Free Shelter You by Alice Montalvo-Tribue Page A

“Lily and I are staying with Logan, so he’s letting me use his car…and yes. He knows the truth,” I say, just as the phone rings.
    I love this phone right now, I pick up the receiver never taking my eyes off of Sarah and keeping my smile intact. Her shock is evident as she leaves me to my work and heads back to her office. I’m stunned by the fact that she has feelings for Logan and even more stunned at how angry that makes me.

    After work, I stop at the grocery store with Lily and pick up a few ingredients so that I can cook dinner. Logan has done so much for me that the least I can do is make him a meal. The rest of the day at work was awkward to say the least. Sarah and I went out of our way to avoid each other, and it seemed as though neither of us wanted to discuss my relationship with Logan. I thought of nothing else for most of the day—my relationship with Logan, if you can even call it that, and his relationship with Sarah. I keep wondering if she’s really just his sister’s friend or if there’s something more between them.
    When I get home I place Lily in her baby swing and get started on making dinner right away. I opt to make pork chops with rice pilaf and baked potatoes. It’s a simple meal I taught myself how to cook but I’m excited to be able to make it for Logan. I turn on some music and focus on cooking dinner, allowing the stress of the day to fade away. I let the music soothe me, loosen me up and carry my thoughts away. By the time Logan gets home I’m completely zoned out. My head is rocking back and forth to the beat of the music, I’m lost in the rhythm, and I don’t hear him approach. He taps me on the shoulder and startles me, snapping me back to reality. I jump, pull out of his reach and let out a shriek. I turn to see Logan standing there with a remorseful look on his face.
    “Shit, are you alright?” He questions, then shrugs his shoulders. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.”
    I clutch my chest and close my eyes. My heart is pounding in my ears and my hands have a slight tremble to them. I try to breathe through the feeling of panic that has washed over me and I hope he doesn’t notice just how scared I actually was a minute ago.
    I take a deep breath open my eyes and force the words out of my mouth. “No, it’s okay. I’m fine. You just surprised me that’s all.”
    “I shouldn’t have snuck up on you like that. It was stupid of me.” He looks at me intently. He can see that my fear wasn’t just a normal reaction, that it’s very real, but he says nothing. I don’t want him to say anything, to ask me questions that I can never answer—questions that are too difficult, too painful to answer. I move away from him and turn the music off.
    “It’s okay, Logan.” I smile, trying to reassure him. “I was in my own little world and didn’t realize you’d gotten home already. I think maybe the break in at my apartment affected me more that I realized, made me a little jittery. That’s all.”
    He lets out a sigh and nods. “That makes sense.”
    I think he accepts my explanation but I can’t be sure. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes,” I say, attempting to change the subject as quickly as possible.
    He turns in the direction of the stove and smiles. “You didn’t have to do that but I appreciate it. Thanks.”
    “I wanted to.”
    He’s wearing his police uniform; it looks different on him today. It’s the first time I’ve seen him in it when it doesn’t intimidate me or even frighten me. I can see the man behind it, I can see that Logan wears the uniform it doesn’t wear him and it looks amazing on him.
    “Do I have time for a quick shower?”
    “Sure, I’ll keep it warm for you,” I reply, using the time away from him to gather my thoughts and calm myself down.
    Logan and I sit at the dining room table eating. I’d fed Lily while he showered and she is now sleeping up in her room. We eat most of the meal in companionable silence