“I’m sorry I got mad at you for bringing it up.” His finger brushes the hair off my face and over my shoulder.
“It’s okay. I kind of thought you’d think I was crazy,” I joke, giving him an easy smile.
“So, Ghost isn’t real?”
“Oh, she’s real. She’s just a spirit of sorts. Ghost found me and hasn’t left my apartment since.”
“Huh.”
I can tell he’s absorbing all this. It’s a lot to take in for anyone, and I really want to tell him what I am, what we are to each other. But I hesitate. He is only just accepting his own gift. I don’t want to overwhelm him. I know I’m making excuses, but I can’t bring myself to utter the words.
Chapter Forty
Logan
Idescendthestairsand find Salena in the kitchen, her face illuminated by the morning sun streaming in from the giant window above the sink. She’s standing there drinking from a mug of coffee, the smell wafting over to me. I walk over to her, wrapping my arms around her, and pulling her into me. I feel her body relax against mine as she releases a content sigh. I don’t know how she can be this calm after everything I’ve put her through, everything I’ve told her. She must feel me tense because she pulls away, placing her coffee mug on the bench before turning in my arms and resting her cheek on my chest. She nestles into me so comfortably, it’s like she’s made to fit there perfectly.
“Logan?” she murmurs, placing a kiss in the middle of my chest.
“Hmmm . . . ” I answer, my anxiety washing away at hearing my name on her lips.
“Can you pick Lola up from school today? I don’t want her walking alone. I hate to ask but . . . ”
I pull away from her and gently cup her face in my palm, my thumb stroking the soft skin of her cheek.
“I’m never going to say no to you. You get that right.”
Salena beams up at me. “Thank you.”
I drop my lips to hers in a soft, explorative kiss. Her lips move in sync with mine like a well-rehearsed dance.
“I made you a coffee,” she whispers against my lips.
“Thank you, baby.”
I press a light kiss to her lips and turn to the sight of my steaming coffee cup on the island bench, and wrap my fingers around the cup, savoring the flavor as I take a sip, my eyes tracking Salena’s movements as she comes and sits at the bench.
“Are we good?” I ask.
“We're good.” She smiles at me, and I swear the light in the room gets brighter.
A few hours later, I’m standing outside the school, my back resting against my car, scrolling through emails when I hear the sound of Lola's laughter, and then she comes into view with a huge smile on her face. Her pink hair is in Dutch braids today and she has on these brown cargo pants, and a tight long sleeve blue shirt. I notice another girl following behind her, but at a distance.
“Hi, Logan!” Lola exclaims, coming to a stop right in front of me.
“Lola,” I greet her with a small dip of my head.
“Can you give my friend Amara a ride home? We’re planning on studying at her house for a while. Her mom can drive me home.” She turns to the girl behind her.
Amara looks scared as she nervously scans the parking lot, her eyes darting back and forth.
“Sure. Everything okay?” I ask.
Lola and Amara share a look before Lola spins on me. “Of course.”
I give them both a look that conveys I think they’re full of shit and motion for the car.
“Wait, can I drive? I have a learner’s permit!” Lola shouts.
