“I don’t know what came over me yesterday and this morning, but I’m good now. I won’t jump you in the tub.”
“Shame,” Logan says, smacking her behind on his way to the bathroom, letting her giggles trail him along the way.
After their bath, during which they unsurprisingly found themselves making love once more after Avery claimed that she had years of pent-up desire that Logan unknowingly unleashed, he heads across the street to a coffee shop to grab them a late breakfast and some caffeine.
When he returns to the room, he anticipates that he will find Avery in the same position she was in when he left, naked on the bed. Instead, Logan finds her curled up in the chair by the window. She doesn’t respond when he enters the room - it’s as if she’s focused on something completely out of their realm.
He puts the muffins and coffees on the dresser and makes his way over to where she is perched, his chest aching at every step.
Crouching down, he rubs his hand down her arm while inquiring, “Everything okay?”
Looking at her, he can see the anguish in her eyes and Logan works to hold in his panic. Afraid that she is second-guessing their night together and their relationship as a whole, Logan suppresses his breath, waiting to hear her response.
I just got her; I’m not ready to lose her.
“I’m fine, really,” she says as she brings her hand forward to rest her palm against his cheek. “I was just thinking of something completely unrelated to us.”
A heavy breath releases from his body and he places his hand atop hers.
“Sorry, I got a little worried. Is there something I can help you with? You look like you’re lost in another world.”
He takes her hand from his face and kisses the soft skin at her knuckles before encasing it between both of his significantly larger hands.
“I think I’m going to go see my father.”
“Wow, really? Do you want me to go with you?”
“Um, no, I don’t think so. It’s not that I don’t want you there. I just feel like I need to do this on my own.”
“Okay. When do you think you’ll set something up?”
“Tomorrow?” she says as she looks to him for affirmation. “I only have his address. I was thinking of just showing up.”
“You’re going to be okay if he isn’t happy to see you?”
“Yes...no...I don’t know. My letter said he didn’t know about me so I’m sure he’ll be shocked. I just….I figured I have nothing to lose.”
Logan nods his head in understanding.
“You’re absolutely right and I’m behind you one-hundred percent. Once he meets you he’ll love you, Avery. Just like I do.”
“I love you too, Logan.”
“Can we have that discussion now...about the no condoms?”
“Oh, yea. I mean I trust you. It isn’t a big deal. I had gone on the pill once I started college, but it threw my hormones for a loop, and my body never went back to normal. My doctor thinks my likeliness of getting pregnant is pretty slim.”
“Oh. Does that upset you? That you may not be able to have a baby?”
“I don’t know. I honestly hadn’t ever thought it would be something I would want. But yea, I guess I’m a bit upset that my body doesn’t work right. But there are other ways to have children if I ever want.”
“That’s true. Thank you for telling me.”
Logan leans forward and presses his lips against hers in a chaste kiss before pulling her from the chair.
“Come on, we need to eat something. I bought muffins.”
After breakfast, Avery and Logan check out of the hotel, anxious to head to the folk festival in Asheville that the receptionist mentioned on their way out.