Logan could have left it there, but he wanted to be as truthful as possible.

“Look. I want you to know that I care about your mom a lot. If she did want to be my girlfriend, I would like that, but it’s a complicated time for both of us. The important thing for you to know is that I’m not a dickhead. If she wanted to become a big part of my life, I would want and expect you to be a big part of my life, too.”

Biyen’s teeth flashed as he stuffed the final bite of cookie into his mouth. “I don’t think you should let Mom hear you say that word.”

“Which one?” Logan played dumb. “Girlfriend?”

Biyen tucked his chin, looking so much like Sophie at her sternest, Logan had to chuckle.

“Gramps let me swear sometimes.” Biyen’s chin came up with pride as he gathered his mug in two hands.

“Yeah?”

“Uh-huh.” He took several gulps to drain it, then swiped his wrist over his lips. “The d-word. The one like the beaver builds.”

“I know that one.” Logan nodded.

“The f-word. Fart,” he mouthed. “Not the other one.” His eyes widened.

Logan would have wondered what sort of fairyland they occupied if Biyen hadn’t at least heard the other one.

“And the s-word,” Biyen said. “The poop one. Except that was because I dropped my whole tub of LEGO.”

“What else do you say when that happens?”

“That’s what Gramps said!”

They shared a solid laugh of enjoyment over that one.

Chapter Seventeen

For a kid who’d only been away from her for one night, Biyen sure had a lot to say.

“Logan couldn’t decide if the pilot house should be a dining room or a reading lounge and I said why don’t you let it be a playroom for kids who want to pretend they’re steering the boat? He said that’s a great idea and tomorrow I can go inside with him so we can talk more about it if that’s okay with you.”

“Is this what your job is?” Sophie accused Logan playfully. He was walking alongside them as they made their way home. “You plagiarize other people’s great ideas and take all the credit?”

“And all the money.” He nodded. “In this case, I will not be compensated, so you’re welcome to fifty percent of a big, fat zero.”

“Sounds about right.”

Biyen started to break into a run, then halted.

“Oh.” His shoulders fell. “I was going to go tell Gramps. I forgot he’s not there.”

“Yeah.” A bolt of loss went through her chest, leaving an ache. She hugged him into her side and gave his hair a brief stroke and kissed his crown. “It’s okay to forget for a minute. It’s something we don’t really want to remember.”

He nodded. “I’ll go tell Dad.”

“Go for it.”

He ran head, veering toward the tent on the lawn.

“Hey, you should know he didn’t just come home because he missed you.” Logan lowered his voice and touched her arm, slowing her step. “He asked if I was your boyfriend. Nolan told him you were thinking of leaving and said Biyen could live with him if you decide to live with me.”

“Fuck me,” she said under her breath, halting in the middle of the driveway. “What did you say?”

“That we weren’t together, but if you wanted to be, I would expect he would be as much a part of my life as you are. I mean that, Soph. Take as much time as you need to figure things out, but know that I want you both in my life. I’m late to the party, but whatever this is?” He pointed between them. “It’s not going away. Not for me.”

She had tried. God knows, she had tried to get over him. To hate him. To exile him from her life. It hadn’t worked. Nothing worked.

Biyen laughed and Logan turned his head to look that direction.

“I know this package includes Biyen’s father, too. I don’t love that part, but I accept it. I won’t interfere in how you manage him, but I will hold the line on whatever boundaries you set so tell me what they are and that’s where I’ll stand.”

Was it the romantic declaration she had always yearned for him to make? No. But it was one of the most meaningful promises he could make to her. He was telling her he accepted how flawed and messy she was. That he understood her.

She wanted to hug him. She wanted him to hold her while she leaned on him and let him give her the sense that, just for a minute, she wasn’t alone in this battle called life.

She wanted to tell him she loved him. Because she did. And yeah, he was right. It wasn’t going away.

“Thanks.” She gave his arm a squeeze and cleared her throat before calling out, “Hey, bud? Can you help Logan start making supper? Your dad and I need to talk.”

“What are we having?”

“I don’t know,” Logan called. “But there is a metric ton of casseroles in the freezer up at the house. You want to walk up with me and see what looks good?”

“Sure. Maybe Emma would let me Facetime Immy and Coop.”

“Let’s go ask.”

Sophie watched them head up the path before turning her attention to Nolan and the latest boundaries she needed to set.

*

They found a vegetarian lasagna and left it on the washer while Biyen used Emma’s tablet to chat with the Kiwi kids. The timing had worked out perfectly since they’d just arrived home from their day at school.

Logan was trying to feed Storm while Emma prepared their own dinner, but Storm kept turning her head to where the kids were giggling.

“You got a bad case of fomo, don’t you?” Logan scraped the pureed yam from her cheek and pushed it toward her mouth again.

She made a face of disgust and turned her face away, then held out her hand toward the counter. “Ta? Ta?”

“Oh, that’s my bad, leaving those where you can see them.” Emma noticed the clear box of blueberries she had removed from the fridge in her search for something else. “All right. A few of these, then you eat your dinner.”

She washed a small handful and brought them to Storm’s tray.

“How’s Sophie?” she asked while she was close enough to speak softly.