Page 62 of Bittersweet

Logan stood and went to the window, where he was instructed to move his vehicle to a pickup location beside the building. He and Kayla stood in front of his car, waiting, until a door finally opened and Naya emerged, squinting at the bright mid-day sun.

“You came.” She said when she spotted Logan.

“I said I would.”

Naya slowly approached and looked down at Kayla. “Look at her.” She crouched down in front of her daughter. “Hola, mija.”

Kayla screwed up her face, looked up at her daddy, and moved to hide behind his leg.

Logan laid his hand atop her head. “She doesn’t speak Spanish,” he told Naya.

Naya peeked around Logan’s leg at Kayla. “Hello, my sweet daughter.”

Kayla looked up at Logan again with uncertainty in her eyes.

“It’s okay. Say hi to your mom, Kayla.”

Naya ran her hand from the top of Kayla’s head over her curls. “You got so big. How did you do that?”

Kayla giggled a little.

“Last time I saw you, you were only this big.” She held her hands apart a couple feet.

That got a smile. “I’m a big girl now.”

“I can see that.” Naya stood and glanced behind her then back at Logan. “Can we get out of here, please?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

He put Kayla in her car seat, while Naya lit up a cigarette.

“Not in the car,” he warned.

“I know. I’m not stupid enough to smoke around our girl.”

“I would hope not.”

Naya rolled her eyes and took a drag.

Logan climbed into the car and turned around to see how Kayla was doing.

“I miss Harper,” Kayla said just as Naya got in the car, bringing the stench of cigarette smoke along with her.

“Who’s Harper?” Naya asked, her eyes shifting from Kayla to Logan.

“Daddy’s girlfriend,” the little girl proudly announced. “She’s pretty.”

“Is that so?” Naya raised an eyebrow at Logan. “So, you found her a new mommy, huh?”

“Of course not. She’s your daughter.”

Naya laid a hand on Logan’s knee. “Our daughter.” She slid her hand high on his thigh.

Logan removed her hand and laid it on her own knee.

“Aw, you’re no fun. I’ve been in prison for a long time, Logan.”

“That’s not my problem.”

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