Logan’s eyes went to the front porch and back to Parker. “Are you asking because of Aunt Betty’s swing?”
Parker nodded.
“If it wasn’t wet, I’d sit and swing on it right now,” Logan said.
Parker pulled on his ear. “Do you think kids would make fun of me ifIswinged on a pink swing?”
Erin bit her bottom lip. It was painfully obvious that Logan had no idea how to talk to children, but Erin wasn’t sure if her jumping in would make things even more awkward or not. She waited with bated breath to see how things would play out.
Logan cleared his throat. “Well, I think if people make fun of you for sitting on a pink swing, that’s their problem.”
Parker’s gaze went between Logan and Erin. “That’s what my mama said.” His eyes narrowed. “Did she tell you to say that?”
“Nope.”
Parker continued to look at Logan with a stern expression that was in stark contrast to his face, still round with baby fat. After a moment, he nodded solemnly. “Rock Man says you’re telling the truth, so I believe you.”
“Rock Man . . . ”
Erin rushed between the two, eager not to letParker talk about his imaginary friend. That was the last thing she wanted Logan to know about. He didn’t know what it had been like since Jake’s death. He might not understand Parker’s need for Rock Man when Erin herself struggled to accept him as part of their family.
She looked down at Parker. “You know, I bet Mr. West is very busy. Why don’t you go inside with Samantha and get some dry clothes on before we get dinner started?”
“But we still have some water balloons left.”
She forced a cheery smile. “That’s okay, that just means you two will get to have another water balloon fight again tomorrow.”
Parker’s body sagged, but he didn’t argue. With dragging steps, he walked toward the house. Both he and Samantha disappeared inside the front door and Erin prayed they were doing what they were supposed to and not getting water all over Aunt Betty’s house in the process.
Erin and Logan were left standing alone in the front yard and Erin wished she was anywhere else. Sure, it was nice for Logan to play along with Parker, but that didn’t take away from the pain that his disappearance had caused. Erin had so many unanswered questions about why he left. Why had it been so abrupt, and right before her and Jake’s wedding? Why hadn’t he come back home when Jake was diagnosed, or when he died?
“Thanks for not being mad at him,” she eventually said.
“Of course, I wasn’t mad.” Logan shoved his hands in his pockets. “I just wasn’t sure what to say after that surprising hit to the face.”
Erin closed her eyes. “No, that’s okay. What you said was fine.”
Even if everything else felt anything but fine. The words hung in the air.
There was a time when conversation with Logan came as easily as breathing. In high school, their unlikely friendship had somehow morphed into something special. Before he’d left, Erin almost believed he was herbestfriend. Of course, a ten-year absence had a way of clarifying things. He hadn’t been there on the happiest day of her life, and he hadn’t returned on the darkest. In the end, their friendship was one-sided, and it had been easy for him to leave her behind. Just like everyone else she’d ever loved.
Now it almost felt like standing in front of a stranger. Except that Erin thought she could still read Logan’s feelings in the slight downturn of his lips and the way he was unable to keep eye contact with her for longer than a second or two.
Her stomach twisted in knots as they stood in front of one another. As much as she hated it, the desire to know how he was doing was still there. She wanted to ask what he’d been up to since she saw him last. She wanted toknow if he still ate ice cream for dinner on Sunday nights. She wanted to know if he found whatever he was looking for in Chicago—and why he was moving to Florida. Eventually, she landed on something safe.
“I didn’t thank you for cleaning the kitchen the other night,” she said, looking down at her hands.
“It was the least I could do.”
If that wasn’t the understatement of the century.
Erin played with the hem of her shirt as an uncomfortable silence settled between them. The heaviness of it made her want to bolt, even though she hadn’t finished painting the porch swing. She turned to follow her children inside.
“They can call me Logan.”
Erin stopped and looked back at him. “What?”
“You called me Mr. West ... to Parker.” He shrugged. “Your children can call me Logan, if you want.”
