Page 8 of Under the Mistletoe
Devin ran her hand over the dog’s head once, then twice. “Aren’t you a pretty boy.”
“Don’t believe her.” Logan’s voice was rough, but he seemed to be holding back a smile. “You are rugged, handsome, and tough.”
“Is Cal short for something?” The dog nosed her hand again.
“Yup.” That was all he gave as Logan put the vehicle into reverse. “I checked out your car. I think Luke and I can pull it out this evening if he has a tow strap. I took mine out last week and forgot to put it back. How long are you staying in town?”
Devin lifted an eyebrow as she pulled on her seat belt. Guess that answered the question of if he’d been completely ignoring the group texts of their college friends or just not answering. “I live here now. Two houses down from Luke and Hannah. They’re actually my landlords.”
“Right.” He nodded like he was remembering. “What do you do here again?”
She side-eyed him. Nice try, Logan, but she wasn’t buying it. “I work for a nonprofit based out of Detroit named LIFE. It stands for Loving Investment for Fostered and Adopted Families Everywhere.”
“Wouldn’t that be LIFAFE?”
“I think it started just as a resource for foster care years ago and then expanded but didn’t change the acronym.”
“So what do you do at LIFE?”
“We help provide resources as well as create events to foster community so families can support each other.” She kept her voice steady, which was a miracle considering the lump that had formed at the reality it might all go away soon.
“Heritage is a long way from Detroit.” His concentration on the road grew more intense as the snow picked up in thick flakes.
“I came to visit my cousin Jess last February and met Hannah. When I explained to her what I did, she went on about how much she would love a program like that here.”
“I imagine. Every time I turn around, she and Luke are adding to our family. Not that I mind, I love being an uncle. Roman is always cracking me up, and Libby’s daughter Rose could pretty much talk me into anything.”
The way his face lit up while talking about his nieces and nephews gripped something in her. Why did everything she learned about this guy make him more attractive, not less?
“Your family definitely has a heart for foster care. Your parents are even in the process of being approved to do foster care. Not foster to adopt—more emergency placement—but it’s kinda cool that they want to be available in that way during their retirement years.”
“I think learning how Luke grew up in foster care really changed all of us a bit.” Logan shifted his weight as he moved one hand to the top of the steering wheel.
Luke grew up in foster care? That was new to Devin but probably not a story for today.
Logan glanced back at her. “Sorry for the tangent—you were saying how you moved here.”
She fixed her eyes back on the road. “Well, when I returned to Detroit, I pitched the idea to my boss, and she loved it. I moved out here six months ago and have been trying to single-handedly build the program.”
And failing.
“So if you live here, I assume you were headed somewhere for Thanksgiving.”
“I was supposed to meet my parents in Benton Harbor, but they called to say they had to work.”
“On Thanksgiving?”
“Their work is important.” The words rolled out of her mouth like they had done hundreds of times before.
“You are more important than their work.” Was that indignation in his voice? His brow furrowed a moment before he seemed to shake whatever he was thinking away. “So where am I taking you?”
“Your parents’ house.” His smile disappeared as he focused with a bit too much focus on the road. “Um…Hannah invited me to eat Thanksgiving dinner with you guys.”
“Right.” And he was making that face again. He didn’t want this. Any of it. Including spending Thanksgiving dinner with her. This was why she never asked for help. She might be welcome to the rest of them, but Logan didn’t share the sentiment. And now he was stuck with her for the day.
She knew the feeling of being someone’s problem too well. So much for that real family Thanksgiving. She’d gone from being her parents’ problem to Logan’s.
* * *
