However, despite getting to know them all and loving it, Maia still clung to me. She wanted me to be included in everything and was disappointed when I insisted she go with just Logan to meet his friends and family. I tried my best to give them father-daughter time, and I knew Logan appreciated it. But the truth was, Maia was living with me, and so far I’d spent a great deal of time with her and I was the one she chose to show her vulnerable side to. It was my shoulder she chose to cry on when everything became too overwhelming.
So yes, I probably did know her better than anyone.
“She likes green. She’s not too girlie. She’s quite mature in her tastes actually. Stylish.” I sighed inwardly, knowing I was an idiot. I’m doing this for Maia, not Logan! “I’ll have a look at the bed and make a quick call while you get your shoes on.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” I shooed him inside and followed him in, pulling my phone out of my bag.
I called Chloe. She was not happy. Her screeching melted away for a second, and suddenly I heard Aidan say, “Do what you have to do, Grace. We’ll catch up with you later.”
I smiled at his understanding. “Thanks. I’ll talk to you soon.”
By the time I got off the phone, I was standing in Logan’s spare room. It was the same size as my guest room, and it was now dwarfed by the beautiful white Shaker-style bed frame and mattress that sat in the middle of the room.
“What do you think?”
I glanced over my shoulder and found him leaning in the doorway. “I think it’s lovely. I hope you have dust sheets to cover it so you don’t get paint on it.”
“We’ll add those to the shopping list.”
“I think this is going to be a very large shopping list,” I said wryly, following him out of the flat.
We’d just hit the ground floor when Mr. Jenner’s door suddenly opened and he leaned outside. “I thought I heard your voice, Grace.” He smiled. “Logan.”
“Mr. Jenner,” we said in unison.
“I heard we have a new addition to the building.”
“My daughter,” Logan said.
I smiled up at him.
“What?” He frowned.
“Nothing.” I looked over at Mr. Jenner, still smiling. Already it seemed to be getting easier and easier for Logan to use the word “daughter.”
“Oh, very good,” Mr. Jenner said, grinning at Logan. “Nice to have family around. Speaking of my lack thereof…” He threw me an apologetic smile. “I couldn’t ask you for a favor, Grace, could I? I’ve run out of a few things.”
I held out my hand. “Of course. You know it’s no problem. Do you have your list?”
He had it in his hand. I tried not to laugh as he passed it to me.
“We’ll probably be a few hours. Is that all right?”
“Oh, of course. That’s no problem. You’re an angel.”
I smiled at him, Logan said good-bye, and we heard Mr. Jenner’s door close behind us just as we stepped out of the building.
“Do you ever say no to anyone?” Logan said.
It was my turn to raise an eyebrow at him. “And where would you be if I did?”
He blinked at my response and then threw his head back in a bark of laughter.
I couldn’t help grinning. And I did so, ignoring the swell of attraction I felt toward him.
The man could probably heal the world with that laugh of his.
We stared down into the boot of Logan’s car. It was packed with stuff, as was the backseat. It wasn’t just stuff for Grace’s room, either, but bits and pieces I’d picked out for the rest of his flat to give it some warmth. Right now it looked half-empty and unlived in. Logan needed to turn the place into a home.
“Do you think we got enough?” he said dryly.
I smirked. “I hope so, or you can say good-bye to your savings.”
“On that note.” He shut the boot and gestured to the computer store. “Does Maia need a laptop? For her school stuff? I mean, she needs a phone, but does she need a laptop?”
“Well, Logan, no one needs a laptop,” I said. “The question is can you afford a laptop?”
He frowned at my nosy question.
“You asked,” I huffed. “I’m just saying… Her birthday is in a few months. If you want to make up for unintentionally missing the last fifteen, a laptop would be a lovely way to do that. But not every birthday should be of laptop magnitude,” I hurried to add.
Logan looked undecided.
“Maia’s just happy to have you right now. She doesn’t need a laptop.”
He slanted me a look out of the corner of his eye. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah.” He nodded and then spun around to look across at the other side of the giant retail park. “Fancy having some lunch before we hit the supermarket for Mr. Jenner?”
I should probably have been getting back. I had work to do. “Sounds good.”
We started walking toward the Tex-Mex restaurant.
“So about a phone for Maia… Do I just buy one? Or should I let her pick it?”
I grinned. He was trying very hard not to sound anxious, but I could hear it anyway. “Do what you think is best.”
He made this little growling noise that a few weeks ago would have intimidated me. Now it just made me grin harder. “I can feel you laughing at me.”