I didn’t know what to say to make him feel better, because the truth was that life as he knew it was over. I got up to refill his coffee, and as I passed him, I squeezed his shoulder. “You’re one of the good ones, Logan MacLeod.”

All those moments would be lost in time… like tears in rain.

That sentence was still bugging me. I chewed my lip, wondering what the hell my fascination was with the damn sentence. While Maia seemed perfectly content to curl up in my guest room reading her book for the day, I was able to get on with my work. This manuscript was due back to the author in a few days, and I was going over all the bits I’d highlighted to return to before sending the edits back to her.

The sound of my front door slamming shut jerked me out of the manuscript.

“It’s just me!” Logan called from the front of the flat.

“Back here!”

My eyes darted around my bedroom. Thankfully, I didn’t have any embarrassing pieces of underwear on show. Which was good, because Logan sauntered right in and came to stand behind me with his hands on the back of my computer chair.

“How did it go?” I said, craning my neck to look up at him.

He was too busy frowning at my computer screen to answer me. “‘All those moments would be lost in time… like tears in rain.’ Why do you have that highlighted?”

I shut my laptop. “I have it highlighted because something about it bugs me.”

“Did you Google it?”

“No.” I frowned. “Why?”

“Because it’s a quote from Blade Runner.”

Recognition jolted through me. “Oh my God, it bloody well is.” I stared up at him, annoyed. “Ugh. The last thing I need to deal with right now is an author trying to plagiarize cult classic films.” He smirked and then stepped back, taking a seat on the end of my bed. I pushed away thoughts of my author and what I was going to do to deal with it – after all, it could be accidental. Hopefully. “Logan, what happened at New Register House?”

He heaved a sigh and reached into his jacket. He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me. It was a copy of Maia’s birth certificate. I scanned it. “Logan. This… You are named as the father here.” I looked up at him, thrilled for him. “You realize this means you have legal rights now – don’t you?”

“It does?”

We turned to find Maia leaning in my doorway unsurely.

Logan nodded at her. “It does.”

“That’s good, right?”

“It’s good, sweetheart.” He shot a look at me, and I had a feeling he’d come in here to talk it out with me, to vent perhaps, but he definitely was not going to do that with Maia here. From what I’d already witnessed of his thoughtfulness around her, he wouldn’t want her to think he was troubled. He clapped his hands on his knees and stood up. “Why don’t you and I go out for a bit before my shift tonight? Catch a movie or something? We can let Grace get on with her work.”

Maia’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, okay. That sounds good.” She gave me a little wave and hurried off to get her shoes and jacket.

I looked over at Logan, who hovered in my doorway, gazing back at me. “This will all be okay.”

His mouth turned down at the corners before he said, “If you say it enough times maybe you’ll make it true.”

I managed to get only a couple of hours of work in and did not get much done in that time. I kept forcing myself to focus on the work, but Logan’s face flashed across my eyes more times than I could count. He was swimming against a stormy tide, and all I wanted to do was reach out and help him to shore. But my reassurances didn’t seem to be helping. They just felt empty.

I was jolted from my musings and my work by my phone ringing. It was Chloe. Calling to berate me.

Aidan had told her everything.

“Are you nuts?”

Yesterday I would have said no. Today… “I might be.”

Chloe tutted on the other end of the line. “I knew you had feelings for this guy.”

I went straight into denial mode. “Feelings. Pfft. I barely know him. I’m doing this for Maia.”

“Who you also barely know. I need to meet this Maia.”

“No,” I snapped, my mother bear instincts kicking in. I attempted to reel in those instincts, softening my voice when I continued. “You want to meet, Maia. There’s a difference. I can’t let you meet her right now, Chloe. Not just yet. That kid is going through a complete life change. I don’t want to overwhelm her any more than she already is, especially not with my overly suspicious but well-meaning family members.”

“Precisely,” Chloe said. “I am your family. It is my duty to make sure you’re not being taken for a ride.”

“Yes, Aidan said the same thing.”

“Speaking of… he got to meet Maia.”

“We were practically ambushed. Plus, no offense, sweetie, but Aidan is much more diplomatic than you.”

She sniffed haughtily. “I’ll try not to let that hurt my feelings.”

“Chloe.” I fought to find the words to explain. “You have this big personality, and Maia… well… doesn’t. And she’s scared and —”

“I get it,” she interrupted with an exaggerated sigh. “But if you get hurt in this, I’m cracking some heads.”

I chuckled. “I will warn all involved parties.”