Chapter 27

"You sure know the way to a guy's heart." Logan swiped a chip through a puddle of ketchup in the middle of their newspaper feast. "Who knew fish and chips could be just as delicious lukewarm?"

"I prefer them hot." Hope wrinkled her nose as she popped a piece of fish into her mouth. "You haven't had real fish and chips until you've tried the ones from our local shop in the village where I grew up."

She rubbed her stomach and made appreciative moaning noises that had him hard in an instant. "Just the right amount of salt and vinegar, and piping hot. So good."

"I'd rather have lukewarm if it means I could have you first."

A blush stained her cheeks as she flashed him a coy smile. "I think I could get used to that too."

A shadow passed over her face and her smile faded. "I'm glad you contacted me." She dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. "I think it's a good idea we talk."

Just like that, his appetite vanished. Crazy, considering that's exactly why he'd called, but now that the time had come, he found the words lodged in his throat like a fishbone.

"Yeah, we do need to talk." He gestured at the newspaper between them. "Finished?"

She nodded, so he balled up the remains of their supper and stuffed it into the trash. He pulled back the tabs on their sodas, passed her one, and downed half of his. It did little to ease the tightness in his throat.

"I saw my dad," he blurted, not surprised when her eyebrows shot up. "I went to one of his shows, then caught up afterwards."

"How did it go?"

"Awkward. Tense." He shrugged, the memory of his father's eagerness and his recalcitrance making him want to wince. It had been painful but cathartic and if it enabled him to move forward with Hope, it had been a good thing. "But something I needed to do in order to confront my past and move on."

"Good for you." She nodded, tenderness softening her features. "It can't have been easy." She gave a short, sharp laugh. "I moved a zillion miles away to get away from my folks."

He wanted to ask about her background, about her desire to leave her family behind, but if he lost momentum now he'd never say what had to be said.

"Facing my dad made me realise a few things."

"Like?"

Curious, her head tilted to one side as she studied him, causing a lock of hair to tumble over her face. His fingers itched to reach out and tuck it behind her ear, but if he touched her now his brain would fry as it usually did whenever he touched her, and he had to focus.

"That he wasn't the selfish asshole I pegged him for. That he had reasons for leaving." He huffed out a breath. "That while we're probably more alike than I care to admit, I'm not going to make the same mistakes he did."

She didn't speak, giving him time to continue, and he started to sweat. It broke out along his forehead and his palms grew damp. Fuck. Why was this so hard?

"I want you to come with me." The words tumbled out on a growl and he cleared his throat. "I latched onto the way you reacted to my simple place as an excuse to drive you away. But in reality I ended things between us because I didn't want you waiting around for me, your happiness dependent on me, like I thought my mum's was dependent on Dad. But I see things differently now."

He scooted his chair closer to hers and reached for her hand, as she stared at him in open-mouthed shock. "I want you, Hope. You're incredible and I'd be a fool to walk away from you for fear I'll end up in a messy relationship like my folks. But my job's on the road and I want you with me."

He lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss on the back of it. "What do you say? Care to take a risk on a wanderer?"

She stared at him in wide-eyed wonder so he saw the exact moment his dream died, the expectation and excitement in her eyes replaced by sadness and regret.

He released her hand and when she lifted it to touch his cheek, he reared back.

"I'm sorry, Logan, I can't—"

He didn't wait around to hear the rest.