Part 9 (1/2)
It didn't even occur to Lacey to dissemble. Not with Jenna. She could tell Jenna anything. ”Maybe you remember. Rose wasLogan's mother's name.”
”Of course I remember. And I think it's a good choice.”
Lacey gulped. ”He's here, Jenna.”
A pause. ”You meanLogan?”
”Uh-huh.”
”You finally told him.”
”And he came right away.”
”Naturally. Oh, Lace. I'm so glad you did it.”
”You know what?So am I.”
”Will you marry him? He has asked you, hasn't he?”
”Demanded is more like it. I told him no. About a hundred times. I finally got him to back off on thesubject, as a condition of letting him stick around.” ”So what are you saying? You won't marry him? You're firm on that?” ”Oh, Jen, Iwas firm. At first. But he's been ... so incredibly supportive. Right with me through
everything. True and steady, you know how he is. The kind of man you can lean on, count on, through the toughest times, no matter what.”
”Yes. Yes, I do know.”
”A total ant.”
”What?”
Lacey laughed. ”Oh, nothing.” And then she felt her smile fade. She clutched the phone tighter. ”I ... I told him. That I love him.”
”That's good.”
”You think so?”
”Absolutely.”
”He still loves you, Jenna.”
”Did he say that?”
”No, but I know he does.”
”You're a.s.suming.”
”Stop. You sound like Tess.”
”You talked with Tess about it? What did she say?”
”She said I should say yes. That Logan and I should get married and I should ... give love a place to
grow.”
Jenna sighed. ”Givelove a place to grow. I like that.”
”So do I. Probably too much. Having a baby has turned me into a sentimental fool.”
”You love him. He wants to marry you. He will be good to you, Lacey. I know that he will. And if he
doesn't know that he loves you now, he'll figure it out, if you give it time.” ”But hedoesn't love me. He loves-” ”Lace.”
”What?”
”I want you to listen to me. Listen to me closely.”
Lacey s.h.i.+fted the phone to her other ear and grumbled, ”What?”
”I know that man.”
”I'm aware of that.”
”Don't become defensive. Please.”
Lacey s.h.i.+fted the phone back where she'd had it before. ”All right. I'm sorry. It's a sensitive subject for
me.” ”I know. And maybe you don't want to hear this now. Is that it? You had a baby a few hours ago and the last thing you need right now is a lecture from your big sister.”
”You know, that's true, I really don't want to hear it. I'll probably never want to hear it. But I probably should hear it, for my own good, right?” ”Does that mean you're listening?” ”Yes. Go on. I can take it.” Jenna let a moment of silence elapse. Then she started over. ”I knowLogan. And I tried, for so long, to love him the way that you do, because I thought that he and I were right for each other. He thought so, too. And when Logan Severance gets an idea in his head, well, you know what he's like.”
Lacey made a noise of agreement. ”DoI ever. Certain words come to mind-'relentless' among them.” ”Exactly. He never gives up. And he's loyal until death. These are wonderful qualities. But they can also make it so a man can't see the nose in front of his face.”
Lacey couldn't help interjecting, ”The man is bullheaded.” Her sister thoroughly agreed. ”That would be the word. You know how he was in high school. Every girl's dream. Handsome to die for, kind to everyone and her mother, and destined for professional success. Even after he and I started going steady, all the other girls were after him. Some of them were shameless. But I never felt jealous. I knew he had made up his mind to love me and he wouldn't even look twice at any of them. He didn't. In fact, there's only one other woman he ever seemed to pay more attention to than he did to me.” Lacey had been wrapping the phone cord slowly around her finger. She pulled it free. ”Logan? Give more than the time of day to a woman who wasn't you? Never.” ”Yes, he did.” ”Who?”
”You.”
Lacey let out a low cry of disbelief. ”That's ridiculous.”