“Ma, I don’t know if that is a good idea.”
“But it is! It’ll move things further in the right direction!” Lucia exclaimed.
“She could be right, son. Invite your mate over. Tomorrow at six. This could be good for the two of you,” Logan’s dad agreed.
“Fine. I’ll stop by the coffee shop after I leave here. But I’m telling you, if this doesn’t do what you think it will, I won’t stop by for a month.”
His mother let out a gasp and clutched her imaginary pearls. That was by far the most unimaginable thing she could ever think of. She lived for Logan’s visits. And Logan knew that by threatening to stop visiting, she would know how serious he was.
“Logan. Do not threaten your mother. We all know you couldn’t stay away that long,” Gerald told him.
Logan smirked into his bowl. Digging in, he continued to eat what his mother gave him. He had plans that needed to be set in motion. There was a girl that he needed to visit.
~
“Here you go! Have a great rest of your day!” Jessica handed the cup in her hand over to the customer on the other side of the counter.
She let out a sigh as she watched the customer leave the shop. Last night she had her date with Logan, and it could not have gone better. And that scared her.
“Why so sad chickadee?” Tim called out to her.
“Nothing, Tim. Just thinking.”
“Thinking about that hunk-a-hunk of a man you had a date with last night? The date you have yet to tell me about?!”
Tim sashayed to her side. He folded his lanky frame to rest his arms on the counter. Placing his chin in one hand, Tim looked up at her and batted his eye lashes, waiting for the scoop.
“Ugh! It was amazing!”
“And that is a problem?” Tim stared at her with a confused look.
“I know! What is wrong with me? He is an amazing guy and I really like him. He’s one of the good ones.”
“Sooooo what is the problem lovey? Sounds to me like you should lock that man down before someone else grabs him up.”
“No one is that perfect, Tim. I’ve never had this swirl of emotions before.”
“And that scares you?”
Jessica stayed silent in answer. Bowing her head, she broke eye contact with her friend.
“Aw honey. I know those feelings can be scary. But sometimes the scariest things in life can lead to the biggest blessings. You just have to take that leap.”
“But what if that leap hurts me?” Jessica whispered tearfully.
“But what if it is the best thing that has ever happened to you? And if you do get hurt, Timmy will help you put the pieces back together.”
Jessica sent a watery smile towards him, “Thanks Tim.”
“Anytime lovey! But let it be known, I don’t think this man will hurt you. Call it a hunch.”
Tim stood from his position, kissed her cheek, before heading out to check on the few customers they had sitting in the shop.
The jingle of the front door drew her attention. In walked the same man who had been on her mind all day.
“Logan! I didn’t expect to see you so soon again!”
“Can’t backtrack on my record of seeing you every day since we met, now can I?” Logan flirted with a smile.
Jessica threw her head back and laughed at the man. A blush spread across her face. This man!
“I actually came here with a purpose today.”
“You mean other than to keep your record?” Jessica flirted in return.
“Of course! Seeing you is the highlight of my day! But I actually wanted to ask you something.”
“OK. . .”
“Would you like to have dinner tomorrow night at my parents’ house?”
Jessica froze. Meeting the parents was a big deal. Was she ready for that? Logan was only supposed to be casual! Someone to distract her! Just a good time! You only meet the parents when things are serious. And things were not serious between her and Logan.
Stop lying to us! We both know Logan is our mate! He is our other half!
The voice in her head shouted at her. Logan provoked emotions in her that completely scared her. Meeting the parents, pushed her terror over the edge.
Tim walked behind the counter. Passing behind her, he grabbed a cleaning rag and whispered in her direction, “Take the leap, lovey. He’s worth it.”
Jessica watched Tim return to the seating area. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Logan.
“OK.”
“OK?”
“OK.”
“Great! How about I pick you up here, at about a quarter to six? My mom wants us there by six.”
“Um, OK. That sounds good.”
“Great! Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Jessica nodded in agreement. She pasted on a small smile, in hopes to reassure herself that this was the right decision.
Logan gifted her a giant smile before leaving the coffee shop.
“Girl you look terrified,” Tim pointed out.
“I feel terrified. This seems so fast.”
“Fast can be good. Very good,” he responded with an over exaggerated wink.
“I’m not talking about sex Tim! These emotions he invokes in me. They hit so hard and fast. It’s scary.”
“And what do your emotions say?”
“They say I feel protected. Cherished. Loved. Safe.”
“And your gut?”
“That I can trust him. That what I feel is real and he’s feeling the same things,” she whispered.
“Then there ya go! You need to just get out of your head. Don’t let your fears keep you from experiencing one of the best things in this world.”
“What is that?”
“Love, girl. Love.”
Tim walked off towards the office and left her to her thoughts. Tim had a point. If she didn’t try with Logan, she would always wonder. Swallowing her fears, Jessica went about her day. Tomorrow after dinner, she would decide if she could handle all of these emotions. If the leap was worth it. If she could actually do it.
Chapter 6
A nervous Jessica sat in Logan’s passenger seat. They were on the way to his parents’ house for dinner.
Jessica had on this bright, royal blue dress with thin straps he could barely contain himself from slipping down her arms. The lace scalloped edges of the dress bounced his eyes from her legs to her bust. This was a dress that was seemingly made for her. And the dark purple heels she wore only added to her outfit.
Shifting slightly in his seat, Logan attempted to relieve some of the pressure accumulating in his pants. He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter in an effort to calm himself. Now was not the time for intense mating urges to overcome him. Gathering himself, he glanced over at Jessica. She wrung her hands tightly in her lap. Logan could smell the nervousness radiating off of her. He reached over and grasped her hands in one of his.
“Everything will be fine. There is no need to be nervous,” he softly explained.
“Is it that obvious? My nerves?”
“Well, if you keep wringing your hands, you’ll pop a finger out of its socket.”
“Sorry.”
“Nothing for you to apologize for. My parents will love you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Silence filled the car. Logan didn’t quite know what else to tell Jessica to calm her nerves. He knew that his parents would love her, and his mom would ease Jessica’s nerves. His mom was good like that.
Logan pulled into his parents’ driveway and cut the engine. He looked over at Jessica.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
A simple nod was her only response.
“Stay there and I’ll get the door for you.”
He climbed out of his car and rounded to the passenger side. Opening the door, he helped Jessica out.
“Just take a deep breath. Everything will be alright,” he tried to reassure her.
Jessica gave him a
small nod accompanied by a smile.
Logan grabbed her hand and walked toward his parents’ front door. As they approached, the door swung open. There stood his mother and father with beaming smiles.
“Ma, Pop, I’d like you to meet Jessica. Jessica, these are my parents, Lucia and Gerald.”
“Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” she stepped forward with an outstretched hand.
“It is so nice to meet you too! We are so excited to have you!” Logan’s mom exuberantly declared. She walked straight up to Jessica and engulfed her in a giant hug. Logan saw Jessica stiffen for a moment before relaxing and returning his mom’s hug.
Logan’s mom stepped back and his father stepped forward. He kissed Jessica’s cheek in greeting.
“It’s nice to meet you Jessica. Thank you for coming,” his dad welcomed.
“Thank you for having me,” Jessica returned.
“Well, let’s not stand on the front steps all day! Come in, come in!” exclaimed his mom.
As they stepped through the door, Logan could feel some of Jessica’s nerves leave her. She turned to him and gave him one of her bright smiles. He knew then that she finally believed what he had been telling her all along. Everything was going to be OK.
~
Jessica walked into Logan’s parents’ house a lot less nervous than when Logan picked her up. Ever since Logan asked her to dinner tonight, she wrestled with her decision to go. Dinner with the parents was a huge step in any relationship. And she wasn’t even sure if she had a relationship with Logan. She only met Logan a few days ago and she was already meeting his parents! With prodding from Tim and his advice ringing in her ears, she got ready for the evening.
Walking through the foyer into the dining room, Jessica felt some of her nerves evaporate. Logan’s mom startled her with her warmth at first. It was something she wasn’t familiar with. Yet, it was just what she needed. Lucia immediately put her at ease. And Logan’s dad’s gentle demeanor calmed her as well.
A mixture of cheese, garlic, and Italian herbs filled the air. Jessica could feel her stomach start to rumble in anticipation. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a home cooked meal. Probably the last time she lived in Everett Hollow.
“Everyone have a seat! I made lasagna!” announced Logan’s mom.
Lucia bustled into the room carrying a pan steaming with the smells that had immediately attracted Jessica.
Logan pulled out her chair for her. She sent a smile and a quiet ‘thank you’ before settling in at the table. Gerald past around a salad and garlic bread as everyone else cut into the lasagna. Taking her first bite, an explosion of flavor erupted on her tongue.
“This is excellent Mrs. St. Amoux.”
“Thank you dear! And please, call me Lucia.”
Jessica smiled at the other woman, “Lucia, then.”
The older woman beamed at her before glancing at everyone else around the table.
“So, Jessica. How did you and Logan meet?” Gerald asked her.
“He came into the coffee shop where I work the other day. We just started talking. He came in over the next few days before we went to dinner.”
“I figured if you saw me over and over again, I’d have a better chance of you agreeing to go out with me. I wasn’t just some creep that came in once and asked you out.”
“No, you were the creep that stalked me until I gave in,” Jessica flirted with a smirk.
“Well what can I say. You brighten my day. I need that sunshine on a daily basis,” Logan sent her a wink.
Jessica blushed and squirmed around in her seat. This man! And his parents were sitting right next to them! She glanced up at them and saw a giant smile on his mom’s face. His dad was trying his best, but failing, to hide his own smile.
“Jessica, Logan tells us you want to become a chef?”
Bless Lucia. She came right in with that topic segue at just the right moment.
“Yes. I love to be in the kitchen. Some of my fondest memories are of being in the kitchen with my mom and first foster mother. I love playing with flavors to create something new.”
“Did you go to culinary school?”
“Unfortunately, no. Everything I know, I’ve learned on my own.”
“Would you like to go to culinary school one day?”
“Possibly. I think I would rather take a class here or there to pick up a new skill. My dream is to open up my own restaurant.”
“What sort of restaurant?” Gerald piped up.
“Something a little more high class than the diner. A place you can go for date night. Somewhere with a greater menu of healthier options. I’m not saying the diner is bad, just that the town could support another option that caters to something a little different from the diner.”
“That sounds wonderful! Doesn’t that sound wonderful, Gerald?!” Lucia exclaimed.
“It does, my love. And I think you are right about the town and options, Jessica,” Gerald responded.
“Thank you. I came back to Everett Hollow because it was the only place I felt at home. After seeing how much it has grown, I think it could sustain something like this.”
Logan beamed at her, “If you believe in it, opportunities will come.”
“It’s a goal I’m working towards achieving.”
“Well, you may just have to help me in the kitchen one day soon then!” Lucia pronounced.
A stab of longing constricted Jessica’s heart. She would love to spend that sort of time with Lucia. But her fears made her think it would never happen. Pasting on a smile, she turned toward Lucia.
“Sounds great Lucia.”
As everyone finished their meal, Lucia tried to pile more onto Jessica’s plate.
“Oh, no thank you, Lucia. It was wonderful but I’m stuffed.”
“Well you could stand to eat a little more. You’re nothing but skin and bones darling!”
“Ma. She says she’s full. Besides, I think she’s perfect,” Logan interjected.
A blush covered Jessica’s cheeks as Lucia huffed her opinion.
“Logan, have you heard anything else about the attacks?” Gerald asked his son.
“Attacks?” Jessica questioned.
“There have been dead wolves found in the forest recently, beaten and shot to death. It’s on Gabe and I’s radar,” Logan explained to her. He turned to his father and said, “So far, there is nothing new. We’re at the same place we were when we found the first body.”
Jessica watched the faces of everyone else at the table. There seemed to be a silent conversation going on that she was not privy too.
“It seems like such a shame to harm such a beautiful creature. But what does this have to do with your job, Logan?” Jessica asked.
“Oh, well Gabe and I oversee several acres of forest around town. Sort of our version of a preservation. The wolves were found on our land. It’s just brought up a lot of questions and has us concerned for other wolves in the area,” Logan explained.
It seemed probable to Jessica, but something else was going on. It made her uneasy. The tension in the room had sky-rocketed with talk of these wolves. Maybe Gerald was not to have asked this question in front of her. Whatever was going on, sent warning bells off in her head.
“Well, why don’t we let the boys clean up dinner and you and I can go in the living room, Jessica. I can show you pictures of Logan when he was little!” Lucia declared. With her change in conversation, Jessica could feel the shift in the room. The tension seemed to lift almost immediately.
“Ma, she doesn’t want to see those,” Logan sheepishly pleaded as he stood to clear the table.
“Oh no. If they invoke that kind of a reaction, then I most definitely want to see them,” Jessica announced.
“Perfect! You come with me darling. We have lots to talk about!”
Lucia grabbed her hand and ushered her into the living room. Out of the corner of her eye, Jessica could see Gerald shaking his head at the ridiculousness of his wife.
Jessica settled onto the couch as Lucia grabbed a giant scrapbook. The older woman sat down next to her and opened the book.
“I’ve always loved to scrapbook. Gerald takes the photos, and I put the memories down in a book!”
“Do you have a group you scrapbook with? I’ve heard of that.”
“Sure! Some of my girlfriends and I get together to scrapbook, gossip, and drink wine. Of course, we normally end up just gossiping and drinking wine,” Lucia nudged her side with a wink.
Jessica giggled at the older woman. She was something else! She could certainly see where Logan got his personality from.
“Oh look!” Lucia pointed to a photo in the book of a grinning, young boy sitting in the bathtub. “This is Logan when he was about two. He loved playing in the bath. Made bath time difficult! He never wanted to get out!”
Jessica laughed at the picture Lucia painted. Lucia turned the page to a photo of Logan a little older, covered in dirt, mud, and leaves. He was once again wearing a beaming grin and nothing else!
“Here he is at about 8. How he loved to run around outside! He would jump around in the leaves and wrestle around in the mud. Somethings never change. He still loves a good run outside and always manages to return covered in dirt. You’ll have a devil of a time getting some of those stains out. I’ll have to give you some secrets to stain removal one day,” Lucia calmly stated as she flipped through the pages.
Jessica felt another tug at her heart at Lucia’s implication that Jessica would be around long enough to wash some of Logan’s clothes. There was that idea of a future. It made the panic in Jessica start to creep up.
Lucia pointed out picture after picture, each accompanied by a short story. There were photos of the family. Logan and his dad in the back yard. Logan and Gabe as children, all the way up to adults. Parties and holidays. First days of school and graduations. This was everything Jessica ever wanted for her own life and for the lives of her future children. A longing filled her for what she didn’t have and what she craved. A voice in her head kept telling her that this was not in her cards. It reminded her that Logan would leave like all the others and she should not get too attached to him or his parents. That tonight would not be repeated.
Lobo Coffee House Love (The Wolves 0f Everett Hollow Book 2) Page 5
