Corporate Daddy (21 page)

“I’m here, angel,” Emily said in a soothing tone, stepping close to the crib. “And look who else.”

Logan stepped to Emily’s side and smiled at his little girl. Amanda Sue blinked against the light, then her eyes flew wide and she hurled herself upward, crying, “Daddy!”

Logan caught her and lifted her against him. “Hello, ’Manda mine. Oh, I’ve missed you so much! I’m so sorry I wasn’t here when you got sick. Give me hugs.”

Amanda Sue wrapped her arms around his neck and nearly crushed it in her exuberance. She immediately twisted around then and pointed toward the door. “Oan go home.”

Logan chuckled, delighted to find that she was still his
strong, willful little girl. “We can’t go home just yet, sweetheart. You have to get better first.”

“Which means, I have to take your temperature,” the nurse said, coming around the crib to try to insert the tip of the digital thermometer into Amanda Sue’s ear.

The fight was on then, and Logan wound up sitting in the rocker with Amanda Sue in his lap, her arms trapped in a hug while Emily inserted the thermometer and the nurse stood across the room demonstrating empty hands. Eventually, they got through the vitals check and managed to pour Amanda Sue’s medicine down her. After the nurse left them, Logan spent several happy minutes with his daughter, talking to her, kissing her, and holding her close until the medication began to work again and her eyelids drooped over her beautiful eyes. When at last she slept again, he laid her in her crib, covered her gently and stood watching her. When Emily moved to his side, he wrapped an arm around her and held her close. This was what he wanted. Amanda Sue and Emily. Emily and Amanda Sue. Always.

“I’d better go.” Emily whispered. “I know you want to stay here, and you need to get some sleep.”

“So do you,” he said, “and I don’t like the idea of you driving alone so very late when you’re this tired. Don’t go. I won’t rest if you do.”

“But there’s only the one bed,” she pointed out.

“I know, and it’s only a single, but I don’t mind if you don’t. I’m so tired I’ll drop right off—especially if I have you close to me.” He coaxed her with a pleading look and a brush of his knuckles against her cheek. “I’ve missed you more than I can even tell you. Just let me hold you. Please.”

She nodded almost shyly, whispering, “I’d like that.”

For a moment he wished it could be more, much more, but here and now was not the place or time for more, and he was determined that if and when he made love with her again the time, the place and the circumstances would be perfect. He turned off the light and finally shrugged out of his coat, draping it over the rocker. Silently, he and Emily
sat on opposite sides of the bed and removed their shoes. Then very carefully he lay down on his side and opened his arms. Emily sank down next to him, her back to his chest, and he looped his arms around her. After a moment she snuggled closer, and so did he. Closing his eyes, he began a prayer of thanks.

Emily stretched, happily aware of Logan’s big, warm body next to her. She hadn’t slept so soundly in a very long time. Somehow, she had to find a way to go back to him, a way to overcome her doubts and fears, because living without him just was not an option any longer. Perhaps it never had been.

“Well, good morning.”

The sound of a woman’s voice, slightly amused, definitely questioning, had Emily’s eyes popping open. A well-dressed redhead with an expensive handbag hanging from one arm stood next to Amanda Sue’s crib. Emily sat up, rousing Logan.

“Hello.” Her gaze went to Amanda Sue, who sat in her crib calmly trying to fit her teddy bear’s head into a plastic cup. Emily slipped off the bed, torn between embarrassment and mild alarm. Who was this woman? And should she be standing so close to Amanda Sue?

Logan groaned and sat up sluggishly, saying, “Hello, Mother.”

Emily’s gaze flew to Mary Ellen Fortune. She saw the resemblance now, but she wouldn’t have guessed at first glance that this woman could have grown children as old as Logan and Eden, not to mention Holden who was even older. Conscious of her own rumpled clothing and falling hair, Emily inwardly grimaced.

“You must be Emily,” Mary Ellen said, reaching across the crib to offer her hand. Emily gave it a quick shake and tried to smooth her skirt.

“Yes. How did you know?”

Mary Ellen smiled wryly. “Let’s just say mother’s
intuition.” With that she turned to Logan. “I see you made it in. The nurse tells me our Amanda Sue is going to be just fine. Thanks for calling, by the way. Frankly, when my phone rings in the middle of the night I tend to assume it’s my wayward brother Jace. Then—would you believe it?—he called me this morning just as I was leaving the house.”

Logan nodded groggily and got to his feet. “How is Uncle Jace?”

Mary Ellen made a face. “Who knows? He sounded tired to me. Apparently this has been a difficult assignment.”

“Aren’t they all?” Logan quipped, smiling at his daughter. “Good morning, sunshine.” He walked around the bed and stood next to Emily, a hand on her shoulder. “How’d you sleep?” he asked softly.

She attempted a smile, heat working its way toward her face. “Fine.”

“Me, too.” He kissed her on the temple and turned to his mother. “Did Jace say where he is?”

She waved a hand. “Afghanistan? Turkey? He didn’t really say. In fact, all he did say is that he’s coming home—for good this time—and he really sounded like he meant it.”

“I wouldn’t make book on it,” Logan said. To Emily he explained, “Jace is a reporter with a taste for danger. You probably saw his face on TV during the Gulf War. Jace Lockhart?”

She considered. “Name sounds familiar.”

“But enough about Jace,” Mary Ellen said. “What does the doctor say about my granddaughter?”

Logan explained the prognosis while Emily excused herself to freshen up in the bathroom. Not that she could do much with the tiny hairbrush and the few cosmetics that she carried in her purse. Fortunately sample bottles of mouthwash and liquid soap were provided by the hospital and stored in the bathroom medicine cabinet. After cleaning up, Emily had to be content with brushing out her hair and applying a little lipstick.

When she went out, Logan quickly took her place. Mary
Ellen was changing a diaper. Other than seeming subdued, Amanda Sue appeared well. She pointed at Emily and announced to her grandmother, “Mimly.”

Mary Ellen barely glanced up. “We’re very grateful to Emily, aren’t we?” she said to her granddaughter. “She’s taken very good care of you.”

Emily smiled at the backhanded compliment and approached the bed to stroke Amanda Sue’s hair. “I’m glad I could be here.”

Mary Ellen finished the diapering job and lifted Amanda Sue into her arms. “So am I,” she told Emily forthrightly. “I know that Logan trusts no one more than you when it comes to his daughter.”

“Well, Carol is certainly capable—” Emily began, but Mary Ellen cut her off.

“Carol is a dream, I’m sure, but my granddaughter—and my son—need more than Carol or any other nanny can give them.”

Emily didn’t know what to say to that. The implication seemed to be that Emily could, and should be, willing to be more than a caregiver to Amanda Sue and Logan alike. But it wasn’t that simple, and how could she possibly explain the situation to Logan’s mother? Cravenly, she was ready to bolt for the door when Logan reappeared.

“Mom, would you mind staying with Amanda Sue for a few minutes? I’d like to buy Emily a cup of coffee.”

Mary Ellen was delighted to occupy her granddaughter for a time. Logan gave Amanda Sue a kiss, assured her that Daddy and Emily would be right back, and steered Emily out the door without ever bothering to ask what she thought about his arrangements. Fortunately, she was only too willing to escape Mary Ellen Fortune’s sharp gaze.

“We can get coffee at the canteen just up the hall,” she pointed out as Logan steered her in the opposite direction.

“I don’t want coffee, I want privacy,” he said tersely. “I have something to say to you.”

Emily bit her lip, almost afraid to hear it, but she sensed
that it would do no good to balk. She let him steer her through the maze of hallways, first one way and then another, until she began to wonder if he knew where he was going. Finally, he stopped at a small chapel.

“This might do.” He opened the door and practically shoved her inside. She looked around. They were, indeed, alone.

He led her to a short bench and indicated that she should sit down. She did so, and he sat next to her, taking her hand in his.

“First of all,” he began, “I understand why you left.”

She opened her mouth, intending to explain again what she’d been thinking and feeling, but he raised a hand to stop her.

“Let me finish, please.”

“All right.”

He seemed to search for the words. “Emily, I’m not proud of my record with women. I’ve been a fun-and-games kind of guy, and I always tried to be honest about it up front, but I realize now that I was fooling myself about that being enough. The truth is, I was afraid to try for more, afraid I’d be like my father.”

“Eden’s told me a good deal about him,” Emily said. “I think I understand that part of it better now.”

He nodded and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “So do I. But I still let my…uncertainty cause me to make mistakes, and I apologize for that.”

She shook her head. “You don’t owe me any apologies.”

“Yes, I do. I owe both of us an apology, because I didn’t do what I needed to do to make you believe that I love you with all my heart.”

Emily gasped, tears starting behind her eyes. “Oh, Logan.”

“Wait,” he said, “let me finish this.” She nodded, wiping away tears with her free hand, and he went on. “As usual, I focused on the sex—which was wonderful and I’ve
missed it terribly, by the way—but it’s just a part of what I feel for you. It’s not even what I most want from you.”

“No?” she whispered tearfully, a terrible hope building inside of her.

“No. And it’s not someone to care for Amanda Sue, either,” he went on. “I have that. But my daughter has opened my eyes. Because of her, I’ve come to realize that fun and games is not enough for me.” He slid off the bench onto his knee, and Emily’s heart climbed into her throat. “Emily,” he said, “I cannot live the rest of my life without you. Please say you’ll marry me.”

For a moment, Emily couldn’t believe her ears, and then she laughed—and cried—and laughed again. “Logan, I love you!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck.

He pulled her off the bench and down onto her knees next to him, kissing her tenderly. “Is that a yes?” he asked afterward, his voice trembling with laughter and uncertainty.

She could only nod as tears began in earnest now. “If you’re sure. If you’re really sure.”

“Sweet heaven, Em, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” he vowed. “I think I’ve been in love with you for a long time, but I never pushed for any kind of relationship outside of the office because I knew that you deserved better than I was willing to give. Then Amanda Sue came into my life, and everything shifted. I realized that I could be a good father and that I needed much more from you than an executive assistant. I thought that once I got you in my bed that would be enough, and in some ways it was. I was so happy with you, Em. I knew I was in love, and I wanted you to know it, too. In my heart, it was as if we were married already, and I let that be enough. I told myself that I was waiting for you to love me, too, but I knew that you’d never have
made
love with me if you weren’t
in
love with me. I avoided the commitment, Emily, and I’m so sorry for that. I
want
that commitment. I want you tied to me for the rest of my life, and I’m warning you now, I will never let you go again.”

“Don’t,” she said, too choked up to say all that was in her heart. “Not ever. No matter what.”

He kissed her forehead. “I promise I’ll be a good husband. I know I can be a good husband, especially if you help me. You’ve helped me be a good father.”

Emily laughed. “Be half as good a husband as you are a father, and I’ll always be as deliriously happy as I am right now.”

“That brings up something else we should talk about,” he said, rising and helping her to rise, as well. He slid onto the bench and urged her down next to him. “Taylor.”

She cocked her head. “What about him?”

“If Taylor’s mine, I want him,” he said gently. She waited, and he went on. “Are you okay with that?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Logan, you know that I adore Amanda Sue. I’ll feel the same way about any other child we’re lucky enough to have.”

“Then you don’t mind the idea of more children?” he asked carefully.

“Of course not! I’m counting on it, in fact.”

“But your career—”

“We’ll work it out,” she said. “We’ll share child-rearing responsibilities, and we always have Carol.”

He slumped with obvious relief, but then he straightened again and leaped to his feet. “We need to start house shopping.”

Emily laughed in sheer delight.

“No, I mean it. For Carol’s sake if nothing else. She could use a private sitting room, and we want to keep her happy. We need her!”

“Carol isn’t going anywhere,” Emily chortled. She got up and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “And neither am I, because I love you, Logan Fortune, and I want more than anything in the world to be your wife and the mother of your children—all your children.”

He framed her face with his hands and bowed his head. This kiss was a vow, a promise, a pledge. When the door
creaked open and a man entered the little chapel, they both turned their heads. Obviously embarrassed, he bowed his pink, bald head and muttered, “Uh, excuse me.”

“Oh, it’s all right!” Logan told him brightly. Locking his hands together in the small of Emily’s back, he proudly announced, “We’re getting married!”

The stranger glanced around the chapel as though expecting flowers and a minister. Then, shaking his head and murmuring doubtful congratulations, he backed out the door.

Confused, Logan looked at a beaming Emily. “Well, we are,” he said, “and soon.”