Page 107 of Wait for Me

Logan was confident that Marie wasn’t a villain.

A villain?

Logan rolled his eyes. He had watched too many cartoons with Jonas these past two weeks, for sure.

“Why?” Marie asked. “What’s the matter? Why did you roll your eyes?”

“I was just thinking about the cartoons that Jonas and I have been watching.”

“Distracted, aren’t you?”

Logan cleared his throat. “You were saying?”

Marie didn’t reply. She was looking at him. The brown specks in her eyes sparkled. Or maybe her eyes were moist. Logan couldn’t tell. Dared not tell.

The way she looked at him reminded him of their wedding day on Cumberland Island, how the morning sun also shone in her eyes when they pledged their love for each other before God and family.

It reminded Logan of the love they had for each other.

“I’m happy to see you,” he said. “I’m happy you’re safe.”

“Thank God for that. He was with us every step of the way, everywhere we go.” Marie waited, as though to see how Logan would respond.

Logan would have in times past, but not today. Right now, all he felt was love for Marie.

He should not have let her go.

They stood in silence for too long, perhaps, because Marie stepped back. “I have to talk to you about something.”

“Let’s go inside.” He had to go inside. He wanted to open his office safe to take out the most precious thing inside. Oh, wait—the box was still on his office desk. He hadn’t returned it to the safe since Sunday. He had stared at its content every day at least once since then.

Marie pointed to the garden hose on the ground. “I thought you were going to wash your truck.”

“It can wait. I’ll wash it later, maybe after I pick up Jonas from school. He’s going to rub his sticky hands all over it anyway.” Logan paused. “Right now, I have something to show you.”

“What is it?”

“It’s in my office.” Logan held Marie’s hand.

“You didn’t know I was coming.”

“No, but I knew I was going to show it to you whenever I see you. And here you are.”

“And here I am.” She let him lead her. “I was going to suggest we talk in your office also, but after we wash your truck—although it’s a better idea to wait until after school.”

“Maybe Jonas can help,” Logan said.

“Right.”

And they laughed.

Chapter Fifty

“Want something to drink?” Logan asked as he ushered Marie into his office.

“No, thanks. I just had a late breakfast flying in, and too much coffee.” Marie made her way to the plush sofa across the coffee table from the two armchairs that they had sat in three months before.

She watched Logan walk around his big desk. He didn’t say a word.

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