Not even close.
I gave a quick nod, and he returned his hand to the small of my back as he guided me to the main doors.
Logan dug into the inside pocket of his suit jacket, pulled out two tickets, and presented them to the man accepting them at the door.
“We’d better find our seats.” Logan took my hand and hauled me inside. He wound us through the crowd, and I struggled to keep up as we moved across the lobby and through another set of double doors into a multipurpose room.
The second we stepped inside, the overhead lights dimmed, and people rushed to find a place to sit.
Metal chairs had been set up in long rows, and one aisle ran down the middle leading to a stage at the base of them.
Strings of twinkling white Christmas lights were strung from the ceiling, casting the huge room in a festive ambiance. Decorated trees lined the walls, carols played overhead, and a buzz of excitement filled the air.
Every once in a while, I could hear the squeal of a child from backstage.
Logan’s hand twitched on my back, as if he felt the sting of it, too. But I knew he didn’t come close to understanding what that pain really meant.
How I had to guard myself from getting swept into a fantasy I would never get to live.
A speaker squelched, and a spotlight lit the black curtains that shrouded the stage that was elevated by three feet.
An older gentleman walked out in front of them, a microphone in his hand and a smile on his face.
Logan continued to lead me down the middle aisle as the man began to speak.
“Welcome to this year’s holiday performance. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Gary Murphy, the owner and director of the school, and I cannot tell you how excited we are to have you here this evening. The children have been working incredibly hard to put on this wonderful show for you, and I know you are going to be wowed.”
Everyone clapped.
Anxiousness tightened my lungs as Logan moved all the way down to the front row before he ducked to avoid the spray of a spotlight as he angled for two remaining seats about five chairs in.
My head was lowered like I could hide, too, and I almost breathed out in relief when Logan plopped me onto a chair and slipped onto the one next to me on the left, only that breath hitched in my throat when I saw who sat on the other side of him.
Trent Lawson.
I’d caught sight of him only for the barest flash this morning when I’d been following behind Logan, but I’d ducked out of view so I wouldn’t be discovered.
The man had always been terrifying. A cold current running through his blood and hardening his nearly black eyes. He came with a reputation.
A ruthless one.
Tatted from head to toe, the colors swirled out from beneath his clothing to cover his throat and hands.
Only now, those hands held a newborn baby tucked in a swaddled bundle against his chest.
Every cell in my body shivered. I tried to rip my attention away, but my eyes traced the precious form, my spirit aflutter, my heart in my throat.
Finally, I managed to jerk my eyes from the child only for them to tangle with Trent’s.
Obsidian eyes were wide with shock.
They turned to daggers when he focused them on Logan.
“What the fuck?”he mouthed.
Discomfort blazed.
I wasn’t surprised by thewarm welcome.