Page 6 of Fighting Happily Ever After

They hadn’t decided on whether they should tell their friends the truth about theirjust for showrelationship or not, so for the time being, Faith opted just to keep her mouth shut and try to change the subject. “I assume you’re here to talk about this weekend’s menu. Why don’t we go into the kitchen and work out the details? Logan can finish up out here, can’t you, Logan?”

“You know I can, babe.”

Babe?

She shot him a look while Brody chuckled, but Logan only winked and blew her a kiss.

It was going to be a very long summer.

ChapterThree

Logan finished puttingthe tools back in the shed and closed it up. He’d been spending less and less time on the Langdon ranch all summer. Ever since taking on the task of helping Faith out with Ever After, there hadn’t been time for both. Thankfully, his mother had hired a few ranch hands who were more than capable of looking after things. For the most part, anyway. Even so, Logan liked to pop in and make sure everything was under control. He knew he was shirking his duties as a son, especially considering his father had passed away earlier that year. He was no stranger to the guilt that filled him every time he drove away from his family ranch and toward Faith. But like a magnet pull, he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

He found his mother, Debbie, in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on a roast dinner that she was laying on the table for the two of them. “Mom,” Logan said from the sink where he washed up. “You didn’t have to go to so much trouble just for me. I would have been happy with a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.”

She flicked a dishtowel in his direction and shook her head. “I like cooking for you, and I don’t get the chance very often these days, so let me do it. Besides, you can take leftovers back to Faith’s house with you.” Her smile dipped a little. “I was hoping you’d bring her tonight,” she added. “It’s been awhile since I’ve seen her, too.”

He shrugged. He hadn’t even asked Faith to come for dinner. Mostly because he was certain she would say no, but also because he knew she had plans with the girls to go to Birchwood for dinner. “I told you, we aren’t a couple,” he said instead. “Not really. We’re just—”

“I know, I know. You’re just pretending.”

Debbie put a basket of rolls on the kitchen table and gestured for her son to sit down before pulling out the chair across from him, where she’d sat every night of his life. Despite the fact that she was now a widow with two grown children and almost singlehandedly in charge of an entire ranch on her own, she still looked youthful, with only a few little wrinkles around her eyes defying her true age. Logan couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever date again. After all, she was so young to be widowed, with a whole life ahead of her still, if she decided to. As much as he’d loved his father, and he knew his mother had too, he really did hope that one day she’d be able to move on and find happiness again with someone else.

“I don’t know what it is about my children.” Debbie speared a slab of roast off the platter. “What did I do wrong, raising you both to think it’s okay to fake a relationship? And not one, but both of you now.”

“Katie and Damon were different.” He accepted the bowl of potatoes from her, scooping out a healthy portion. Earlier that summer, his little sister Katie had pretended to be engaged and then very quickly thereafter, married to her billionaire best friend, without anyone knowing. Of course, the two of them had always been in love but hadn’t bothered admitting it to themselves, let alone each other, and as soon as they figured out that one very important detail, they got marriedfor realand were now happier than Logan had ever seen either of them.

The thing with Faith was different.

“I don’t see how it’s any different,” Debbie said. “You’re lying about your relationship.”

He shrugged. “But I toldyouthe truth. And don’t forget you can’t tell anyone. I mean…some people will probably figure it out, but…” He gave her a goofy grin, but she shot him a look. “Besides, Katie and Damon were totally in love with each other. It was ridiculous and obvious.”

“And that’s different from you and Faith, how?”

Logan froze, a piece of beef halfway to his mouth.How was it different?Well, for one thing, they weren’t in love. Sure, Logan always had a thing for Faith; that wasn’t a secret.But love?That was a bit farfetched. Particularly considering his mere presence seemed to piss Faith off more and more every day.No. It was different. Very different.

“Oh, it’s different,” he finally said as he stuffed the meat into his mouth. “And it’s only to land this big wedding, which is even more important now, because Levi and Hope are coming home.”

That got her attention the way he knew it would. “They’re coming home? When? Is everything okay?” Levi had always been like another son to Debbie, and she’d been ecstatic at the news that they were expecting. “Why didn’t he call me?”

“I told him I’d let you know. It’s all been a little rushed with everything.”

“Is Hope okay?” Her face shifted at once into worry and stress. “The baby? Is the baby—”

“The baby’s fine and Hope’s fine.” His mother visibly calmed at the news, but rolled her eyes as he continued. “But she does have high blood pressure, I think Faith said. Or something like that, so they—”

“How come men never pay attention to the details?”

He shrugged and scooped up some more potatoes. “This is delicious, Mom. I really am going to miss this cooking, living at Faith’s. She can’t even brew coffee.”

“And why was it that youneededto move in there again?”

Logan did his best to ignore the way his mom wiggled her eyebrows.Why was it that moms thought they knew everything?

“Because we need it to look real. And Stephanie is staying in town for a while.”

“Stephanie?” She tilted her head. “So you’re on a first-name basis with this celebrity now, are you?”

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