“Probably my curse, but yes.”
“Still love him?”
Before she was forced into answering, the announcers switched gears and jazzed up the crowd for the mutton busting competition. Erin’s hand slapped her arm and held on in a death grip. It’d be amusing if her fingers weren’t shackled so tightly.
“Someone stole my seat, I see.” Logan had made quick work of escaping the chute area, and the gaggle of fans who no doubt tried to ambush him.
“You’re not getting it back,” Erin replied, her eyes never leaving her daughter. “I know you were in on this.”
“Most kids last less than eight seconds,” Logan reassured her, taking another seat. Abbie was admittedly a little sad about the distance, but wasn’t brave enough to try to move the nervous mother. “She’ll be done before you know it. And I bet she has fun.”
The first couple of kids fell off in less than three seconds, and Erin’s fingers pressed into her arm even harder, especially when the little girl in the purple helmet exited the chute, arms and legs wrapped around the bouncy sheep.
Unsuccessfully, Erin covered her eyes with her free hand. “I can’t watch.” But between her daughter and the clock, she couldn’t tear her gaze away.
Within the first four seconds, Izzy slid onto the side of her sheep. She held on until eleven seconds lapsed, when she finally plopped onto the freshly turned-up dirt. She was on her feet instantly, bouncing around as the announcer congratulated her stellar performance. Cliff stood smiling on the sideline.
“See, that wasn’t so bad,” Logan said to Erin. “She’s a natural.”
“I’ll let you know how I feelafterI inspect her for scrapes and bruises.” But Erin didn’t sound as bent out of shape now that it was over. In fact, a sliver of a smile appeared to be lurking along those straight-lined lips.
“Mommy, Mommy!” Izzy blazed across the front of the stands and zipped up the steps to Erin. “Did you see? Did you see? I rode a sheep!”
“I thought you were going to get some Skittles,” Erin said, directing most of her comment to Cliff.
“That’s the sheep!” Pride beamed from that adorable smiling girl at sharing that snippet of knowledge. “Isn’t that a cool name?”
“A sheep named Skittles,” Logan joined in. “How about that?”
“Well,” Erin said, switching spots with Logan so she could sit by her husband, “what did you think, Izzy?”
“It was fun!” Izzy went a hundred miles an hour describing her experience in pieces, always remembering something she’d forgotten. It made Abbie’s heart swell, to see such innocent excitement in her niece.
Logan slipped his hand on top of hers beneath the table, leaning closer. “We could still have that, you know. A life together. A family.”
“I don’t know—”
He squeezed her hand. “Give it a chance, Abbs.”
Chapter 16
Logan
“Are you going to marry Aunty Abbie?” Izzy asked Logan at breakfast the next morning. Abbie choked on her coffee. His forkful of French toast froze midair at the innocent but blunt question of an inquiring little girl.
“Honey, finish your eggs.” Erin came in for the save. “No more questions until they’re gone.”
“But—”
“No buts. Finish your eggs.”
That idea hadn’t left his mind since the day it took root years ago. Hewantedto marry Abbie. More than once he almost asked if she still had the ring, but hadn’t yet been able to brace for the answer. He hoped she kept it, but if she wanted him to, he’d buy another.
“You heard from the vet?” she asked, obviously as eager as him to divert attention. Izzy did tend to bounce from topic to topic, but she was a smart little cookie. She might ask again if something more interesting didn’t pop up in conversation.
“Not since yesterday afternoon. Figured I’d check in after breakfast.”
The vet hadn’t called yet, but Grandpa had. Logan wasn’t brave enough to answer. Not until he knew what was wrong with Gus and what could be done. He would pay for it all, but he didn’t want Grandpa interfering before all that was sorted out. He’d listen to what was likely a scathing voicemail later.
