“Hi, Lilly.” Candice sounded incredibly cheerful.
“Well, hello there to you, too, Ms. Candice! It has been a mighty long while since I’ve heard your voice. What can I do for you this morning? Is everything alright?”
“Yes, it’s just –”
But she was interrupted before she could even begin. “Did Logan tell you about the branding party tomorrow?”
Candice nodded. “Yep.”
“And you’re going to be there, won’t you?”
Logan felt the tension drain from his shoulders. Candice’s little prank of calling his mother had back-fired on her.
“Of course,” Candice assured.
“And would you mind bringing some grapes?”
Her brows furrowed. “Grapes?”
“Yes. Washed. And broken into clusters of five or six. Easy for folks to just plop a bunch on their plate and go.”
“Okay.”
“Alright, sweetheart. It was nice talkin’ to ya.”
“Wait,” Candice blurted. “I needed to tell you that Logan won’t be able to help out on the ranch today.”
Lilly gasped. “Lord in heaven, what happened?”
“Nothing,” Candice shot back in a panic, “he’s fine.”
Logan threw Candice a sideways glance.
“I mean, well it’s kind of embarrassing, and he didn’t want me to give any details….”
Oh no. Red lights were flashing in Logan’s brain. Grab the phone. Disconnect the call. But it was too late. Candice was already weaving her tale.
“You see, he just got a little carried away in bed last night.”
There was a long pause. Logan wanted to stick his head in a hole and bury it.
“Are the two of you… together?” The emphasis Lilly put on the word made him squirm.
“Yes, it’s official. We’re back together, Lilly.”
“Oh, my. That’s wonderful. But what did you say went wrong? He got carried away with what?”
“Logan begged me not to give you the details, but let’s just say he fell off the bed and threw out his back.”
“Goodness,” Lilly grumbled. “That boy always has been a showoff.”
Logan grumbled under his breath as Candice giggled. “You’re right about that, Lilly. Well, we’ll be seeing you tomorrow afternoon and I’ll be sure to bring the grapes. In clusters of five.”
“Five or six,” Lilly corrected. “Thanks, dear.”
Before Candice could put down the phone Logan reached over the bed and tackled her. He made sure the call was disconnected before saying a word. “You are going to pay dearly for that, Love.”
Her little prank had humiliated him, there was no doubt, but it had been fun too. It took him back to a time when they were younger. More carefree, and untouched by the disappointment that the years ahead would bring. And as Logan pinned Candice’s wrists over her head with one solid hand, trailing kisses down her neck as she pled for forgiveness, he realized they were in an even better place than they’d been at the start. He and Candice had dealt with the letdowns and heartache. They’d made it through some terrible times. Yet somehow they’d ended up here, together again – each looking forward to what their future had in store.
The pointed sound of the front doorbell caused Logan to hunch lower over Candice and freeze. A short series of knocks followed, but he still didn’t budge; if they were quiet enough the unwanted visitor would eventually go away.
“Who in the world could that be?” Candice asked in a whisper.
Logan shrugged. “You’ve got me.” Only just in that moment – as his phone glowed and buzzed from its spot on the bed – he remembered exactly who it could be. “Lana!”
Candice shot up, covering her chest with both arms. “What?”
“Oh, crud,” he griped. “I completely forgot about that.”
Candice yanked the sheet off the bed and dragged it around the room as she picked up one essential after the next. Bra. Panties. His shirt?
“Are you going to answer the door in that?” he hissed.
Candice was already shrugging it on. “Yeah, I don’t have much of a choice.” His phone stopped buzzing. The doorbell rang again. “Get dressed,” she said over her shoulder. “I’ll let them in.”
Logan slumped back onto the bed. Who needed this kind of disruption right now? And just why in the world had Lana shown up this early in the morning, knowing full well that Candice would be at work all day? Inwardly, Logan feared he knew the answer all too well. Lana didn’t plan on spending time with Candice today. She planned to follow Logan around the ranch with her son so she could rub his arm and bat her eyes and flash her cleavage while Candice was nowhere in sight. Well she was in for a rude awakening; he’d make sure of that. Yet even still, as he awaited sounds of the woman’s presence in their home, a wave of dread settled over his skin.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Candice fastened the snaps on Logan’s oversized shirt as she dashed down the hall. “Coming,” she hollered. Before opening the door, she looked down to check the length of the shirt. Lana would have her son with her, after all. She was satisfied to see that it covered most of her thighs. It would have to do.
With the release of one very stressed-out breath, Candice pasted a smile on her face and threw open the door. A silent moment passed while Lana seemed to take in Candice’s appearance.
“Oh,” the woman said, looking miffed. “How are you?”
Candice spread her arms out for a hug. “I’m great,” she said, throwing her arms around Lana first, and then Kenny. It had been a long time since she’d seen her after all, and despite their recent misunderstanding (and the very bad timing of her visit) Candice was overcome with a great and sudden happiness that she was really there. She and Logan had their entire future ahead of them; what was a weekend to share with someone so dear? “I’m so happy you made it!”
Lana hiked her bag further onto her shoulder as she stepped in. Sparkling diamond-like beads lined the stitching of the bag, making it appear as if it had been made specifically for Lana. Candice smiled at the sight of it. She really had missed her. And Kenny too.
“Wow,” she said, squatting to get on his level. “You cannot possibly be Kenny. Are you his older cousin?”
The little guy shook his head. “Do you have an X-box?”
Candice smiled and hunched down. “No, but I’ve got a whole bunch of markers and crayons. Do you want to color?”
Kenny’s lips twisted in contemplation.
“Kenny,” Lana scolded. “Give the woman a minute to breathe, will you?” She turned her attention to Candice with a laugh. “Where should we put our bags?”
Candice tried to imagine what Logan’s room must look like. “Right here, for now,” she said, gesturing toward the couch. “Can I get you guys some breakfast? Eggs? Toast? Pancakes?”
“Are we going to ride horses today?” Kenny asked, following her into the kitchen.
Lana’s jeweled bag slumped off her shoulder and onto the sofa. “Don’t worry about getting us breakfast. Don’t you need to get ready for work?”
Candice tilted her head. “No,” she said.
“You don’t?”
“Nope. Logan and I decided to call in sick today. Both of us.”
An unreadable expression moved over Lana’s face, pinching her once-soft features. “I hope you didn’t do that on my account,” Lana said. “In fact, that’s why I sort of told Logan not to tell you I was coming. I didn’t want you to go out of your way to accommodate me.”
She had? She’d told Logan not to tell her? Is that why he hadn’t? Or had he really forgotten about it, like he said just a few minutes ago. The distant sound of a door closing caused Lana to look over one shoulder. Candice recognized the hissing noise sounding from the walls – Logan had snuck into the shower.
“Really, Candice,” Lana persisted. “I don’t want you to use a vacation day for me. And Kenny has his mind set on riding a horse anyway. We could always just go
to the ranch with Logan and get together with you once you’re back from work.”
It was a tempting proposal when Candice thought about it. She really hated missing work. But it was done already. “I better just keep things the way they are. Most likely there’s a substitute showering at the speed of light all to get there on time to replace me. Besides, I can take you guys riding too, you know?”
A half-hearted smile worked its way onto Lana’s face. “Okay. That would be fun. Come here,” she said, rushing toward her with open arms. “I need another hug. I’m so happy to be here.” Candice wrapped her arms around her friend once more.
“I’m glad you’re here too.”
Lana ran a slow gaze over Candice as she backed up. She gave the hem of Logan’s shirt a tug. “What’s this all about?” she asked in a whisper.
“Oh,” Candice said, feeling hesitant to share the good news. Her last attempt hadn’t gone so well. “Logan and I made it official last night.”
“Please tell me you’re joking. It hasn’t even been a full month.”
“It’s been close to a month, though,” Candice said. She glanced over at Kenny, saw him sifting through one of the animal magazines from the coffee table. “There’s just a lot I need to tell you.”
“I can’t believe he has you sucked back in already,” Lana grumbled under her breath.
Candice went rigid at the implication. “You know, Lana, he wasn’t the only problem in our marriage.” She paused there to let out a deep breath, trying to shake off the offense; her friend was only worried for her.
“There’s a lot more to it than you know,” Candice assured, “but we have made a lot of progress in a very short time. I think we’ve really gotten to the root of our issues, and have found a way to keep them from coming back. I hope.”
A sliver of doubt wedged its way into Candice’s thoughts. Things had gone fast. Maybe too fast. Perhaps Candice was only setting herself up for another fall.
“I hope so, too,” Lana said. “Why don’t I get started on some french toast for all of us, and you can get dressed.”
“Oh, yeah. I should get dressed. Let me show you where things are real quick.”
“I’m sure I’ll find everything just fine. You go on ahead.” Already Lana was opening drawers. She pulled out an apron and draped it over her head, careful not to disturb her perfect ebony locks.
Candice nodded. “Okay. I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time,” came Lana’s response.
Kenny caught her eye once more, the magazine still firm within his grip.
“Do you like animals?” she asked while heading toward the hallway.
Kenny thumbed through a few pages. “Yep.”
She smiled. “Good. If you get bored you can turn on the TV, okay?”
“Okay.”
Candice had no intention of taking her time, as Lana suggested. She hit the bathroom first, brushing her teeth and combing through her hair. She made a mad dash for her Levi’s next, grabbing the first pair she touched. There was still so much to be done. She hadn’t even prepared the rooms yet. Who knew how much dust had settled in the spare bedroom, as untouched as it was. And Logan’s – that was sure to be a mess.
“Do me a favor, will you?” Logan’s deep voice sounded from behind as she zipped up her jeans. “Leave my shirt on. I want to see you in it – all day long – and have that reminder that you’re mine.” One warm hand wrapped around her hip, firm and strong. He swept her hair from her neck with slow, teasing fingers, and let his heated breath flitter over her skin. “I really enjoyed our time together last night.” He trailed kisses up the side of her neck before spinning her to face him. “I love you, Candice Rene Emerson.”
A flock of birds seemed to take flight in her chest. Lifting her high off the ground. She cradled his handsome face in her hand and smiled. “I love you too, Logan Earl Emerson.” With that, she gave him a much-too-short kiss, wishing she could climb back into bed with him.
Quickly she spun him around, gave him a swat on the butt, and pointed to the doorway. “Now go get that room cleaned out so Lana can put her things in there.”
Logan’s lips turned down, the brooding expression making Candice laugh. “Clean sheets are in the linen closet,” she said. “I’ll take care of Kenny’s room.”
At last he shuffled away, looking like a wounded puppy. Candice set her eyes back on the oversized shirt she wore. If she was going to make it work she’d have to unfasten the snaps at the bottom and tie it up. She moved to the mirror as she worked with it, satisfied once she got it right, and turned to dash out of the room. She was startled to see Logan rushing toward her, a shocked expression on his face.
“What?” She couldn’t tell if he was concerned or happy or sad. He just looked stunned.
“They want to have a meeting with us.” He’d said it like she would know what he meant but she didn’t have a clue.
“Who?”
“The agency left a voice message while I was showering. They’re having a parent meeting today. I didn’t mention it because obviously we can’t go clear back to Colorado for the day.” He shook his head, ran a hand through his wet hair. “Anyway, they said they’d call if one of the birth moms wanted to meet us and, I guess one does.”
Candice’s heart went into some sort of spasm. The throbbing pain of it made her limbs weak. “How?”
“She said all we have to do is sit in front of our computer since it has a camera and we’ll do one of those online meetings.”
She pressed a palm to her chest and blew out a breath. It felt like she was going into labor herself. “What time?”
“Eleven.”
“I’m going to throw up.”
The warmth of Logan’s solid form was all around her then. Encircling her with his strength. “You can do this.”
“I can’t believe it’s today. In just a few hours. Just like that, we’re going to talk with a birth mom.”
Logan rubbed a large hand over her back. “You remember how it is. Things can move pretty quickly in this … whole adoption world.”
She nodded. “Yes. Very quickly. I wonder how far along she is. If she’s having a boy or a girl.” Candice pulled back from his grasp and shook her head. “It’s so hard not to get my hopes up. I know we’ve got guests and everything, and I’m hoping that will take my mind off things. But if I’m freaking out and ready to lose it, I’ll just need you to be here for me. Like this.” She tightened her arms around him once more, wondering how she ever walked away from such warmth and comfort. “This feels nice,” she said. “I might need it a lot today.”
“Then you’ve got it,” Logan mumbled against the top of her head. He planted a kiss there. “You’ve got it, Love,” he said again, “always.”
~+~
“That was some mighty fine french toast, Lana,” Logan said as he drizzled dish soap into the sink.
“Yes,” Candice added. “Thanks for fixing it. After your long drive, no less.”
Lana replied with something or other, but Logan wasn’t paying attention. His eyes were fixed on the water as it poured from the faucet. Steam rose from the bubbling mass at the base, the hypnotic sight pulling his thoughts back to the time he’d spent in the room with Candice earlier. ‘I’m going to need you today,’ she’d said. No words could have pleased him more. He wanted nothing more than to be what she needed. He’d been certain, after the incredible night they’d shared, that they were as close as a couple could get. Yet after he told her about the call from the agency, the way Candice had clung to him for strength, their very souls seemed to fuse.
“Whoa, you’re about to overflow here, Logan.” Lana reached over and shut off the water. “Penny for your thoughts,” she said.
Logan scratched at the stubble growth along his jaw. “It’s been a pretty crazy day or two around here. Guess I’m just collecting my thoughts, is all.” He turned to see Candice locked in conversation with Kenny. Boy, that kid was cute. And helpful too; seemed hav
ing company was helping Candice take her mind off things. Logan checked the clock.
“Just twenty more minutes,” Lana said, showing she knew where his thoughts were. “It’s a pretty important phone call. I don’t blame you two for being nervous. Why don’t you let me take care of the dishes while you kick back and relax?”
“Oh, no. You go on and get settled in your rooms. Everything’s ready for you. Besides, I can’t hold still at a time like this. I’ll make myself crazy.”
A boisterous laugh trilled from Lana’s lips. Her hand landed on his shoulder. The tips of her long nails trailed lazily down the length of his back. “You crack me up. I’ve really missed you two, you know?” She’d said the last part quieter, closer.
Logan stepped away from the sink, moved back to the table only to find it cleared of all the dishes.
“Right here,” Lana said, tapping him on the arm. She pointed to the counter alongside the sink. “I told ya you should just let me do them.”
“Absolutely not,” Candice piped up. “You have driven all the way out here, fixed us breakfast when it should have been the other way around, and I insist you go get settled into your rooms.”
Lana gave Candice a grin. “Oh, you’re a sweetie,” she said, wrapping her arms around Candice. “We’ll take our things to the bedrooms, and then I’ll take Kenny on a walk so you two can have some privacy for your phone call. How does that sound?”
Perfect, Logan wanted to blurt.
“That sounds nice,” Candice said. “Take your phone. We’ll text you as soon as it’s over.” She walked over to Logan and nudged him in the arm. “Logan will take your bags and show you to your rooms.”
There went Lana’s laugh again. “My own little bellboy, huh?”
Logan strode over to the sofa, flung one bag over his shoulder and gripped hold of the handbag beside it. “Or should I say my own very big and muscular bellboy?” Lana mumbled next to him. “Those arms, Logan. Have you been working out or what?”
“If wrestling with cattle is the same as working out then yes.” He reached for a small suitcase he noticed tucked against the side of the couch.
Mending Hearts: Logan's Story Page 19
