I’ll believe it when I see it.
Chapter 25
Savannah
“I’msorry,sugar,butI must have heard you wrong just now. You’re goingwhere?” Mama’s tone is made up of equal parts sweetness and anger, a combination she has perfected over the years. Her expression is the same, smiling and sharp. Getting her judgment in two forms makes me wish I didn’t choose to have this conversation over video, but I hoped seeing my face would soften the blow.
“Australia,” I say calmly, then steel my nerves for this next part. “I’ll only be gone a couple weeks this time, but then I’ll—”
“A couple of weeks?” Mama gasps dramatically and presses a hand to her heart. “What about that little business of yours? Does this mean you’ve finally given up on your hobby?”
In the seat next to me, Logan growls low in his throat. It might have been a bad idea to give him one of my earbuds to listen in on the conversation, but I like knowing he’s here to back me up no matter what happens.
“Mama,” I say and hope I can keep this conversation civil. “My business is fine.” Honestly, it’s thriving, though she’ll neverbelieve me. Over the last few months, True Fuel Kitchen has expanded so much that I had to hire two part-time employees to handle deliveries, and most of my free time has been devoted to training the chef who will take over for me at the end of September. It’s still hard to believe that that’s happening in just over a month, but I’m excited to see how he handles these next two weeks while Logan and I are in Sydney.
“Fine?” Logan says with a scoff.
“Who was that?” Mama asks, narrowing her eyes.
“I’m at the airport,” I say instead of answering the question. “There are a lot of people around.”
“You’re flying to Australia right this minute and are only telling usnow?”
Logan’s hand shoots out to grab my phone, but I hold it out of his reach, grateful that he doesn’t try any harder to take it. He could easily say something to my mother, like I know he wants to, but thankfully he keeps his mouth shut. For now.
“I’ve been texting you about a good time to call you for a couple of weeks now,” I say, unable to hide my exasperation. “You never responded.” It’s a miracle she answeredthiscall.
Mama huffs. “Well. We’ve been busy.”
“Too busy to talk to your own daughter?” Logan grumbles.
I smack him in the stomach. “Well, I’ve been busy too, so you’re getting a call about my trip now. We’re boarding in just a minute, but—”
“We?” She brings her face closer to the screen, squinting as if she might be able to see farther than the camera’s frame of view. “Savannah, who is with you?”
Glancing at Logan, I debate for a second. I haven’t told my parents about Logan, in part because they haven’t bothered to ask but mostly because I know how my mother will react. He isn’t exactly my parents’ ideal man. He might be well off in terms of money, but nothing else about my big Aussie rugger would fit their version of appropriate.
Unfortunately for them, he’smyideal man and perfect for me, and that’s all that matters. Taking a deep, steeling breath, I shift my phone so Logan is front and center of the screen. Scowl and all. “Mama, this is Logan.”
“And who isLogan?” she asks, lifting her chin high and wrinkling her nose. “He looks terrifying.”
Logan chuckles. “Thank you,” he says, sounding far too pleased by the assessment. “He can also hear you.”
She gasps, for the first time losing her carefully curated expression as she gapes at Logan through the phone. “Savannah Magnolia Blair, you should have told me this was not a private conversation.”
“Magnolia?” A dangerous glint enters Logan’s eyes as he turns his full attention back to me. He slips his hand around mine, bringing my fingers to his mouth, and his voice drops into a low rumble. “You’ve been holding out on me, love.Magnolia.” His lips kiss my neck next, leaving my skin buzzing.
“Mr.—Logan!” Mama hisses. “Whoever you are. You are inpublic! Have you no decency?”
“None,” he says happily and doesn’t shift his gaze from my face. I start to melt under that look in his eyes, and I’m sure my cheeks have turned a deep scarlet. But a look like that deserves a proper kiss.
“Savannah,” my mother scolds.
Sighing, I sit back and roll my eyes. “Mama, this is Logan Callahan. My boyfriend.”
“I should hope so,” she huffs, sounding completely scandalized. “Mr. Callahan, I assume you’re the reason my daughter is making irrational decisions?”
Before the insult can really sink in, Logan turns to the phone and narrows his eyes. “Sav has never been irrational in her life.”
