Chapter 29

"It's good to have you back on deck." Logan shook Rick's hand. "You must've done a hell of a lot of work with that physio to get early clearance to return to work."

"My back's fine." Rick did a twist and side-bend to demonstrate. "Good as new."

"Yeah, well, take it easy for the first week back on the tools, because I can't afford to lose you again."

Ironic, that those last words were what he'd envisaged saying to Hope yesterday. Instead, he'd ended up blurting his proposal for her to accompany him on the road, she'd turned him down, and he'd been reeling ever since.

How had his big plan to confess his feelings been so monumentally fucked up?

He could blame his upbringing, how he'd learned to suppress his feelings young, but that was bullshit and he knew it. He wasn't his mum, he wasn't his dad, he had to take full responsibility for this cock-up. It was all on him.

"So what's this meeting about?" Rick wedged into the booth opposite Logan. "I've read all your emails and seen the plans for upcoming jobs. No need to roll out the welcome wagon personally."

Logan took a deep breath. Here went nothing.

"I want to talk to you about shaking things up a little."

When Rick's brow furrowed in confusion, he clarified. "With the possibility of a company restructure."

Rick shook his head. "You've lost me, mate."

Logan hoped this harebrained idea wouldn't sound as stupid articulated out loud as it did in his head. "I want to delegate more jobs and install you in a higher management role."

"You're giving me a promotion?" Rick's eyebrows shot up, before his mouth eased into a lop-sided grin. "Maybe I should take time off work with a bad back more often."

Logan clasped his hands together and rested them on the table between them. "I'm making a few changes for the benefit of the company, that's all."

"Bullshit." Rick thumped the table. "You're a control freak. That's why you insist on quoting every new job personally, no matter where it is." He guffawed. "So the fact you're even talking about delegating means something major has happened."

Logan should've known his oldest friend wouldn't believe the professional spiel. The last thing he wanted to do was discuss his relationship with Hope, but after he'd got home late last night after she'd effectively ended things between them, he'd spent a sleepless night re-evaluating his priorities.

He wanted her, but on his terms.

She'd refused.

So what did he have to do to convince her that his feelings were beyond the physical?

He'd mulled various scenarios, discounting them all, until he came up with one he hoped she'd find doable. If not, he was plain out of options.

"Fuck me." Rick snapped his fingers. "This is about that woman Hope, isn't it?"

"Maybe."

Rick didn't buy his offhand shrug for a second.

"Never thought I'd see the day, my friend." Rick leaned back and folded his arms, his wide grin annoying as fuck. "You've fallen for a woman for longer than a nanosecond."

"Fuck you," Logan said, his grouchiness more to do with how easy he was so easy to read these days than his friend's intuition.

Rick laughed and fake-knuckled his eyes. "Quit stalling and tell me what your grand plan is."

"No grand plan," Logan said, managing to sound offhand. "I wanted her to travel with me, but she's starting up a new business so that's not possible. So if I delegate more jobs, that means I can stay in Melbourne more often."

Rick mouthed 'wow' and Logan balled up a napkin and flung it at him.

"You're actually thinking about the C word?" Rick continued mocking him. "You're actually committing?"

Logan flipped him the finger and he laughed again.

"Seriously, mate, this is a good thing you're doing, but why the change of heart? For as long as I've known you, you've determinedly avoided staying in one place and only hooking up with transient women…oh." Rick lost the goofy expression. "You saw your dad?"

Logan nodded. "It helped clarify a few things."

"Good for you." Rick studied him. "Can I ask you something?"

"No."

"You know I'm going to ask regardless," Rick said. "You're not planning on sticking around Melbourne permanently, yeah?"

"That's right."

"So what happens if things get serious between you and Hope? What then?"

"Fucked if I know," Logan muttered, well aware that was a major flaw in his plan.

But at least he had a plan, when after leaving Hope last night he'd had nothing. This new plan involved making her see that he wasn't some spoiled brat who expected her to give up everything to be with him, that he didn't only want their relationship dependent on his way or the highway.

This way, he was making sacrifices too. He'd stay in Melbourne some of the time, she could accompany him on the road some of the time. Win-win.

Now all he had to do was convince her.

"Just so you know, women rarely change their minds, mate." Rick held up his hand, the gold wedding band on his ring finger shining in the morning sunshine. "And you don't need one of these to know it."

Logan hoped he could convince Hope to change hers. "Hope and I are on the same page. She wants to be with me, she said as much last night. But she doesn't want to give up her business and neither do I, so this should work for both of us."

Rick held up his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm not the one that needs convincing. But if your relationship does take the next logical step towards long term commitment, be prepared that one of you may have to give up everything."

Logan didn't want to contemplate that yet. He knew he was in for a fight trying to sway her to accompany him on the road even some of the time. And he had to do it. He couldn't be the only one compromising, but spending longer periods of time in Melbourne would be a good start. He wouldn't do long distance. It hadn't worked for his folks and it sure as hell wouldn't work for him. He wanted all of Hope all the time and if that made him a selfish prick, so be it.

His plan was totally doable. Time in Melbourne for her life, time on the road for his. Simple.

Then why did his gut gripe at the thought it was anything but?

"Good luck, mate." Rick slapped him on the back. "Hope it works out for you. And in the meantime, I'm ready to step up in the company, in any role you need me."

"Thanks, I couldn't do this without you." Logan pulled Rick in for a man-hug that lasted the requisite less than five-seconds. "I'll email you the revised job description and the upcoming quotes I'll need you to do."

An uncharacteristic sombreness made Rick hesitate. "Do you want to wait and see what your girl says before you go ahead with the company restructuring?"

It had crossed Logan's mind that Hope may still say no to his new proposal. But he hadn't got this far in life by second-guessing decisions. He'd left home at eighteen to live in a big city, supporting himself. He'd embarked on his career with gusto. He'd launched his company with loans and a will to succeed. If he'd dithered over any of those life choices he'd still be stuck in Rally-Doo mourning his mum and hating his dad.

So he wouldn't hold back on this plan with Hope. He was all-in. And if he failed, he'd deal with the fallout then.

"Regardless of what happens with Hope, I think it's time I cut back on the constant travel and put down some roots for a while." He pointed at the rolled up newspaper on the table they'd just vacated. "Dad's done a feature interview today. He's got some gigs in Melbourne for the foreseeable future so I thought it wouldn't hurt to spend more time here, getting to know him too."

"That's great." Rick's goofy grin returned. "You're a changed man and I like it."

When Rick held out his arms again, Logan waved him away. "Cut the sentimental bullshit and get back to work."

"Sure thing, Boss." He snapped a quick salute. "Let me know how it all goes."

Logan nodded, determined that nothing would stop him from presenting his plan to Hope and convincing her to agree.