“Yeah,” I say.
“Logan Stone… so does that mean you’re now Nikki Stone?”
His questions bring up something I haven’t thought of until now. I’ve never considered changing my name. Maybe because we’re dating while married.
“I’m still Nikki Greene.”
“That’s my independent girl.” He acts as though he’s proud of me for not taking the name, but he would’ve thrown a fit if my mom or his other two wives didn’t take on Greene. Plus, he’s a chauvinist who believes he makes the money and his wife should stay at home.
“What did you need?” I ask to get this conversation going.
“I’m going to be in Vegas around the time of Logan’s fighting Rinaldo. I thought maybe the three of us could go to dinner? My treat, of course.”
“Dinner?” That isn’t what I expected. I thought for sure he’d want to take his friends to the fight. Show off his clout with ringside seats because his daughter’s married to the fighter.
Now that I care more for Logan, the thought of sitting there and watching him bleed in the ring makes me nauseated.
“Yeah. Celebrate, since I know he’ll win,” he says.
“So you don’t want to go to the fight?”
He’s quiet for a moment and I’m surprised, because usually he has the lines ready to go. “Well, I thought I’d sit next to you, since from the look of the pictures I saw online, you don’t like fighting.”
“So just you then?” I turn the coffee cup in a circle on the table.
“Your uncles are dying to go too.”
“Uncles?” My dad’s an only child, but I know who he’s talking about. I just want to make him say it.
“Todd and Eddie. They’re the ones who told me about the news—and I had to act like I knew, of course. I know things are strained between us, Nik, but I’m your father. I deserved to know you got married.”
I sip my coffee. “It’s been a whirlwind. You want three tickets then?”
“Yeah, but I told Todd and Eddie I’m taking you two to dinner afterward and they’ll have to entertain themselves.”
“I’ll talk to Logan. I’m not sure about dinner. We’ll have to see after the fight is over. Logan might not want to go out.”
“Totally understandable.”
He’d probably prefer it if Logan doesn’t want to.
“I just want to meet the man who stole my daughter’s heart.” He laughs. “I gotta admit, I never thought I’d see the day.”
“Well, I never thought I’d see the day you got married for the third time, but there you are with Jeanie. She won’t be coming up to Vegas with you, will she?”
I know the answer is no. He’ll leave the wife at home and come up with his buddies.
He used to tell me that I needed to hold my tongue and I should respect him. He’s at least stopped pretending we’ll ever have a normal relationship.
“The twins have school, and she hates to leave them.”
“I’ll talk to Logan and get back to you.” I’d like to end this conversation now before he further ruins my day.
“Sounds great. Love you, Nik,” he says.
“Bye, Dad.”
I hang up and stare out the window of The Grind, watching tourists move about the town. The families hold my attention longer than normal, and I consider what my future looks like with Logan. We’ve never discussed kids or my name changing or where we’ll live once he’s done with this fight. There’s so much that needs to be settled between us.
As though Logan can hear when I’m thinking of him, he and Craig stroll into The Grind, both sweaty messes with gym bags slung over their shoulders. I’ll admit, it’s kind of awesome to have a husband who stays so in shape. Logan spots me and leaves Craig with Zoe at the register.
“Hey,” he says, sitting down and sliding his chair close to me. He leans in for a kiss, but I push his head back, leaving me with a handful of sweat.
I run it down a napkin and he laughs. “What are you doing here?”
He picks up my coffee and sips it, cringing at the sugar.
I steal it back. “Then get your own.”
He laughs. “My manager called and said he’s coming into town.”
“Vince?” I clarify.
He nods.
“Why?” My first impression of Vince wasn’t a great one. Logan has a lot of faith in him, but I don’t know. I don’t get the feeling that Vince has Logan’s best interests in mind.
“Because he wants to check up on me. I’m his paycheck.”
I frown because I don’t like that and it’s exactly what I’m talking about, but I don’t feel it’s my place to tell Logan I think his manager is using him. God knows Vince has been with Logan longer than I have.
As if he can hear my thoughts though, Logan says, “It’s just business. People use people.” He shrugs as though it is what it is and nothing’s going to change.
“Speaking of people using people, I called my dad back.”
His eyes widen. “And?”
“He wants three tickets to the fight and says he wants to take us out to dinner afterward.”
He cringes. “That’s nice and I’ll get him tickets next to you, but I’m not sure about dinner. Depends how things go and how I feel afterward.”
I smile, thinking about being alone in his suite again now that we’re an actual couple. “That’s pretty much what I told him.”
He leans in. “Kiss me.”
He’s less sweaty now and I’m a sucker for those eyes, so I pucker my lips. He doesn’t wait a second before his lips are on mine and his tongue is in my mouth.
Someone clears their throat and I pull away.
“You two have an entire house, and you pick a coffee shop to make out in?” Craig sits down with a muffin and a coffee.
Logan stares at the muffin. “You’re going to eat that in front of me?”
Craig pushes it my way. “Zoe made me take it. Here you go, Nikki. Neither of us can eat it.” Craig sips his coffee.
“Do you have to make weight too?” I ask, and he looks over at Logan.
“It’s moral support,” Craig says.
I’m just about to take a bite of the muffin when I look at Logan. “Should I be eating differently in front of you? I’m sorry.”
Logan shakes his head. “No, I like to watch you enjoy things.”
“Ew… get a room.” Craig tips the chair back, leaving two legs on the floor. “Question, Nikki, is Zoe single?”
I smile because Craig is cute and, although older than Logan, younger than Zoe. “She is, and she’s amazing.”
“Thanks.” He stands and goes back over to see Zoe at the counter. Since it’s midmorning, the place isn’t packed, so he leans over the counter and I see that Zoe can’t stop smiling.
Love it.
I’m interrupted from watching them when the door opens, and Vince stands there with his arms open wide. “I’m here to bring you home.”
The word home coming out of Vince scares me when I think of all those unanswered questions that came to mind only a short time ago. Where is Logan’s home now?