Page 66 of Break the Barrier

“Well, it wouldn’t bother me, per se. I think it would be loud, but…yeah, maybe it is weird.”

“Well, I can be here too, if you want,” I rush to add, not trying to place myself into their lives if they don’t want it.

But I hope they do.

“I always want that, Thea,” he admits softly, his gaze on the food, but his movements still. “I really love having you around.”

That blush that never seems to die when I’m around Logan heightens. “Well, I love being around you too.”

“That’s good news, considering.”

Our eyes connect, and we both laugh lightly at the situation.

In no time, Logan plates the food and then we’re sitting together at the table, our chairs are as close as they could be, and Logan made it very obvious that’s exactly what he wants.

I realize that this is the first time we’ve truly been alone together on a date, and though I worried about how that would be, if it would be awkward or have long, drawn-out silence, it was more comfortable than I could imagine.

“This is amazing, Logan,” I compliment his food, taking another too-large bite. It was the nerves, to be sure.

“Thank you.” I hear a smile in his voice and glance up right as I slurp a noodle into my mouth. It was not as graceful as you’re picturing.

We talk and eat in a comfortable rhythm, going back and forth over different topics. Talking about our upbringing and his parents and mine. He tells me how his dad left them so long ago that it was like he never existed.

I tell him about my parents, telling him that my upbringing was way different from my lifestyle now.

“Are you happy with your life now?” he asks, some sort of worry in his eyes.

I meet them head-on and smile. “I’m very happy with my life now. I love my business, love working with my sisters. I love that I have the freedom to run my own schedule, even if it can be grueling at times.”

“It’s gotta be tough.”

“It’s nicer now that Ophelia is in town. She can help give us three a little more time off.”

He nods. “I’m glad she’s staying with you, with everything going on. Have you…” He trails off, and I wait.

“Have I what?” I ask when he doesn’t continue.

“Have you told them about what’s going on yet?”

I sit back in my chair, my stomach full of food. “I haven’t. I’m trying to leave them out of it.”

“You don’t think they’d want to know?”

“Oh, they would.” I shake my head against the image of Annmarie if she found out. “But we’ve had enough drama with Eric, to the point where I’d rather they think that part of our life didn’t happen at all.”

“I see.” I can tell he doesn’t completely agree with my plan, but he doesn’t say that. He keeps it to himself.

“I’m just trying to protect my sisters, that’s all.”

“I know you are, and I have to admire that, Thea.” He shrugs and says, “But I think they’d want to know because they care about you. The burden to take on the way everyone else reacts to certain situations is not on you. You’re not causing this.”

“I’m basically the mom,” I admit. “Ever since my parents died, that’s been my role.”

“I know, hon, and I’m not trying to take that away or say you shouldn’t care about what your sisters do or say or feel, but I’m telling you, they’re adults now. They can take care of their own emotions.”

The words are the truth, even if that truth is pretty hard to handle right now.

Leaning forward again, I look at him. He’s turned casual for our night in, just a clean T-shirt and jeans, feet bare and hair a wild mess from his shower that he must have taken between work and my arriving here. As much as I love that cowboy hat, it’s nice to see him so relaxed.