“Whatever you’ve got is okay by me.” He made himself at home, sitting on one of her barstools that doubled as her kitchen chairs.
She sighed and decided junk food would do just fine. She dug into her cabinets, grabbed her only choice, and headed back to Logan. “Here you go, eat up.” She tossed a bag of potato chips at him.
He shrugged. “Love them.”
“Figures,” she muttered aloud.
He took the tie off the bag and held it toward her. “Want some?”
She shook her head. “No, thank you.”
“Then don’t let me keep you.” He popped a chip into his mouth, then gestured toward her baking ingredients. “I’d love to watch.”
She sighed and glanced at the batter, which still needed thinning.
“You shouldn’t have had to go through what happened this morning,” he said.
The sudden change of subject caught her off guard. She glanced at his serious expression, not sure what to say in return.
“I don’t know if the picture will hit the news or not,” he said when she remained silent.
“What you can’t control, you ignore.” Or tried to. She’d spent the afternoon trying to come to terms with the fact that she’d be plastered all over the Internet. “Any chance they’ll bury the story?” she asked.
“Doubtful. And I wish it hadn’t happened.”
She met his gaze. “Maybe so, but did it accomplish your goal?” she asked.
He raised an eyebrow. “You can’t believe I had anything to do with that press conference.”
She shook her head. If there was anything in life she was certain of, it was Logan’s integrity. “Of course not.” She wrapped her hand tight around the whisk. The edges of metal bit into her skin. “But can you deny that getting caught half-naked with the woman of the day will help derail your father’s campaign?”
She held her breath, waiting for his answer. As if whatever he said would change what had happened, what was or wasn’t meant to be.
“I wish I could.”
And she wished he’d denied that she was his woman of the moment and felt let down that he hadn’t. What a bundle of contradictions she’d become, Catherine thought. Pushing him away with one breath, wishing he’d come back with the next. Never in her life had she been at such loose ends, so confused over her feelings.
No, that was wrong, she amended. She was quite certain of her feelings. She loved a man she couldn’t have.
“So, how did your father take the news that there wouldn’t be a run for mayor?” she asked.
No way Logan would repeat the judge’s tirade. Logan grunted. “Not well.”
He took another potato chip in hand. “As usual, I disappointed him.” And as usual, Logan felt the same swell of disappointment in his father because they couldn’t find any common ground, and this time, the rift would be permanent.
“I’m sorry.” She’d braced her hands against the counter and studied him. “Will he get over it?” she asked.
Logan shrugged. “I really couldn’t tell you.”
“But you want him to, don’t you? You’d like to be some sort of family?”
“Not if the judge is going to act like a pompous, overbearing…”
“No cursing in my kitchen,” she said before he could get his next words out.
He laughed. “You know me too well. But yes, if there was a way to come to an understanding without compromising my life, I’d take it.”
“Then try with your mother. You never know.”