A foot to the ribs wakes me up, and when I see the little girl sleeping next to me, the night before comes rushing back. When we made it back to my apartment last night, Logan came up to make sure we got in safely and didn’t need anything. There were many things I needed, but I didn’t dare mention any to him. It was enough that our date night was interrupted and he had to accompany me while I picked up my niece, who was practically abandoned by my irresponsible sister. There was no way I would ask him to make a run to the grocery store because I didn’t have any food in my kitchen. I decided once Jane woke up in the morning, we would take a trip into town and pick up the necessities.

Careful not to disturb her, I climb off the bed, replacing my body with a pillow to keep her from rolling off. Grabbing my phone from the nightstand, I exit my room, quietly pulling the door shut.

Since there was no way I could go to work this morning, I called April last night and left a message informing her I had a family emergency and wouldn’t be able to fill in at the law firm. After placing the call, I silenced my phone, not wanting it to go off and wake Jane during the night. Unlocking the screen, I find a message from Logan, but nothing other than that. I try calling my sister, and just like the other times, it goes straight to voicemail. Without leaving a message, I disconnect the call and open the text from Logan.

Logan: I hope you were able to get some sleep. Let me know when you’re up.

I check the time stamp and see he sent the message over an hour ago. It was after one by the time we got back with Jane, and it took a while for my mind to settle enough for me to fall asleep. Now, it is just a little after eight, which means I didn’t get a whole lot of sleep last night.

Good morning. Thanks again for last night. It really means a lot.

He responds almost instantly as if he was waiting for my text, which makes me smile.

Logan: Anytime. Are you up for visitors today?

When were you thinking?

Logan: I’m actually outside right now.

He’s here?

Now?

I look down at the long shirt I am wearing that falls midthigh. My hair is on top of my head in a messy bun, and I don’t have a stitch of makeup on. This is a terrible time for visitors, especially when that visitor is Logan Tate.

I am still staring at the phone in my hand when I hear a knock on my door. Suddenly feeling completely underdressed, I glance from the front door to my bedroom door, wishing I had thought to grab a pair of shorts on the way out. I don’t want to go back in the room and risk waking up Jane.

Giving up hope of looking presentable, I trudge over to the door and open it, surprised to see Logan with his arms filled with grocery bags.

“What is all that?” I ask, tugging at the hem of my shirt, trying to pull it down farther.

“I knew you would have a lot going on today, so I ran to the store and picked up a few things I thought you might need.” Smiling wide, he slowly rakes his eyes over my body, stopping when he reaches my thighs. Pulling his gaze back to mine, he lifts the bags in his hands, and I wave him inside.

Entering the kitchen, he begins to empty the contents of the bags onto the counter. There is milk, juice, and all kinds of snacks and other food items. I am frozen in shock as I watch him move about the small place, putting all the cold items into my empty refrigerator.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I say to his back and watch him flinch, knowing it came out harsher than I intended. Having people do nice things for me is not something I am accustomed to.

Turning around, he walks over to where I am leaning against the counter with my arms crossed over my chest in a defensive stance.

“I know I didn’t, but I wanted to. It is one less thing you have to worry about today. I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

“No, I’m sorry.” I drop my arms in defeat and lower my head. “You have been so amazing, and I’m being a bitch. I just hate not being in control of things, and right now, not knowing what is going on is killing me. Thank you, Logan, for last night and for all this. I appreciate it more than I can express.”

Reaching out, he pulls me into his arms and lifts my chin until our eyes meet. “There is no need to keep thanking me, Brenna. I know we haven’t had a chance to discuss what this is between us, but you should know I want to give this a shot and see where it goes.”

“You do?” I ask, unable to believe this man before me is saying these words.

“Yes. This isn’t just some fling for me. I’m not that guy. Look, I’m not trying to push you to make any decisions, but if you don’t want the same things, just let me know.”

Instead of answering, I wrap my hand around his neck and stand on my toes, bringing my lips to his. He responds instantly, circling his arms around my middle and pulling me against him. His tongue runs against my lips, and I gladly open, allowing him access. A sudden rush of heat floods my body as his fingers slide along my thighs, teasing the hemline of my shirt.

A door creaking open sets off an alarm in my brain, and I jump away from Logan as if I’m on fire—which I am. He smirks and backs away to stand on the other side of my kitchen, which suddenly feels smaller.

Little feet patter against the floor, and Jane comes around the corner, carrying her blanket. Her brown curls are sticking out on the sides, and her big brown eyes are moving back and forth between me and Logan.

“Good morning, sweetie,” I say. Pulling her attention away from Logan, she walks over to me and leans against my legs. Lowering myself to her level, I sit on my knees and hold her hand. “This is my friend, Logan. He was with me last night when I picked you up.”

She looks back at him, her expression full of curiosity. She doesn’t seem to be afraid and isn’t hiding, which I find to be a good sign. Logan, on the other hand, appears to be slightly nervous and unsure of what to do next. His eyes meet mine in question, and I just nod my head in encouragement.

He walks toward us and lowers himself to the ground as well. “Hello, Jane. It’s very nice to meet you.” He reaches his hand out for hers, but surprising us both, Jane launches herself into his arms. Before I can blink, he’s embracing her, one hand rubbing her head.

I have never witnessed her take to someone so quickly, especially a male. She has always been more standoffish when it comes to men. If I wasn’t already there, watching this encounter would bring me to my knees.

She whispers something into his ear before pulling away. Logan nods, and she returns to my side.

“I’m hungry, BrennBrenn,” she says as though nothing is out of the ordinary.

“Go have a seat at the table and I’ll bring out some breakfast.”

Logan and I both rise to our feet and watch as Jane skips out of the kitchen.

“She sure is something else.”

“Yeah, you could say that.” I laugh, filling a bowl with the cereal Logan delivered. “What did she say to you?” My back is to him as I add the milk, but I can feel him as he approaches.

He places his hands on the counter, caging me in with my back to his front. “She thanked me for last night. I have spent mere minutes with that little girl, and much like with her aunt, I would do anything for her.” His lips press against my neck, and I take a sharp breath at both his words and touch.

Reaching around me, he grabs the milk and returns it to the refrigerator, pulling out two bottles of water. He holds one out to me, and I accept, kissing his cheek. With Jane’s cereal in hand, we join her at the table and enjoy a few moments of silence while she eats.

In the past few days, I’ve had so many changes in my life that it is getting difficult to keep up. I still can’t believe Lynne would leave her daughter in that house with God knows who.

Was she inside when we showed up?

Why did she turn her phone off?

I have so many questions, but knowing my flake of a sister, they will all go unanswered. Even after she finally shows up, she will skate around the issue and never give the full truth—she never does.

“Jane, sweetie,” I say and wait for her eyes to meet mine. “Do you know where your mommy is?”

She wipes her mouth, catching little drips of milk. “She said she was sick and needed to see a doctor.”

“Was there anyone inside that house with you last night?” Logan asks.

“Mommy said he was her friend, and he would watch me until you showed up,” Jane explains as if it’s no big deal she was left alone with a strange man in the middle of the biggest drug neighborhood around here. The innocence of a child.

My gaze meets Logan’s, and he looks just as worried as I am. Anything could have happened to her last night. What was Lynne thinking? She wasn’t, of course; she never does. I plan on wringing her neck when I finally see her again. She told Jane she was getting help, but who seeks professional help in the middle of the night? Not to mention, how could she afford it? Plus, if that were the case, why not just come to me? Bring Jane here and explain what the deal was. You don’t just abandon her in a crack house and depend on me to pick her up. What if I was working and unable to leave and get her? All the terrible what-if possibilities run through my mind, and I feel the sadness mixing with the anger.

“Are you okay, BrennBrenn?” Jane lays her little hand on mine, and the negative feelings instantly disappear. She has owned my heart since the day she was born over three years ago.

“Yeah, sweetie. Do you want to watch some cartoons?” I ask, and she nods her head enthusiastically. “I’ll be right back,” I tell Logan before getting Jane settled on the couch with her favorite show.

When I get back to the table, Logan had already cleared the dirty dishes and is just sitting back down. I take a seat beside him, both of us with a view into the living room where Jane is laughing at the television.

“What are you thinking?” he asks, lacing his fingers through mine.

“So much. I just can’t comprehend why.”

“Have you heard from your sister?”

“No,” I say, rubbing my forehead with my free hand. “I tried calling again this morning, and her phone is still off.”

“Is there someone else you can call? Parents?”

I let out a dry laugh and shake my head. “No, and even if our mother knew anything, she wouldn’t tell me, just out of spite. Our relationship is sickening, to say the least. Besides, if she knew I had Jane, she would do everything she could to take her away from me. And as for my father, I haven’t seen nor heard from him since I was a child.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet. There is still so much to consider, but I know I need to do something because what Lynne did last night is unacceptable.”

Jane barks out a laugh, and I smile, knowing she is here with me and safe, but I have no real plan. How can I work when I now have a three-year-old to look after? I can’t very well bring her to the bar with me or even the office, so I would need to look into childcare, but I don’t know if I can afford that expense. This may be the push I need to accept Richard’s job offer. Before I left yesterday, he brought it up again and mentioned it being a permanent position within his law firm. I know I told Logan last night that I wanted more, but right now, I just need the stability.

“Didn’t you have to work today?” I ask, just now realizing it was a workday and he was here with me.

“I took a personal day.”

“You didn’t have to,” I start, but Logan places a finger across my lips, stopping me from saying any more.

“I had too many and needed to use them, so spending the day with two pretty girls seemed like the perfect opportunity.” He kisses my forehead and wraps an arm around me, bringing me to his side as I lay my head on his shoulder.

“I have some phone calls to make today and need to get things in order.”

“Please, let me help with whatever you need.” His fingers are gliding against my arm, causing my body to break out in chills.

“You being here right now is perfect and something I didn’t even realize I needed.”

It’s true, I have spent so much time alone, and it’s never been a problem for me, but when I try to imagine going through the past twelve hours without Logan, I just can’t. He has been amazing, showing me a completely new side of him I never knew existed.

When lunchtime rolls around, Logan decides we need to get out of the apartment, so Jane and I get dressed, and we head out for pizza. When I started keeping her more, I began buying and storing my own clothes for her. I never knew if Lynne would send her with anything, or if she did, it usually smelled so bad I hated to even bring it into my apartment. Feeling like she will be spending much more time with me now, I need to eventually go shopping and pick up a few more things for her.

We remove the car seat I kept for her from my car and secure it in Logan’s Range Rover. The drive to the restaurant is short, but we spend it singing along to Jane’s new favorite song on the radio. It is funny listening to her sing the words she thinks belong in the song when I know how far off she is. She is always so upbeat and full of life, which only makes me angrier at my sister.

The hostess seats us in a booth toward the back of the building, and Jane chooses to sit with Logan. I am still shocked at how quickly she has taken to him, but who could blame her with his charming ways.

He is so good and patient with her, listening to everything she has to say as though it is the most interesting thing he has ever heard. She lights up as she talks, and I just sit back and enjoy watching the two of them. Occasionally, the conversation will come back to me, and I can join in, but I’m content just admiring them. Seeing the kindness within Logan causes me to feel things I am not ready to acknowledge.

Jane needs to go to the restroom, so I stand and take her down the little hall. She is chattering on and on the entire time about Logan and how he is her new best friend. It’s easy to see how smitten she is with him, and I understand because I feel the same way.

We wash our hands and walk back out to our table, which now has a new guest sitting down. Jane is holding my hand, skipping next to me, and stops short when she sees Tanner sitting with his brother.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found my brother here, eating pizza, instead of slaving away at work, but now I understand.” He stands from the booth and winks at me.

Jane jumps back into the booth with Logan, and after giving Tanner a brief hug, I slide in across from them. Tanner follows in behind next to me and puts his arm around my shoulder. I look up and see that Logan is not amused with his brother’s antics, causing him to laugh before removing his arm.

“This is even better than I thought.” Tanner laughs under his breath. “So you must be Jane? Your aunt has told me so much about you.”

“Who are you?” she asks, sitting up tall.

“I’m Tanner. That guy sitting next to you is my brother, and I am a good friend of Brenna’s.”

I love how both of the guys haven’t treated Jane as though she is a baby and instead engage with her more maturely. She has always been a bit of an old soul.

“Well, if you’re brothers with my best friend, then I guess we can be friends too.” She puckers her lips in thought before nodding to herself.

“Why does he get to be your best friend?” Tanner asks, sounding hurt.

“He makes my BrennBrenn smile, a lot.” She leans over the table like she wants to tell him a secret. “I think she likes him and wants him to be her boyfriend,” she says, loudly and not in a whisper.

My face heats up, and I know it’s beet red. I don’t know her announcement embarrasses me, but I feel better when I look up and see Logan’s wide smile.

“You, Miss Jane, have just become my new best friend.” Tanner laughs. “Do you like games?” he asks, and she nods her head quickly. “How about we go check out that arcade room? If it’s okay with your aunt.”

Her big brown eyes turn to me, and I couldn’t tell her no even if I wanted to. “Go ahead, but you have to listen to Tanner, and you both had better behave.” I use my stern voice and have them both moving their heads up and down.

“Yes, ma’am,” Tanner says, saluting me.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jane repeats.

“Here, let me give you some money.” I reach for my wallet, but Tanner stops me.

“No way. This is on me. I love any excuse to play in an arcade.”

They take off in the direction of the game room, and I watch as Jane grabs Tanner’s hand. He looks back at the table with a blinding smile on his face. How quickly this girl has wrapped both Tate boys around her little finger is amazing.

Logan stand and moves over to my side of the booth, sliding in next to me, so we can watch the two kids play.

“So,” he says, resting his hand on my knee, “a little birdy said you might like me.”

“Really? You’re going to listen to a three-year-old?”

“She thinks you want me to be your boyfriend. I was kind of hoping she was right.”

My attention shoots to him, and I stare in shock, waiting for the laugh and joke to come, but it never does. I hold his gaze and see he is serious.

“She may have been on to something,” I admit and enjoy watching his lips stretch into a grin.

“Yeah? Brenna, you want me to be your boyfriend?”

I slap my hand against his chest. “What, are we in grade school? Are you going to ask me to go steady?”

“It depends. Will you wear my letterman’s jacket?”

I laugh out loud and watch as his face stays serious. “Will you walk me to class and carry my books?”

“Of course, as long as you hold my hand.”

“Oh, I think we can arrange a little more than handholding.” I lean up and press my lips against his.

“That’s what I’m talking about.” Leaning down, he deepens the kiss, and I get lost in the moment, but all too soon, he pulls away, and I remember where we are.

I laugh it off, turning my focus back to where Jane is having a blast with Tanner. Her hands are pressed against the glass of the claw machine as she watches him move the toggle around looking for the right angle. Eventually, he hits the button, and even from a distance, I can see the look on Jane’s face and know he is about to become her second best friend.