"Hello. How are you?"
"Fine, thanks. And you?"
"Fine. I heard all three of your brothers paid you a visit to check on you." Charles II sounded mild, but she waited for the rest. "It's okay if they pop in to surprise you, but not me, eh?"
"Actually, at first, I wasn't at all happy to see them," she said firmly. "I don't like surprise visits of any kind. But yes, they were here, and we had a nice, short visit."
"So I heard. Charles said you're fine, doing well, relaxing. Didn't have much to say beyond that."
"Because there's nothing much else to report," she said. "I'm fine. I told you all I was." She breathed a tiny sigh of relief. Her brothers had sworn they wouldn't clue Dad in to her plans, but this confirmed it. "Is that why you called?"
"Yes, and to just . . . say hello." Charles II paused. "I didn't like how we left things last time. You know, Tess . . . I'm far from perfect. But I love you. Always have. You're my only daughter, which makes you special. I'm sorry I upset you."
She drew a long, deep breath and exhaled it slowly. "I know you love me, Dad. You've just had a really messed-up way of showing it sometimes. I thought we'd gotten past that by now. I'm in my late thirties, for God's sake."
"I'm aware of that."
"You just . . . need to loosen the reins some, you know?" she suggested. "You make me so damn mad when you pull that controlling, manipulative shit. I won't stand for it. You should know that by now. None of us will stand for it. So just . . . stop."
He didn't say anything.
She sighed and said wearily, "I love you too, Dad. No matter what, that'll never change. I love you. You hear me?"
"I hear you. And it's good to hear."
They talked pleasantly for a few more minutes, and Tess was glad they'd cleared things up a bit. At least, for the time being. But when she turned back to her computer to finish her work for the day, she glanced for the hundredth time at the date in the bottom right corner. She bit down on her bottom lip, unable to hold back a tiny grin of excitement.
She should have gotten her period that day. She hadn't.
A fresh surge of hope whooshed through her. But she willed herself to focus and get back to work. She could get her period the next day. It didn't mean anything yet.
But she couldn't help but hope.
* * *
"Hi!" Tess smiled brightly.
Logan smiled back, and it hit him how much he'd missed her. It had only been five days since he'd seen her, but it felt like five weeks. When he'd texted her that morning to invite her to dinner, it was the first time he'd contacted her since the day he'd left her to deal with her brothers. Now, his insides warmed at the sight of her, going molten. Man, he had it bad. "Hi yourself. Come on in."
She stepped into his mother's place and opened her red parka with one hand, balancing the paper bag she held. He took her coat for her, setting it aside on an armchair as she clutched the bag and went into the living room. The condo was small, but warm and welcoming. Annmarie sat on the couch, looking the same as the last time Tess had seen her, which was a relief. "Hi, Annmarie. How are you?"
"Fine, thanks." Annmarie smiled. Her eyes ran over Tess's tight black top, leggings, and knee-high black leather boots. "That's a great outfit. Shows off your figure. Kind of makes you look like Catwoman, or a ninja spy."
Tess laughed as she sat beside her, still holding the bag. "Thanks. I don't have a whip or a sword or anything. No Chinese stars in here, I'm afraid."
"Pity," Annmarie joked.
"Ha!" Tess looked herself over as if she'd only just remembered what she was wearing. "Maybe the boots are a little sexy, but the rest is just comfortable."
"Pffft." Annmarie dismissed that. "Yes, the boots are hot, but so's the rest of you. I wish I had legs like yours. You're a sexy woman, go on and flaunt it."
"Well, thanks." Tess grinned and shot a glance over at Logan, who winked in amusement.
But his insides heated a little as his eyes quickly traveled over her. He wanted to peel her out of her clothes and let his fingertips claim every sultry inch of her. "She's the sexiest woman on earth," he said.
"Awww," Tess said. She put down the bag, rose up to go to him, and said, "Give me a hug for that one, my hottie boyfriend."
He snorted out a laugh, but was glad for an excuse to touch her. When she pressed herself against him and wrapped her arms around his waist, something inside him melted all over again. God, she felt so good. He held her close and stole a quick kiss, just like a real boyfriend would. After all, his mother was right there.
Tess looked into his eyes and whispered lightly, "Hey there. I missed you."
It made his heart stutter in his chest. She had no idea how she possessed him, now had free reign over his heart. "I missed you too," he said, his voice feeling thick in his throat. "Sorry about that, but . . . thanks for giving me the space I needed. I'm better now. And it's great to see you." He kissed her again, because he could, and whispered, "She's right, you know. You look amazing."
"Thanks." She lifted her hand to give his beard an affectionate scratch, her blue eyes twinkling. "I'm glad you're feeling better."
Annmarie cleared her throat. "Should I leave you two lovebirds alone? It's no problem, just let me know."
"No, of course not." Tess pulled herself out of his embrace and returned to sit beside her on the couch. She reached for the bag she'd brought and placed it in Annmarie's lap. "We have to have lunch, so we can have these."
"What are they?" Annmarie asked.
"Cookies from Pistelli's bakery," Tess said. "Your son got me addicted."
He laughed and said, "Easy to get addicted to those."
"I love their cookies," Annmarie cooed. Her obvious delight warmed Logan's heart.
"Well, I thought you might like some once we got some lunch in you," Tess said.
Annmarie gave her a long look. "A ploy to get me to eat? What am I, a five-year-old? I get the reward of dessert if I eat lunch? Ha!" She chuckled and tsked as she added, "You're transparent, my sweet girl."
Tess merely shrugged and said, "Not sorry."
Logan's already mushy heart expanded. Tess clearly cared about his mother . . . he loved her even more for that. He rose from his chair and said, "I'll get lunch to the table, then. You can entertain my mom with stories about your brothers while I set up."
"Are your brothers entertaining?" Annmarie asked.
"Sometimes. They sure think they are." Tess laughed wryly.
"How many brothers do you have?" he heard Annmarie ask just as he walked out of the room.
He'd made a hearty but simple lunch, a Crock-Pot full of beef and vegetable stew he'd let start cooking the night before. Full of iron, protein, and some fats, it would give his mom some strength if she'd eat even a tiny bit of it. He knew she had no appetite, but still held out hope.
As the three of them ate, Logan hung back as he usually did, letting the women talk. Tess always cheered his mom up and drew her out of herself; she got her engaged in animated conversation, made her forget her troubles for a short while. He shook his head wryly as he suddenly realized she had the same effect on him.
For days, he'd wrestled with his feelings . . . about dealing with his mother's mortality, and about his unexpected, unwanted love for Tess. But finally, last night, he'd come to a place of quiet acceptance, and even an uneasy peace. Because it all reminded him of something he'd forgotten when Katrina had hit: Life is short. You have to grab life's gifts with both hands while you have them.
All this was temporary, a situation that would end. But at least Tess wouldn't be dead at the end of it, unlike his mother. She'd be thousands of miles away, living her own life, but still. He'd steeled himself into a decision: With both of these women who meant the world to him, he'd make the most of his time with them, limited though it was, as much as he could.
He'd have plenty of time to miss them and hurt over it after they were gone. So while they were still here, he'd embrace it and let himself enjoy being with them, and not get too tied up in the wrenching, bittersweet notion of how finite things were. He had to live in the present moment. It was all any of them had, anyway, really.
Whatever his mom needed or wanted, he'd make sure she had it. Same went for Tess. And he'd be there for them with a smile on his face and love in his heart. He'd deal with the massive crash afterwards . . . and try his best not to dwell on the afterwards part when in their company.