“It was horrible,” I tell him, and then to my utter shame, I burst into tears.
He pulls me into his arms and holds me tightly. “It’s okay, Vanessa. You’re here now and you’re safe.”
He keeps murmuring soothing words until my crying eases. I draw back and give him a shaky smile. “I don’t know what happened there.”
“It’s okay. I’ll make you a cup of coffee while you tell me everything that happened.” He leads the way to the kitchen.
I slide onto a stool on the island while Logan makes us coffee. As he does so, I narrate to him everything that happened from the moment we got there. He brings the coffee over and sits down opposite me.
“It was weird,” I tell him finishing the tale. “They were obviously expecting that we drop in on them one day so why the coldness?”
“Maybe it’s their personality,” Logan says. “It also depends on how things ended between your parents.”
“I guess you’re right. Lexi was adamant that she never wants to see them again and to be honest, my curiosity is now satisfied.”
“I’m sorry it was awful,” Logan says.
“It’s fine, I’m over it now plus something good did come out of it,” I tell Logan. “I’m going to find my ex and tell him about Ivy. I’d hate for her to be in the position that Lexi and I were in today. It was horrible.”
Logan smiles and reaches out to squeeze my hand. “I’m proud of you. If you need anything, just let me know.”
Chapter 24
Logan
I glance at the time when I park my car outside Vanessa’s office. I’m fifteen minutes early. It’s too hot to wait in the car so I get out and stroll toward her office. As I approach the entrance, a group of men and pregnant women leave Vanessa’s office, signaling the end of a class.
Vanessa is engrossed in conversation with a couple and when she sees me, she flashes me a smile that makes my heart stumble in my chest. I occupy myself by reading the colorful posters pinned on the wall. Most of the posters are of a pregnant woman’s anatomy. I’m so engrossed in it that I don’t notice when the couple leaves.
Hands slip around my waist and Vanessa leans on my back. “You look so serious and so handsome.”
I cover her hands with mine. “I was trying to imagine you pregnant. I’d have loved to see that. Hot and sexy.”
She giggles. “You’re sweet.”
I turn around and face her. Checking over her head to make sure we’re truly alone, I drop my hands to cup her ass.
“Mmmm, what do you have in mind?” she says seductively.
“The thought of you pregnant has gotten me hot,” I tell her.
“And hard?” Vanessa slips a hand between us to cup my erect cock. Her eyes widen. “You weren’t lying. I wish I was sure what time Eva is coming in. I’d help you with that.”
“I can wait until tonight,” I tell her already visioning sinking my cock into her wetness. I almost groan out aloud. It’s embarrassing how much I think of sex since I’ve been with Vanessa.
She squeezes my cock one last time and steps back. “Speaking of which, we need to get moving. Emma is coming home tomorrow!” she shouts the last sentence and raises her hands up as if in victory.
I laugh at her enthusiasm. “Her home.”
“One day it will be a permanent visit,” Vanessa says.
“One day.”
Vanessa quickly tidies up and when she’s done, she locks up and we leave. We’re going shopping for the stuff that Emma needs for tomorrow and subsequent visits. It was Vanessa’s idea to buy stuff rather than ask Valerie to provide everything. This will be the first of many more visits and eventually, as Vanessa said, Emma will be moving in with me permanently.
“It’s so fun shopping for baby stuff,” Vanessa says as we drive the few blocks to the mall.
“I’ll let you know what I think afterward,” I tell her.
“You’re very first shopping trip for your baby,” she says.
It’s such a relief to know that the near rejection from her grandparents did not curb Vanessa’s normal spirits. She’s back to her old self and she hasn’t talked about the visit again. It’s as if she’s pushed it from her mind completely.
I wish I had the capability to do that. The more I spend time with Emma and do stuff with and for her, the more Jade weighs on my mind. Thinking of Jade is followed by guilt and the belief that I somehow failed her. I should have been there throughout the nine months of pregnancy. I should have attended birthing classes with her even if we were not together romantically. Maybe the knowledge she would have acquired would have saved her life. She would have noticed that something was not right.