Page 50 of Wait for Me

“Another person who looked like you?”

Yes, the same one who beat up that PI. Another thing Marie could not tell Logan. Not right now.

“Whether you trust me or not, we have a problem at this time,” Logan said.

“We don’t know if your suspicions about Abdul’s family are correct.”

Logan shook his head. “Tell me you don’t worry about Jonas.”

“I worry.” It was a confession, but Marie could not take it back.

“Then why does it look like you’re brushing off the matter?”

“I’m not.” Marie felt like she should tell him to leave her room now. “If you called this meeting so that we can get into an argument, then you’re destroying any morsel of post-divorce friendship we might have.”

“I’m only asking if you cared that our son was almost abducted this morning.” Logan didn’t raise his voice. He seemed genuinely unsure about what he was seeing.

“I told you I’m not making light of the situation. I totally care. But we need to be careful not to jump the gun and cause an unnecessary international incident.”

“Like what?”

“Like accusing a foreign princess of attempting to abduct a five-year-old boy who merely followed them down the boardwalk to look at salmon swimming upstream.”

“A princess?” Logan’s eyes widened.

“I told you they called her Your Highness.”

“I heard you, but it’s not registering until now.”

“Well, I’m not sure, but I’m guessing she might very well be one.”

“When it comes to my own son, I don’t trust anyone, even kings, queens, and heads of states.” Logan closed his eyes. Rubbed his temples. “Maybe you’re right. I might have overreacted.”

“I don’t want you to talk to the bodyguards or approach Aliyah or her assistant. That would raise suspicions. We just need to find out what they’re up to. I’m calling in favors, and I will let you know what they find. Okay?”

“Favors? What kind of favors?”

“Friends back home,” Marie explained.

“Home as in France.” Logan’s shoulders sagged. “Somewhere in my heart I wished that we had made it work. I was so angry with you for leaving Jonas and me. You had been gone for months without letting me know where you were. Could you blame me for hiring the PI to find out if you were…if you were—I mean…”

“If I were having an affair? The answer is no. I had no time for such nonsense. Besides, I could only love…” Marie cleared her throat.

“Go on.”

She didn’t.

“Would you like to order snacks?” She asked instead.

“Don’t change the subject. Besides, we already ate dinner and desserts.”

Marie got up. “I need some fresh air.”

She unlocked the balcony door. When she opened it, she heard the swooshing of the Atlantic waves mixed in with the noisy wind, which blew in droplets of rain against her face.

She closed the sliding glass door. “Raining outside.”

Logan’s face reflected on the glass door. There were lines of sadness across his face, his eyes droopy. He reminded Marie of Jonas.

---