Chapter 46

MAGGIE

I’m scared to look at Logan and see the judgment in his eyes. I won’t be able to live with myself if he thinks everything was my fault.

I dare to look up at him to find him staring at me, but there’s no disgust there. It’s compassion, if I’m not mistaken.

He smiles. “I’m sorry, Maggie. Are you telling me you were with Carter just to spite me?”

“I didn’t mean to. I just…I thought I was going to lose you forever if I didn’t do something.

“I wanted you to realize how much I loved you, and thought that maybe if I dated Carter, you would get jealous and ask me to stop. I was stupid. I know that.”

“I’ve always wanted you, Maggie, even though I knew I couldn’t have you. But as the adult in the relationship, I had a responsibility.”

“What responsibility?”

“A responsibility to keep you away from me, and give you a chance to explore your options.”

“Would you have given me a chance when I turned twenty?” I ask him. I know it’s pointless, and I shouldn’t reopen old wounds.

He gives me a nod. “Maybe.”

He still looks at me with absolute devotion. It makes my heart beat like crazy.

“When my dad first suggested that we should get married, I was completely against it,” he confesses. “With the way things ended between us, I didn’t want to put you in an awkward position to marry me.”

“It wasn’t just you. I didn’t want it, either, but not because I didn’t have feelings for you. I knew not to expect love in our relationship, so I thought marrying you would be like signing up for more heartbreak.”

He chuckles. “It’s funny how a little stunt from Carter is making us confess all these things to each other, which we should have done a long time ago.”

“I’m worried about Chase. Is Carter going to take us to court?”

“Maggie, stop stressing about that.” He circles his fingers around my wedding ring.

“I told you I’d take care of it. I’ll have my attorney speak to him. I’m sure Carter will come to his senses and think a hundred times before he messes with our lives.”

“You think he’ll listen to us?”

“He has to, baby. He doesn’t have any other choice. If he wants to see his son in the future, he will do what we want him to.”

“Does Chase really need to see Carter?”

“He is his father. I know it’s hard, but we as parents have to put our emotions aside and do what’s right. Carter is frustrated and angry at you, but I’m sure he feels something for his son.

“If he didn’t, he would have accepted the check I offered him in exchange for leaving him alone. If Chase wants to see Carter, we’ll have to come to an understanding.”

Logan was right. I couldn’t take that away from Chase. When he grows older, I don’t want my son to blame me for keeping him away from his father just because I had some personal grudge against him.

“You’re right,” I admitted.

Logan pushes the car into drive and slowly maneuvers it onto the road. “I don’t want to say it, but to be honest, I’m glad he’s never been there for you, Maggie. If Carter had accepted you that day, you would be married to him.”

“But I would have longed for you,” I added quickly.

***

Logan somehow gets the situation under control. I don’t know how he does it, but in the days that follow, I don’t hear from Carter.

He’s just really salty about everything, and I fear he’ll do something worse, like take a petty revenge, but he makes it clear to Logan that Chase is important to him, and he wants to continue to be in his life.

I have a feeling that Logan’s team threatened Carter and told him he would never see his son if he crossed me, and that did the trick.

Although Carter is an attorney and understands the law inside and out, he doesn’t have as much influence as Logan does.

Carter and I don’t get along at all. If we’re put in one room, we end up bickering, but for Chase’s sake, I’m ready to compromise.

Maybe it’s the guilt that I never really loved him. I’m not sure what it is, but I’m ready to put the past behind me.

***

Over the next few months, Carter and I try to bond over Chase. We still try to kill each other from time to time, but it’s not that frequent.

I make sure that Carter and Chase have supervised meetings. Chase doesn’t think of Carter as his father. I think Carter is just desperate to take whatever that he can get.

I think he knows that he’s no match for Logan’s power. If Logan wanted, he could make sure Carter could never find work in this country, but that’s not the type of man my husband is.

Logan is sweet, understanding, thoughtful, and fair.

He gave Carter a chance to improve himself. He wanted Carter to be part of Chase’s life.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to come for these visits, Maggie,” Carter says as he walks Chase and me to my car. Chase has fallen asleep on his shoulders. “I can come pick him up from your house next time.”

Then his face falls. “Oh wait, I know what this is about. You want to make sure I’m not talking shit about you to our son, so you want to keep supervising? I get it now.”

I feel guilty for thinking like that. “No, it’s not that. I didn’t want to cause you trouble. I know how busy you are.”

“I’m not too busy for my son. Trust me.”

He looks down at my stomach. “Besides, you’re due soon, aren’t you? You should relax at home.”

“You’re right. Maybe I should.”

He sighs. “I’m glad you’re letting me do this, regardless of how things went down last time. I really appreciate it, especially Logan.”

“I told you.” I smile. “Logan is really nice.”

He smirks. “And he’s totally cool with letting you come over to my place with Chase.” His eyes twinkle with mischief. He’s back to how he used to be. “I mean, if I was your husband, I’d be worried about what’s going on.”

“Right, but you’re not.” I laugh. “And Logan trusts me a lot. Besides, he knows I’d rather eat horse shit than cheat on him with you,” I tease him.

“Ouch, Maggie.”

As I sit inside the car, something happens suddenly.

“See you later,” Carter starts to leave when I grab his shirt.

I think he notices the look on my face. “What’s wrong, Maggie?”

“I…I think my water just broke.”