Logan
Groaning, I stretch. The room is dark. I don’t know what woke me, only that it feels like I barely slept at all.
My phone isn’t on my side of the bed.
A buzzing registers somewhere near Jess’s pillow. I army crawl across the mattress just before the call drops.
“Hello,” I mumble.
“Hey,” comes a chirpy voice.
I squint at the screen. Twelve past four.
“What is it?” I ask, still half asleep.
“Um, Mackie,” she says. “I was just wondering what happened in Florida.”
Immediately, my hackles rise.
“So you called me on my one day off to chat?”
There’s silence on the other end. I clench my jaw. I’ve given her a lot of leeway, but come on.
“I’m sorry,” she stammers. “I just need to file the report, and I can’t without-”
I rub my eyes. “Right. I’ll let you know tomorrow.”
Before she can respond, I hang up.
I should probably apologize. Just not while my head feels like it’s splitting in two.
Falling back onto the bed, I try to sleep, but the pounding only gets worse. With a sigh, I get up and walk naked to the bathroom, popping two Tylenol dry.
My stomach growls.
I squint at my reflection, trying to remember the last time I ate. Jess offered earlier, but I’d wanted dessert first.
I smirk at my own terrible joke, then get dressed and head to the kitchen.
There’s a foil covered dish waiting on the island.
Still warm.
Grabbing a plate, I load it up and finish in seconds before going back for more. Midway through my second helping, I notice the laughter drifting from the backyard.
I follow it.
The boys are trying to outrun Bell and Ty while Jess laughs, tossing a ball across the lawn. I drop into a chair by the door, watching her.
It’s the same laugh I fell in love with in college. The same one she passed down to our sons.
Bell notices me first. She abandons the ball and barrels toward me at full speed. I lift the plate just in time as she licks my face enthusiastically. Ty joins in, tail wagging like a propellor.
Whoever said pit bulls don’t shed has clearly never owned one. I’m covered in fine white and brown hair by the time they’re done.
Myles darts in next and wraps his arms around me.
“Daddy,” he says. “I missed you.”
