Logan shrugs. “I don’t think you’ve told a lot of people about the podcast thing. The fact you felt like you could tell me meant something.”
“Podcast?” Cade asks. “Are you leaving the station? Thank God.”
I roll my eyes. “No. I’m not leaving the radio station.”
“One day she will. When her podcast is successful,” Logan says, squeezing my thigh.
I place my hand on his and mouth, “Thank you.” Who would guess a guy like him could be so sweet?
The questions go on, and although we get all the generic questions right, the other couples beat us on the sentimental stuff. Adam and Lucy win, which is no surprise. They’ve known one another since they were six.
As Logan and I are leaving for the night, my mom says, “Rylan wanted you guys to come to his game next weekend. Are you available?”
“Yeah, we’d love to go,” Logan answers before I can politely decline.
“Great. It’s Saturday.”
Logan’s head falls back. “What time? I’m getting my mom from the airport.”
My head twists in his direction. Did he just say his mom?
“You look like you didn’t know, Nikki,” my mom says.
I force a smile. “Of course I knew. It just slipped my mind. You can meet us there afterward,” I say through gritted teeth to Logan.
I knew nothing about his mom coming. Where is she going to stay? In the house with us? If so, does that mean I can’t sleep in another room? Why didn’t he tell me this earlier?
So many questions and no answers. I suppose it doesn’t matter though, because no matter what, this changes everything. If she stays with us, we’ll have to act like a couple at home too.
Chapter Fourteen
“I’m sick of not having anything to brag about at the retirement home. Do you get what I’m saying?
Logan
The first time I’ve driven myself in Alaska is today, when I’m picking up my mom from the airport in Anchorage. The freedom of being by myself in the SUV is nice, and I use the drive to reflect. I do more of that while I’m waiting for her to come out of the airport. I think about Nikki and what’s happening between us. Every time I feel as if we’re getting closer, she pulls back.
This past week, Iris made us dinner every night, but after our meal, Nikki would usually head upstairs and I’d go get another workout. This isn’t what I’d hoped for when it came to us. I had hopes that we’d grow closer, and if I’m being honest with myself, that she’d fall in love with me. But that doesn’t seem to be happening.
My mom walks out of the airport and I rush out of the vehicle, eager to get out of my own head and feelings. I’m not usually like this, but Nikki’s got a hold on me like no one ever has.
“Hey, Mom,” I say and hug her.
“My baby boy.” She draws back and looks me over. “Too skinny. I can’t wait for you to retire and look like a normal person.”
This is typical of my mom. I’m not sure she likes my career choice, although she’s never told me so. I’m afraid to ask.
“I’m not looking to retire for some time,” I tell her, though we both know that’s not the truth.
“Where’s my daughter-in-law?” she asks, handing me her suitcase. I put it in the back and we both round the SUV, climbing in.
“She’s at her brother’s soccer game.” I buckle my seat belt and shift the vehicle into drive.
“Oh, so I get to meet the entire family already?” Her excitement is bubbling over. This is my mom, Miss Personality. Everyone is her friend.
“I can drop you off at the house.”
“No way, I’m excited to meet everyone.” She crosses her legs and relaxes, staring out the window. “It’s so beautiful here. Have you seen a moose?”
I laugh. “Not yet. A black bear though.”
Her mouth drops open.
“Kidding. But Craig keeps taking me on these trails, and I’m fairly sure I’m gonna be a bear’s meal one day.”
“I’m going to have to talk to Craig. So, how are things going?” She shifts in her seat to face me.
I haven’t told my mom about Nikki’s and my arrangement yet. I haven’t even told Nikki that my mom knows our relationship isn’t close to being real, and that Nikki left me the next morning. “Could be better?”
“Meaning?” she says, tipping her head so she can see my eyes. She’s always said they speak to her more than the words that come out of my mouth.
“I made an arrangement with her.” Why beat around the bush? My mom will figure it out shortly anyway.
“Arrangement?”
“Why are you talking in one-word sentences?”
“Because my son is trying to lie to me. Unsuccessfully, I might add. What did you do?”
I’m driving, so I can still dodge her a little longer, but she’s the only one I trust to tell me if I’m wasting my time with Nikki. Maybe I’m seeing things that aren’t really there. “I asked her to pretend to be happily married so that the press would stay off my back until the fight.”
“Log.” Her tone is one of disapproval. The tone I hate the most when it comes to my mom.
“She wasn’t very receptive to the whole ‘my gut tells me we might have something here’ thing.” I sound like a pathetic lovesick loser.
“And why did she agree to pretend?”
I’m quiet for a moment, but she makes a sound to say she’s waiting on my answer.
“I agreed to get five celebrities to do the podcast she wants to start.”
“Interesting. I thought after Melanie, we agreed that we didn’t want women who liked the idea of your money more than you?”
The last person I want to talk about is Melanie.
“If by us you mean me, yes, but she’s doing me a favor and I’m doing one for her. It has nothing to do with money.” I get off the highway.
“Still. You deserve a woman who wants you for what’s inside.”
“You make it sound like all I have to go on is my personality. I might not be a model, but I’m not that hard on the eyes.”
We stop at a light and she puts her hand on my cheek to turn my face toward her. “Logan, you’re more than easy on the eyes. I mean hello, I’m your mother.”
I laugh. “Nikki doesn’t much care for my career choice.”
Someone honks and I shift my attention back to the road.
“Not many people like to watch their loved ones get beat up. Can’t say I blame her.”
“I think it’s more than that. I think it might be the fame and the… women.” After hearing the story of her dad and how many times she’s accused me of sleeping around, that’s the conclusion I’ve come to. Anyone who has issues with faithfulness in a relationship wouldn’t want to be married to a man who has women throwing themselves at him all the time. She believes no man can withstand sex when it’s offered to them, regardless of who’s doing the offering.
“That makes sense. You have a lot of opportunity,” Mom says.