“Lynne, it’s me again. Please call me back. I want to know you’re all right, and in case you forgot, I have your daughter.”

I end the call and toss my phone onto the coffee table. After lunch, we came back to my apartment to watch movies. It wasn’t long before Jane fell asleep and we moved her to my bed. She had a fun day with the Tate brothers and officially moved Tanner up to best friend status. She had three new stuffed animals from the claw machine before leaving the restaurant.

“Anything?” Logan asks, sinking down into the couch next to me.

“Nope. I don’t know what I am supposed to do. I can’t keep calling out of work. That’s not going to pay the bills. I definitely don’t know anything about daycares or if I would even be able to enroll her because I’m not her parent.”

“When is your next shift at the bar?”

“Tomorrow night. I’m sure Claire wouldn’t mind watching Jane. She has a little girl, and they love to play together.”

“Jordan’s girl?” he asks, slipping his fingers between mine.

“Yeah, they actually live across the hall. Well, Jordan hasn’t officially moved in, but the guy never leaves.”

Logan’s phone rings from the kitchen, so releasing my hand, he stands from the couch to fetch it. As he takes his call, I pick up my cell and send Claire a text.

I need a favor.

Claire: Does it have anything to do with your new frequent house guest? Jordan saw you guys come in.

We have some catching up to do about that. Jane is staying with me for a while. Would you be able to watch her tomorrow night while I work?

Claire: Of course. Emma was just asking about her. But you will be filling me in about you and lover boy.

Thank you! And I promise to give you the lowdown.

“That was my uncle,” Logan says, returning to the living room. “He was hoping I would be able to reach you and beg you to return to his office. Apparently, he doesn’t feel anyone is capable of fulfilling the job other than you.”

I laugh, imagining that Richard was exaggerating again. “I’m not sure that job will be in the cards for me. At least not right now.”

“About that …”

“What?”

“I hope you don’t mind, but I lightly touched on your current situation with my uncle.” He stops talking to gauge my reaction. Not sure how I feel about Richard knowing my problems, I just nod my head, hoping he will continue. “All I told him was that your niece is staying with you. I didn’t mention the details, and I know Trevor won’t say anything, either.”

“Okay. At least he won’t think I’m just flat turning the job down. I’m honored he wants to hire me, but I don’t have anywhere for Jane to go right now.”

“Well, we think we might have a solution for the time being, so you can take the job and Jane will be taken care of during the day.”

I turn my body, bending my knees to the side so I can face Logan. “I told you I couldn’t enroll her in daycare, and I’m fairly certain I wouldn’t be able to afford it even if I could.”

The thought of not being able to provide for Jane hurts. She deserves nothing but the best, and I will bend over backward for her, which makes it hard to understand how a mother could abandon her child like this.

“I know you said that. Trevor’s wife, Gabby, stays home with their little boy, and he’s close to Jane’s age. She would be more than willing to watch Jane for you while you work. She was a teacher for ten years before their son was born, so she has experience with kids. I can give her a call, and we can go by their house so you can meet her and Jane can meet TJ.”

I blink and release the tears I had been building up, swiping my hand across my cheeks to clear them away.

Logan looks puzzled but quickly pulls me into his arms. “Are you upset with me?”

My head moves against his chest, shaking back and forth. With a sniffle, I sit back up and clean my face, but Logan grabs my hands and gently wipes my cheeks.

“No, I’m not upset. Why are you doing all this for me? I’ve spent years getting by without anyone’s help, and then you come along and have done so much for me in the past two days. It’s just a lot to take in.”

“I told you, Brenna. I care about you. I want to help you and so does my uncle. He saw something in you the first day you worked for him, and he has great instincts.” He presses his lips to my forehead, his hands cradling my face. “Let me help you. It won’t make you any less of a person to accept help when needed. I hate that you have been alone this long, but I’m telling you now that from here on out, you will never be alone again.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Logan.” Our gazes lock, but all I see is sincerity in his deep blues.

“I never do.”

A high-pitched scream comes from my room, and we both jump up and bolt down the hall. Opening the door, I see Jane curled up on my comforter, her pink blanket squeezed against her chest and sobs pouring out.

The mattress dips as I sit down next her and she lifts her head. Red eyes stare up at me, causing my heart to break.

“It’s okay, sweet angel,” I say soothingly, rubbing my hand up and down her back.

She stares at me, but at the same time, she doesn’t seem fully awake. After a few moments, she blinks and throws herself into my arms, wrapping her tiny body around me.

“Shhh, it’s okay. I’m right here,” I whisper as I continue to calm her down, rocking us back and forth.

Logan sits down beside me; one arm goes around my waist and the other joins mine on Jane’s back. She jerks from the touch and lifts her head from where it’s buried in my chest and glances toward Logan.

“Hey, are you all right, baby girl?” he asks her quietly.

Her little head nods, and I stop our rocking motion. Her cries have subsided, leaving her with her pitiful sniffles. Unwrapping her arms from my neck, she reaches out for Logan. His eyes meet mine, and I nod my head, releasing my hold on her before he takes her in his arms. My heart warms at the way she latches onto him, and he whispers sweet words to her.

After a few minutes, Jane has her sniffles under control, and I watch as Logan’s thumbs wipe away her cheeks, much like he did mine earlier. At this moment, I can feel myself falling a little more in love with him.

“Did you have a bad dream?” I ask once she has fully calmed down.

“I don’t remember,” she says, still holding Logan. “BrennBrenn?”

“Yeah, sweetie?” I place my hand above Logan’s on her back.

“I think I went potty,” she whispers before burying her head into Logan’s shirt.

My eyes meet Logan’s, and he nods his head.

“It’s okay. Come on, let’s go take a bath, and we will get you all cleaned up.” I take her from Logan, and that’s when I notice the big wet spot on her clothes as well as his.

I mouth, “Sorry,” to Logan, but he holds a hand up to stop me and smiles.

“How about I call Gabby while you take care of Jane?” he asks, standing from my bed.

“That would be great. Thank you.”

Pressing a kiss to the side of my head and Jane’s, he walks out to the living room while I take Jane to the bathroom. I set her down, and she removes her wet clothes while I fill up the tub with water and her favorite bubbles.

“Do you think Logan is mad at me?” her sweet voice asks me.

Looking over my shoulder, I find her standing with her head down, chin to her chest. I shut the water off and pull her closer to me.

“No, sweet angel. He’s not mad at you. No one is. It was just a little accident.”

“Okay,” she says, and I see tears pooling in her baby blues.

“I love you, you know that?”

“Love you too, BrennBrenn,” she responds, still sounding upset.

My fingers tickle her sides, gaining a few giggles and a huge smile. Lifting her up, I place her in the tub among lots of bubbles, and it doesn’t take long before she is playing with her toys, the past half-hour forgotten.

Leaving the bathroom door open, I walk out and find Logan pressing paper towels to his shirt. He lifts his head when he hears me approach, and as a smile spreads across his face, he doesn’t look like a guy who has a child’s urine all over him.

“How is she?” he asks.

“She’s in there playing, so I think all is good again. She did ask me if you were mad at her.”

He wads up the paper towels and tosses them in the trash can. “Poor girl, there is no way I could be mad at her.”

“I told her you weren’t. It would probably break her little heart if her best friend was mad at her.”

Stepping closer, he hooks an arm around my waist and tugs me to his body. “I can’t have that. She might replace me with Tanner.” He scrunches up his nose, and I laugh at how cute he looks. “Gabby is over the moon about keeping Jane and can’t wait to have a little girl to play with. She invited us over for dinner tonight. Does that sound okay with you?”

“Yeah. Thank you again.”

“I’m going to need you to stop thanking me.”

“Then stop doing so many nice things for me.”

His lips meet mine once and then twice. “I can’t do that.”

Jane makes a big splash in the tub followed by a loud laugh. “I’d better go check on her and see if my bathroom is under water. Do you want to run home and change?”

“We can make a pit stop on the way. I only live a couple of blocks from Trevor.”

---

After prying Jane out of the tub, which takes a tremendous effort, we go into my guest bedroom to get her dressed. Being an independent three-year-old, she wants to dress herself, so I tell her to choose her outfit and put it on while I go change my clothes. Pushing around the hangers in my closet, I can’t decide what I want to wear to his cousin’s house. I want to make a good impression, considering what happened last night.

Finally, I decide on a blue maxi skirt and a white top, something both cute and comfortable. Slipping into my sandals, I walk out to the living room and find Logan down on his knees, helping Jane put her shoes on.

“You guys ready?” I ask, gaining two sets of eyes looking in my direction.

“I forgot my blankie.” Jane takes off running toward my bedroom.

Logan stands and walks in my direction, his eyes raking over my body. “You look amazing, Brenna.”

I circle my arms around his neck and press my lips to his. “Thank you,” I say and meet his lips again.

“Logan, are you BrennBrenn’s boyfriend now?”

We pull away from each other, and I turn to face Jane, who is eyeing us curiously and holding tightly to her blanket. Logan kneels, bringing himself closer to her level.

“Do you think if I asked her she would say yes?” he asks.

Jane nods her head, and her mouth spreads wide in a toothy smile. “I do; I do.” She bounces up and down on her toes.

Logan glances up at me with a smile as big as Jane’s. “Well, what do you say, Brenna? Will you be my girlfriend?”

I laugh at his question and kneel beside him. “I don’t know. Are you sure I should say yes?” I ask Jane.

She leans in closer to me and whispers, “I like him. He’s really really nice, and he’s cute too.”

Logan winks at me from behind Jane, looking proud of himself at the praise he just received from a child.

“I guess since you think it’s a good idea, I will let him be my boyfriend.”

Jane begins jumping up and down in excitement, and Logan stands, holding a hand out to help me up.

“I can’t wait to tell my best friend Tanner. Maybe I should text him,” she says.

“Come on, crazy girl. We need to head out, and you can’t even spell yet, so there will be no texting.” I laugh at her statement, always amazed by what comes out of her mouth.

Leaving my apartment, we walk to Logan’s car as he holds both our hands. I love the cute relationship he’s formed with Jane. They bonded instantly, and it shows me a side of him that I never imagined.

We secure the car seat in the back of his Range Rover, and I buckle Jane in. She is chatty during the car ride and talks nonstop, mostly asking Logan everything from his favorite toys as a kid to his favorite cartoons.

Twenty minutes later, we are pulling through a large metal gate that opens after he presses a button in the car. He makes a few turns, but I am too busy admiring all the beautiful houses to pay attention. My mouth falls open when he pulls into the driveway of a huge brick house. The garage doors open, and he pulls forward, putting his car in park.

“I won’t be long, but why don’t you guys come inside and wait,” he says, and Jane already has her harness unbuckled.

“This is your house?” I ask in complete shock.

“Yeah.” He laughs. “Not what you were expecting?”

“Not at all. Honestly, I imagined you living in a fancy apartment downtown.”

“I actually did until recently. It hasn’t been long since I moved in. I’m still getting used to all this space. Come on, I’ll give you a quick tour.”

We exit the car and follow Logan through the door inside his garage. We enter the largest laundry room I have ever seen, which leads into a large, open kitchen.

“It’s gorgeous,” I say, turning in a circle and admiring all the open space.

“Thank you. Let me show you the best part.” Grabbing my hand, he guides me through the house with Jane on his other side.

Opening the French door, we step outside onto a stunning patio, complete with an outdoor kitchen and a huge pool. Jane takes off toward the water, and I follow closely behind.

“I love your pool. Can we go swimming sometime? I don’t know how to yet, but I really, really want to learn,” Jane says, inching her way closer to the edge.

Whether sensing my anxiety or being nervous himself, Logan scoops her up in his arms before she can get too close.

“Anytime you want. We just need to get you some floaties, and I’m sure you will be swimming like a fish in no time.”

“I don’t want to be a fish. I want to be a mermaid,” she corrects him, causing him to chuckle.

“Okay, mermaid it is. I am going to change real fast so feel free to explore,” he says, handing Jane to me.

We walk around the first floor of the gorgeous home, and I am in awe of every room. I would never have guessed he just moved in because everything is furnished and decorated, looking as though someone has been here for years. I hold Jane’s hand tightly, afraid she’ll touch something and break it. Everything looks expensive and more than likely way out of my price range to replace.

I don’t enter any of the rooms with closed doors and remain in the open living space. The kitchen captures my attention, and I migrate back there, running my hand over the smooth granite countertops. I don’t do much cooking at my apartment, but with a kitchen like this, it could become my new favorite hobby.

Hearing heavy footsteps, I look up to find Logan jogging down the stairs. He’s changed into dark jeans and a fitted navy shirt that pulls my attention to his muscular physique.

“You look like you’re starving, Brenna?”

My eyes move from his torso to the cocky smirk plastered on his face; obviously, I wasn’t very subtle in my admiration. When I meet his heated gaze, I see the same hunger in his.

“I’m starving too,” Jane huffs, breaking our stare and causing me to laugh.

“Well, we can’t have that. Come on, pretty ladies, let’s go.” He holds his hand out, and Jane quickly latches on.

The drive to his cousin’s house is short, and as he said, it is only a couple of blocks away. Just like all the other houses in the neighborhood, theirs is stunning. Jane waits for Logan to unbuckle her, and we all walk hand in hand to the front door.

Logan releases my hand to press the doorbell and laces his fingers back through mine.

The door opens, and we are greeted by the cop from last night. “Welcome, guys. Come on in.”

“With everything going on last night, I seemed to have skipped introductions, so Trevor, this is my girlfriend, Brenna and this little beauty is Jane.”

I hold my free hand out to Trevor, trying not to react to hearing Logan call me his girlfriend. “Thank you for your help last night.”

He places his hand in mine and then closes his other on the outside, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m happy Logan called. That’s a rough area, and I wouldn’t have wanted you guys to go alone. Whatever help you need with that situation, Brenna, I’m here for you.”

“I appreciate that.”

Turning his attention to Jane, he leans down and holds his hand out to her. “It’s nice to meet you, Jane.”

She places her little hand in his and smiles. “I’m making a lot of new friends today.”

“You’re not done yet.” A gorgeous woman approaches with a little boy beside her. “Hello, Jane. My name is Gabby, and this is TJ.”

The kids make their introductions, and after the mention of a playroom, they take off through the house.

“Hi, Brenna,” she says, wrapping her arms around me in a comforting hug. “It’s great to meet you.”

“You too. Thank you for having us over on such short notice.”

She waves a hand through the air. “It’s no problem. I’m so happy you guys are here.”

“She loves having people over. She spends her days with just TJ, so she craves any adult interaction. Better watch out, she’ll have you over every night.”

Gabby swats her husband in the stomach and waves him off. “Why don’t you guys go somewhere.”

Logan kisses my head before heading outside with Trevor, and I follow Gabby to the kitchen. She tells me to take a seat at the island while she finishes dinner.

“Your home is lovely,” I say, taking a sip of the wine Gabby poured me.

“Thank you. I love it here. We’re close to Trevor’s parents, and TJ loves his grandparents. With Logan moving into the neighborhood, it’s almost like the whole family is together. We just need to convince Tanner to leave the city.”

“Yeah, I don’t see that happening.” I laugh.

“I know. I’m guessing you are the same Brenna who Tanner is always talking about? I used to always think he had a crush on you, but the way he speaks about you, I can tell he respects you.”

“Aww, I love Tanner. He’s such a great guy.” I stop and think about what I said. “Well, I’m sure most females won’t agree, but to me, he has always been sweet.”

She nods her head as she cuts up vegetables for a salad. “He has a big heart. I just wish he would open it up and let someone in.”

Tanner really is a great guy, but he keeps it hidden under his whole playboy persona. I am grateful for his friendship, and I know he would have much to offer someone when he finally decides to take that step.

“I imagine the day will come, and he will turn in his player’s card, or at least we can hope.”

We share a laugh, and she calls the guys and kids for dinner. Sitting around her large family table, Jane and TJ sit at one end in their own little world while Gabby and I listen to the men argue over an upcoming sports game. The simple mundane moments like this is are what I have always craved the most in life.

In just the first few minutes I was in the house, I instantly fell in love with Gabby. After dinner is over and we clean the kitchen and dishes together, I know without a doubt that she will be a great friend. TJ and Jane seem to get along great, and she is excited to come back and spend the day with him while I work.

By the time we leave, the kids are worn out. Logan carries a sleeping Jane out to the car, and my heart warms at the gentle way he secures her in the car seat. He is making it impossible not to fall in love with him.