Page 31 of My Cowboy Salvation
And in all that time, Logan has kept a respectful distance, enough that it’s hard to believe a few nights before, his face was sandwiched between my thighs.
I miss Logan. I miss us. And yes, I definitely miss the sex. It was incredible.
“Yeah,” I say, bringing my thoughts on topic. “But she meant well. How is your mom doing these days, anyway?” I tuck my legs under me, getting comfortable.
“She’s great. Actually, she got married a few months ago. Moved to Burbank.”
“Wow. Good for her.” I always liked Parker’s mom. She set boundaries for Parker but didn’t get on his case when he messed up. They had a great relationship, one I always envied. But I guess that would be expected when you have a kid at barely nineteen and then find yourself raising him practically alone because your husband is halfway across the world fighting bad guys and saving the world.
I don’t know much about Logan’s relationship with Parker’s mom, other than by the time he was nine, his mom finally decided she couldn’t do the long-distance thing anymore, or the whole hold your breath when the doorbell rang in case it was someone coming to deliver the worse news you could get. I can’t imagine not being able to see or touch Logan every day, let alone for months at a time.
“I’ve kind of been hoping my dad might have found someone, too, you know. Now that he’s left LA and started a new life up here,” Parker says. “Have you seen him dating anyone in the time you’ve been here?”
A lump forms in my throat. I want to tell my friend the only woman I’ve seen his dad have any interest in is me. But now that I’m aware Parker might still have feelings for me, not to mention the fact that Logan has expressed his wish that Parker never know about us, I swallow past the lump and lie to my friend. “Nope. Hope mentioned he’s caught the eye of half the women in this town, but he’s pretty much kept to himself. I wouldn’t worry, though. He just wants to make a good impression on the town, not muddy the water with his personal life right away.”
“That or he hasn’t met the right person. I mean, when you find that one person, you’d be pretty stupid not to tell them how special they are.”
There’s something in his voice and the way he studies my face—a face I’m carefully keeping on the television in front of me—that tells me he’s not talking about his dad.
“Yeah. Maybe.” I lift the remote, trying to pretend I don’t know what he’s getting at. “This show is pretty slow. I’m going to find something else.”
“Dylan. There’s something that I—”
There’s a click of the lock at the front door just before it opens, and Logan walks in.
I almost sink in relief against the couch at the close call. I can’t handle crushing my friend’s heart again. Not right now.
“Evening everyone,” Logan says casually.
“Hey yourself,” I say more exuberantly than necessary. “You’re home earlier than usual tonight. The casserole is still going to be another half hour.”
“Yeah. It’s been pretty quiet these days, and Anne—that’s my assistant,” he adds for his son’s sake, “insisted I take advantage and spend time with my guests. Planted the idea that we should be doing something to celebrate the occasion of having you both here. So I took the liberty of buying tickets to the Kalispell Symphony Orchestra’s opening night concert, an homage to Bach. They’re for tomorrow night.”
A concert? The prospect instantly perks me up, and I pepper him with questions about the tickets and the concert, then use his laptop to pull up the website to check it out. I had no idea there was such an interest in symphonic music in this small region of the state. To say I’m excited about the opportunity to get dressed up and attend a concert, hearing my favorite music, is an understatement, and I jump up and, without thinking, hop into Logan’s arms, hugging him.
Logan steels himself against my onslaught, his arms stiff as he pats me, all too aware of his son’s gaze on us. “Sorry,” I say, stepping back and glance over to Parker, who doesn’t seem to notice anything amiss. “I forgot myself for a moment. Thank you, Logan. This is just what I need.”
“I thought we could all go to dinner in Kalispell before the concert. Unless you two prefer to go alone.”
“Of course not. It sounds great, Dad. It was really thoughtful of you. I can’t imagine a better gift for Dylan, seeing as how tomorrow is her birthday.”
I would be lying if I said I completely forgot it’s my birthday, but in the grand scheme of what’s going on right now, I didn’t think it required any fanfare.
“It is? That’s a happy coincidence,” Logan says, trying to sound surprised, but there’s something in his gaze as it rests on me that tells me he definitely remembered the importance of the date. This is his gift to me. I fight tears at how thoughtful he is.
Since Logan practically pushed me out of his room the other night, I have been trying to put on a brave face, telling myself it’s all going to be okay. Once Parker returns to his life in California, we would pick up where we left off. But over the past few days, as Logan kept up this cool nonchalance around me, I’ve been hearing a voice in the back of my head telling me that whatever we started was done before it even began. That I lost him.
This gift, this small token, however, offers me renewed hope. It confirms that no matter how much he’s trying to keep his distance, he still cares about me as much as I care for him.
As we all sit around the table a little later, I catch Logan’s eye when Parker goes to get the salt and another beer. “Thank you,” I mouth to him, touching his hand briefly.
Logan nods slightly, and I see that flash of warmth in his eyes—a warmth that hits me square in the chest. Then Parker returns, and it’s as if the moment never happened. The shutters go over Logan’s eyes, and he’s back to the friendly host.
But I have hope. Tomorrow night is going to be… everything. It’s my birthday, after all.
Who can say no to a birthday wish?
Chapter 16
