It was a hot July day. He was excited to see Sean again, they spoke a lot but hadn’t seen each other for a year, and that was only because Sean had visited him in America. He had a feeling a few people chipped in for that trip, everyone he knew was concerned about him. Sean was the safest bet.

  ‘Well, look at what the tide dragged in.’ He heard a voice behind him and grinned. He turned around and gave Sean a big hug. ‘I’ve missed you, mate.’ He slapped him on the back.

  ‘You too. Where’s this girlfriend I’ve never met?’ Asked Logan. ‘She imaginary after all?’

  ‘Shut up. She’s with Luke. What about this chick you’re apparently with? You didn’t reply to my text.’

  ‘I elected to ignore it.’ Sean handed him a beer and they put two chairs in the sun and sat down.

  ‘Is she your girlfriend then?’ He asked.

  ‘We haven’t really put a title on it, but-’

  ‘But! She is!’

  ‘No, she’s not. I mean, I like her, and I want to be with her. She has other priorities, like a son. He’s so sweet and clever and cute. Honestly, he’s adorable.’

  ‘Have you slept with her yet?’ Sean asked bluntly, taking a swig from his bottle.

  ‘Sean! Honestly. That doesn’t mean anything.’ Though he couldn’t hide his smile.

  ‘You have! You dog.’

  ‘Only recently. She’s been living with me for a month, I mean I wanted to, of course. But, it wouldn’t have bothered me if we hadn’t yet.’

  ‘So, she wanted you too?’ He smirked.

  ‘Yes, we wanted each other, you dickhead. She initiated though, I mean maybe under different circumstances, I would have taken the lead.’

  ‘Have you been on a date?’

  ‘Our first, last night. It got interrupted by her son, so we just went home and had a kebab.’

  ‘Classy. Showing her our true English ways. Those American chicks think we’re suave and handsome, like James Bond, or something.’

  ‘Well, what can I say?’

  ‘Wait, so last night was the night?’ He couldn’t contain his amusement. ‘No wonder you seem so easy going today, you had a good time last night then, did ya?’

  ‘I’m not discussing my sex life with you.’ He said.

  ‘Come on, it’ll be like our uni days! The good old days.’ He laughed, popping open another beer.

  ‘Can we move away from this topic?’

  ‘Fine. So, she’s not your girlfriend?’

  ‘Urm-’

  ‘So, she’s just a friend. That you sleep with?’ He knew he was trying to rile him on purpose. ‘Friends with benefits situation?’

  ‘No! She isn’t that. We don’t have a title. I like her a lot, that’s it.’ He was scratching his neck again. Sean really wouldn’t shut up.

  ‘Tell me then. Did you kiss her goodbye when you left?’ He nodded. ‘And what is your phone background?’

  ‘Her, her son, me and Roger.’

  ‘She’s your girlfriend, face the fact. You’re a grown up now, in a grown-up relationship.’ They finished their beers and chatted about other things such as America and Sean’s time in the North. They finally got started on the house, the trucks had arrived, and Penelope was out with Lucas to keep him out of the way. The sun was shining as they were moving things to the garden, Sean had taken his shirt off and Logan took off his plaid shirt.

  ‘left. Left. Left! Jesus, Sean! That’s your fucking right!’ They were carrying a couch to the lounge. ‘Ouch!’ Logan dropped his side of it.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘There’s a nail sticking out! It’s cut my shoulder.’ It had ripped his t-shirt and cut a deep wound into the back of his shoulder. It was bleeding a little.

  ‘Bloody hell, what are you like?’

  ‘Me? It was you!’

  ‘Take your shirt off. I’ll stick a plaster on it.’ At the moment that Sean was sorting his shoulder, Adrian walked in.

  ‘What are you two doing?’

  ‘I’m giving him a massage.’ Joked Sean.

  ‘Shut the hell up. I caught my shoulder on a nail, because this idiot doesn’t know his left or right.’

  ‘You might need a jab. Rusty nails can have all sorts on them.’

  ‘I’ll be fine.’

  ‘Don’t be stubborn. Come on, it won’t take long. Let’s get it sorted.’

  They returned from the doctors. Logan wasn’t happy. A cut shoulder and an injection were not his plan of a good day, especially when all Sean did was take the piss. They finished, and Logan just wanted to go for a shower. He blasted some music, Queen, his favorite. The hot water felt good on his achy muscles and got rid of the day’s sweat. He couldn’t help thinking about Emilia, that was until his wound started stinging under the soap. He would need her to put a fresh dressing on it for when it dried.

  Emilia unlocked the front door, she pushed the pram through and Roger followed lazily behind. Robbie had fallen asleep on the way back. Logan was unaware of Emilia’s return.

  ‘CAN AANYBOOOOODDDDDYYY FINNNND MEEE SOMEEBODDDYY TOOOOOO LOOOOOVEE?!’

  What the hell was that?

  ‘Each morning I get up I die a little, can barely stand on my feeeet.’ Was it Logan? ‘Somebody. Somebody.’

  Huh, Logan turned into Freddie Mercury in the shower. That was new. She never pegged him as a Queen fan. She heard him mimic the guitar and laughed. She heard the shower turn off, too late to think about joining him, then another song started to play. He walked out of the bathroom rubbing his head with a separate towel.

  ‘Hey, Freddie.’ She grinned. He jumped out of his skin then turned bright red.

  ‘I didn’t think you’d be back yet.’

  ‘I just came back from my walk. Carry on singing, you have a beautiful voice. She walked over and smiled, pulling him closer.

  ‘Maybe I can answer your song.’ She said, reaching up and giving him a quick kiss.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Maybe I can be your somebody.’ She smiled, playing with his hand. She wasn’t looking at him.

  ‘Are you saying?’

  ‘Not yet… but maybe. One day.’ She was being all shy with him. That wasn’t like her. She started toying with the front of his towel. ‘I really like you and I want to be with you. I just can’t say those words. Not yet. Not till I’m sure.’

  ‘I understand. Take your time.’ She looked at him then. ‘So, are we official?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Can I call you my girlfriend?’ He felt like a teenage boy, all nervous and excited. It didn’t help that she was still playing with his towel still.

  ‘That does sound nice.’ She reached his hands around his neck. His chest was still wet along with his hair. He bent his head to kiss her. ‘Maybe our next date will be more successful.’ She grinned.

  ‘Next date? Have you one planned?’

  ‘Chinese and a film? I don’t think Fiona would want to babysit again.’ She laughed.

  ‘She will. Last night was just a shame. I think he just missed his mummy too much. I can’t say I blame him, he isn’t used to sharing you.’ He chuckled. ‘Maybe if we return the favor? Fiona and Ade haven’t been out alone for years, maybe we could babysit for them?’

  ‘That sounds lovely.’ Her hand felt his cut and he winced.

  ‘Ouch.’ He grimaced.

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘A rusty nail. It cut my shirt open and scratched me, I got dragged to the doctors by Adrian.’ She turned him around. It was quite deep and long.

  ‘Poor, baby. Do you not like the doctors?’ She teased, placing kisses around it.

  ‘Not when they inject me. Your treatment is much nicer.’ He turned to face her and wrapped his arms around her. ‘Maybe if you’re lucky, there will be more of that to come.’ She winked. He smirked and went to her neck. ‘Not now. Later.’ She smiled. He was still peppering kisses up her neck and his towel was awfully low.

  ‘Mmm okay, but I’m holding you to that.’

  Chapter Five

  The week went smoothly. They were babysitting on the Saturday for the night, and Penelope had moved into Sean’s. Logan had gone back the day after and helped again.

  Emilia was sitting on the couch with her legs tucked under her, thinking about taking on more hours at work. She wasn’t struggling with her workload, but she didn’t want to miss more time with Robbie because of it. She felt her ponytail moved to the side and a kiss to her collar bone, Logan was leaning over the back of the couch.

  ‘The boy’s asleep.’ He smirked into her neck. He had just had a spectacular tantrum. She nodded, not taking in his meaning. ‘What’s on your mind?’ His arms came around her and she leaned back. ‘Me?’ She finally chuckled at him.

  ‘Work.’

  ‘You’re still thinking about those hours?’ She nodded. ‘What’s your gut telling you?’

  ‘That I should take them. It’s more money, and I’m getting paid more for being overseas, plus you get more. I just don’t want to be one of those people who works all the time. I have you and Robbie. I don’t want to miss out on that.’

  ‘You won’t. Because you have these moments and you’re immortalizing them in this magazine. They’re not going away. It’s like our own little treasure chest.’

  ‘How poetic.’ She said sarcastically.

  ‘Maybe I should be the writer.’ He chuckled. He came around the couch and sat next to her.

  ‘What are you doing about teaching?’

  ‘I haven’t thought about that since I started getting paid by Anthony. I wasn’t going to apply for a job.’

  ‘I thought you really wanted to teach?’

  ‘I do. But I really want to look after Robbie. Who would care for him? Plus, I love seeing him grow every day, I have all the time in the world for him. I don’t want to lose that.’

  ‘What about teaching?’

  ‘I can always teach. I can’t always watch Robbie be a baby. They grow so quickly.’ He smiled, rubbing her feet she placed on him.

  ‘What about part time? Or supply? Then you get the best of both worlds.’

  ‘What about Robbie, who will care for him?’

  ‘Me. We’ll work around each other. I managed for the first eight months, Logan. On my own. I’m grateful you’re here now, but since you came along I was on my own for a long time.’

  ‘I know. I forget you had a bad past, I know I don’t know a lot of it yet. If I have my way, you’ll never be on your own again.’

  ‘You can’t stay stuff like that. We’ve only known each other six weeks.’

  ‘Haven’t they been the best six weeks ever?’ He asked, though there was a vulnerability about him.

  ‘You know I think they have. It’s just… I was promised the world by one guy and it went wrong.’

  ‘How wrong?’ He asked.

  ‘I went to prison.’ She had kept that fact bottled up inside her for far too long. She should have told him sooner. She just didn’t want to know how he would react. It felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulder. He looked shock, understandably. It’s not what he expected. ‘Because of him.’

  ‘What happened?’ Shock still on his face. She didn’t know if he believed her.

  ‘I was eighteen. Daniel had stolen some jewelry and they were stashed in a safe, but in a public area. I went to get them, so we could have a fresh start, then he left me to take the fall. I came out just before I turned twenty.’

  ‘But, I thought Daniel was Robbie’s father.’

  ‘I was on my own until I was twenty-four, working as a security guard, quite ironic, isn’t it? Daniel found me again. He apologized, said he was sorry, begged me to forgive him. Told me all his plans, how he wanted me to be a part of them. How much he missed me. I’d been alone so long I fell for it. I got pregnant with Robbie at twenty-five. I turned twenty-six when he was six months old.

  ‘When did he leave.

  ‘I told him at eight weeks. He left on the spot. I had to go through it all on my own, I had awful morning sickness. I landed the job with Anthony the year before. Daniel was jealous of him, so I always worked from home. I was worried Tony would fire me if he found out I was pregnant, but he, sort of, took me under his wing. Only as a boss. He didn’t help me in any other way. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t bat for my side if I’m honest. But it’s a good working relationship.

  ‘So, you only heard from Daniel again when he called you?’ She nodded. ‘He sounds...’

  ‘Let’s not talk about him. I just wanted you to understand that I find it hard to trust people.’

  ‘Of course, I understand. If I have to spend the rest of my life proving I want you, then I will.’ A playful smirk appeared on his face and he moved closer, pinning her under him and kissing her jaw.

  ‘That’s so cliché.’ She giggled, her hands searching up his shirt.

  ‘Why don’t you ring Anthony and get it over with?’ He was back to her work; how could he be thinking about that when he was kissing her?

  ‘Do we have to discuss this now?’ She pushed his chest, so he looked at her. ‘Can’t we discuss something else?’ She teased, feeling his ass through his jeans.

  ‘No.’ He leant back down and kissed her, nipping her gently. ‘You need to make a decision. You’ll feel so much better.’

  ‘I’ll feel better when you stop mixing business with pleasure.’ She pushed him over, so she was on top. ‘I’ll think about it later.’ His hands went to her waist, whilst she pulled her t-shirt off. ‘You’re too distracting to make any rational decisions, so let’s just have a little fun, whilst we can.’ She smirked, kissing his neck.

  ‘Why don’t I show you just how distracting I can be?’

  Both of them were left panting on the couch, it had been quick and nowhere near as tender as this morning. They didn’t want to risk Robbie waking up. It was certainly difficult to be exploring a new relationship with a baby involved, but he couldn’t ask for it any other way.

  Logan pulled a blanket over them and snuggled into her. She listened as his breathing grew shallow and he was eventually asleep on her shoulder. She stroked his hair until she nodded off herself.

  It was six in the evening and they couldn’t be bothered doing anything, Robbie was still asleep, so they were watching TV and snoozing. They hadn’t moved since the afternoon.

  Knock, knock. It woke them both up from their light sleep. Who the hell was that? They weren’t expecting anyone.

  ‘You go.’ She groaned.

  ‘I’m afraid, love. I’m not adequately dressed, which was not my fault.’

  ‘You’re a pain.’ She threw the blanket off, exposing a bare Logan. She had put some pajamas on because Logan loved to have an apartment that matched the arctic.

  Knock, knock.

  ‘Coming!’ She opened the door. It was a man she hadn’t met before. ‘Hello? Who are you?’

  ‘I’m Sean.’ He offered a hand. ‘You must be Emilia.’ She took his hand and he kissed it.

  ‘Sean! I’ve heard so much about you. Come in.’ She smiled. He followed her through to the living room where Logan was lying under the blanket quite obviously naked.

  ‘My, my. What have you been up to?’ He grinned. Logan was shocked to see him standing there, especially when he was nude. ‘Glad to see you’re looking after one another.’

  ‘What the hell are you doing here? Get lost.’ He was embarrassed. Sean didn’t need to know any more about him and Emilia.

  ‘I’ve clearly intruded. I thought I’d be welcome.’

  ‘You are welcome, Sean. Ignore Logan.’

  ‘How are you already on his side?’ He looked offended but jokingly. He sat up with the blanket around his waist. His shoulder feeling tender.

  ‘I’m just being nice to our guest. Need to make a good impression on your friends. Would you like anything? A beer, tea?’

  ‘A beer sounds lovely.’ He smiled. ‘Got yourself a keeper here, Logan. She’s way too good for you. You can do much better, Em.’ She laughed, as she handed him the beer opened.

  ‘I often feel it’s the other way around.’ She smiled.

  Logan walked to his bedroom to throw on some clothes, smiling because of Sean’s approval of Emilia. He wasn’t bothered if he didn’t like her, but it made his life a lot easier that he did.

  ‘To what do we owe the pleasure?’ He asked, returning from his bedroom.

  ‘If the lady here doesn’t mind. I want to steal you for a night.’

  ‘Seaaan.’ No one was supposed to know about that.’ He teased.

  ‘You’re just a jackass. I meant for a lad’s night out.’

  ‘Ooo, that sounds fun.’ Smiled Emilia, disappearing to her bedroom.

  ‘I was going to spend the evening with Em. As you can see, a good night was planned.’ He whispered.

  ‘Come on. Duncan and Alex even managed to persuade their women.’

  ‘Who else?’

  ‘Paul, Adrian, Sebastian.’

  ‘Carl?’

  ‘Too busy getting laid. Come on.’ Logan rolled his eyes. He could be busy getting laid if Sean would fuck off, but he was never going to win.

  Emilia returned with Robbie in her arms. He’d had a long nap and it was time for his dinner. Logan smiled when he saw him, he knew how he felt for both of them and really wanted to tell her, but he knew she wasn’t ready.

  ‘I know who this is.’ Smiled Sean, placing his beer on the counter and walking over. ‘May I?’ Emilia passed him over with a smile. ‘I’ve heard so much about you, Rob. You little cutie. Lucas would love to meet you I’m sure.’ He looked at Emilia. ‘Lucas is my son. He’s seven now and growing too fast.’

  ‘Sean was in a similar position to you but under different circumstances. I clearly like picking up the single parents.’ They all laughed at the bizarreness of the situation. Logan had befriended Sean when Lucas was one and they had been close ever since, until he left for America

  ‘What is it? Three now?’ Laughed Sean. Logan didn’t. Three? What did he mean?’

  ‘Sean.’

  ‘Oh, sorry. Urm, so Emilia. How do you like England?’