‘So...’ She lightened her tone. ‘Now you’ve come home to Seattle?’
There was no reason at all for him to feel so...disconcerted.
‘Now I’m in back Seattle, yes.’ He tugged his mouth into some semblance of a smile.
‘So Jamie has been here with his grandparents?’
‘No. For the past few years I’ve been fortunate enough that my parents have travelled to me in order to help take care of Jamie. But they are getting older and they needed to come home.’
‘So you followed with Jamie?’
‘He’d have been devastated to lose them. They’ve been such a constant in his life, practically from birth, and, like I said, he’s still going to need them when I’m at work. Besides, I was ready to come home.’
No need to mention Sophia again. He didn’t want to sound bitter or vindictive. The simple truth was that she had her own life to live, and that life didn’t include him or Jamie. Having his grandparents around had filled the void so that, for the moment, Jamie didn’t feel the loss. But as he grew up and other kids talked about their own mothers, Logan knew that day was coming.
Jamie had lost enough, without losing his grandparents as well.
‘I don’t think I even have a home.’ Kat broke the silence suddenly, and he thought it was telling that she didn’t quite meet his eye. ‘I have a big family, and we try to keep in touch, but everyone is scattered everywhere at the moment.’
‘You don’t see them at all?’
‘We try to video message, but with my sister and my cousin in Australia with their respective families, one brother in Canada with his new wife, and my mother visiting my other brother in the UK with his wife and their new baby, no one’s able to come together this year.’
‘Is that why you’re working so many of the holiday shifts?’
Her gaze collided with his, the wine sloshing dangerously around her glass as a renewed sense of awareness crackled around them. It wasn’t what he’d intended, yet neither could be bring himself to regret it. Still, he wasn’t about to let her think he’d been stalking her.
‘Like you said, I’ve been in a few times, visiting my...friend,’ he acknowledged. It wasn’t a complete lie. In many way King Roberto had been a friend to him, as well as an employer. ‘I’ve seen you working there every time.’
‘Ah. Right.’ She wrinkled her nose. He couldn’t explain how such a simple gesture made him want her all the more. ‘Then, yes, I suppose I have been trying to keep myself busy.’
There was clearly more to it, but he chose not to press her on it for the moment. It was as though he needed to take a moment to remind himself where his boundaries were. As if he wasn’t entirely convinced he had full control over himself where this woman was concerned.
‘I’m even doing a charity run in the park next month. I haven’t been running for years.’ She emitted a slightly nervous laugh, and he liked it that she seemed equally...thrown.
‘Is that the Santa run I’ve seen advertised around the place?’
‘That’s the one.’ Another laugh. ‘I got caught up in the hype.’
‘Are you entering as part of a hospital team?’
‘No, just me.’
He was almost tempted to suggest joining her. He bit his tongue just in time.
This wasn’t what he did. There hadn’t been anyone else for him in the three years since Sophia had left. His life was about Jamie, and about ensuring that little boy felt he had all the parents he needed between his father and his grandparents. Logan shouldn’t need to have to keep reminding himself that he didn’t have time for relationships. He didn’t even have time for dalliances.
He’d never had to remind himself of it before Kat had turned up.
Yet this was nice. In his apartment, drinking wine, with a woman like her. He couldn’t remember ever doing anything like this with Sophia. His ex-wife had been all about being in the best hot spots in town. Or, more accurately, being seen to be in the best hot spots. She’d been all about glamour, and social standing, and networking.
She’d called herself an influencer. He knew now what that word really meant.
Logan let his eyes roam over the woman opposite him. Kat was so different from Sophia. From any woman he’d ever met before. And though h
e couldn’t have pinpointed exactly what it was about that that snuck under his skin, all he knew was that she made him...yearn. Though he couldn’t have even explained for what.
And surely that, alone, was the most dangerous thing about her?