Erin set the breadstick back down and wiped her fingertips on the napkin before she grabbed it from him. Logan held his breath as Erin read over it. It wasn’t flashy, just a couple of clipart pictures of dessert with all the details of the event. Her eyes moved quickly back and forth across the page, then stopped suddenly. She didn’t look up. “It’s a bake sale for families who have a loved one going through cancer treatment.”
“Yes,” Logan said, his body still as he watched Erin for a reaction.
She looked up at him. “Where did you get this?”
Logan cleared his throat. “Um ... the Chamber of Commerce.”
Her brows lowered. “It’s only two weeks away. You’d think he’d have distributed them through town sooner.”
“Is two weeks not enough time to bake something?”
He’d seen her bake two wedding cakes in one weekend, so he’d thought a couple of weeks would be ample time for a cake.
“No, it is. It’s just ... ”
Logan leaned forward. “It’s just what?”
Erin set the paper on the table, resting her hands on top of it. She looked at Logan, her expression was weary. “The last time I baked something, it didn’t end up too great for everyone involved.”
“The last time you baked something, it was for someone who didn’t appreciate the amount of love you put into it.” He leaned over and grabbed her hands in his. When she didn’t pull away, he gave it a gentle squeeze. “These people will. You know that better than anyone.”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know. I’ve got so many other things to worry about. And then there’s the cost of materials.”
Logan released her hands and handed the paper to Erin. “You love to bake, and you’re really great at it. The wedding was hard, but the Erin I know wouldn’t let one bad experience be the reason she didn’t do something that gave her so much joy. She isn’t the kind of girl to give up so easily. Plus, I’d be happy to pay for the materials.”
A ghost of a smile touched her lips.
“The organizer said the families could use themoney raised for whatever was helpful—food, bills, anything.”
She bit her lip as she looked out toward the field of flowers. “The kids and I could have really used something like that when Jake was sick.”
“I know.” Though he didn’t really know. Logan wasn’t here—he hadn’t lived through it—but he’d heard enough stories from Aunt Betty to know that Erin had to do so much on her own when Jake was sick. Aunt Betty had helped how she could, but Logan was sure there was so much more that Erin and her children needed. This cause would be something near and dear to Erin. He hoped it would be helpful for her in more ways than one.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Even if I did donate a dessert, I wouldn’t know what to make.”
“What about Jake’s favorite dessert?” Logan said. “That would be a great way to honor his memory.”
“Hmm.” Erin turned the folded paper in her fingers. “That’s actually not a bad idea.”
Logan grinned, happy to know that he was finally getting something right. He’d messed things up for too long, and he hoped things were finally beginning to move in the right direction. “I will help in any way I can. I’ve heard I’m excellent at cleaning dishes.”
Erin laughed. “I think you’ve washed enough dishes in the past week to earn yourself a break.”
He held her gaze. “What if I don’t want a break? What if I ... ”What if I love you? What if I want to stay?What if I can’t imagine leaving your side ever again?He couldn’t say those things to her. Not now. Maybe never. “I’m happy to wash dishes.”
The way Erin stared at him made Logan think she read those words on his face as clearly as if he’d spoken them. The thought terrified him and he quickly looked away. His eyes landed on the bread.
Erin snorted. “Point taken. I’ll let you help me with dishes if it means that much to you.”
It meant more than she could know, but Logan didn’t want to scare her away. He would force himself to keep his feelings inside if that was what was best for Erin. He would wash dishes for the rest of his life if that relieved her burden.
For now, he was happy to spend time with the woman he loved over dinner and see where it went.
