“Yuck,” he said firmly, refusing to even consider it.
“Noah, don’t be rude,” Logan cautioned. “Have some fruit if you don’t like the oatmeal.”
Even though we were heading into a tussle, I had to admit how darn cozy the whole setup was. For so many years, I’d fantasized about having something like this: a home and a family that I was actually a part of. It wasn’t quite the way I’d imagined it, but still, the chance to sit down to a hot meal and talk about the day ahead was a luxury all on its own, far beyond the nice furnishings and fancy food.
Noah played with the spoon in the glaze pot.
“Noey, c’mon, we need to get moving,” Logan said, his patience clearly waning. “We’re leaving in thirty minutes.”
“Where are we going?” Noah asked.
Logan looked at me, confused. “You didn’t tell him he’s coming to work with us again?”
Shit. Major miscommunication.
“No, he’s actually staying here today,” I replied. “It’ll be better for us that way, especially considering…” I jutted my chin toward where he was using his spoon to play hockey with a strawberry.
Logan’s face clouded over. “Sincewhen? I told everyone at the office he was coming in, and they’re prepared this time.”
I winced at the frustration in his voice. What had his boxers in a twist?
“No, but it makes sense for him to stay here. We have tons to cover with the daycare center plans,” I insisted, Logan’s expression growing harder by the second. “We’re going to be atthe office for most of the day, and it’ll get boring for him. Josie’s daughter and grandson are coming over, so the boys can play.”
“Liam’s coming!” Noah cheered. “He likes to draw too!”
“Hold on,” Logan shushed his son. “Since when? Why wasn’t I asked about him staying home?”
It was a tone I hadn’t heard in weeks.
I squinted at him and lowered my voice. “Um, what’s going on? Why do you seem upset?”
“Because I expect to be involved in these decisions,” he insisted. His expression was positively stormy now.
Noah had quieted and was watching us volley back and forth. I glanced at him and realized that little ears needed to be shielded from whatever was going down between the grown-ups.
Not that I could figure out why such a simple decision had Logan so triggered.
“I’m sorry, but I thought you, uh, ceded control of daily schedules to thecaregiver,” I said, hoping my code made sense to him and not Noah. “After all, the caregiver has an extensive background in this sort of thing. Josie and I?—”
“Yes, but thecaregiverisn’t the ultimate decision maker.Iam,” he interrupted.
Josie bustled in with glasses of orange juice, and we went quiet.
“Liam issoexcited to meet Ariel,” she said as she placed a small glass in front of Noah. I wondered if she’d heard the fuss and was coming in to assist. “They’ll be here in an hour, and in the meantime, you can help me get the snacks ready.”
Logan’s jaw flexed for a moment. “Josie, I’m sorry but there was a miscommunication about today. Noah will be coming to the office with us.”
She paused to frown at him. “Oh? Nina mentioned that he was so bored the last time you brought him with you, so I suggested he stay here with me while Diana and Liam visit me.”
Some of the tightness in his jaw eased. “It was your idea?”
“Of course it was,” she said as she placed the juice in front of him. “Nina was trying to plan his snacks and meals and activities for the day, and it all seemed so complicated that I suggested he stay here with us instead.”
I watched Logan struggle to process the news, eyebrows drawn.
What the hell was going on with him?
“What do you want to do, Noah?” Josie asked. “Stay and play with Liam, or go to work?”
