’t imagine the motel is cheap.” He looked up at me, an eyebrow raised. “What if you stayed here? I could use help with meals and keeping the house running and it would save you some money. Caroline’s gonna be too busy with her own things to really help out much. And we have a guest room.”

Mom turned to me, her eyes lighting up. “That sounds wonderful, but I don’t want to step on your toes.” She glanced between the two of us. “I know you probably want a little bit of privacy.”

I felt my cheeks grow warm at my mom’s implication. “Mom, it’s not like that-”

“It’s fine,” Logan interjected quickly. “Really, we could use the help. And I’m sure Dakota would love having you around more.” He gave me a small smile.

I nodded, trying to hide my mixed feelings. On one hand, having my mom around would be nice. On the other, I had been looking forward to more alone time with Logan. But he clearly needed the support right now.

“Well, if you’re sure,” my mom said, beaming. “I’d be happy to help out. When should I bring my buffalo over?”

“Tomorrow would be great,” Logan replied. But then he stopped. “You… You have a buffalo?”

“Of course. He’s my spirit animal,” she replied as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

“Mom…” I sighed, giving her a nudge.

“Sorry,” she grinned. “Messing with white folks is just too much fun.”

Logan looked thoroughly confused. “She’s fucking with you,” I muttered.

Logan’s face relaxed into a sheepish grin as he realized the joke. “Oh, right. Of course.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “You really had me going there for a second.”

My mom’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Well, a little laughter never hurt anyone, especially in times like these.” She patted Logan’s arm gently. “I’ll be by tomorrow morning with my things. You boys enjoy your dinner and get some rest. You look like you could use it.”

As she turned to leave, I caught her in a quick hug. “Thanks again, Mom. For everything.”

She squeezed me tight before pulling away. “Anytime, Kota. That’s what moms are for.” With a final wave, she climbed back into her truck and drove off, leaving Logan and me alone once more.

“Sorry about her…”

“Don’t be. It’s funny, I just didn’t expect it.”

“You can probably believe about half of what she says.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “But which half?”

“The hell if I know.” I reached out, wrapping my arm around his waist and pulling him toward the door. “You hungry?”

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