"Hey, buddy. Kayla told me you were in town. I was wondering when you'd make yourself known." Ryan shook Logan's hand and rapped him softly on the arm. "Been keeping company with Saige and the twins I hear."
Logan grinned. "Yeah, they're great. I love every second with them."
Ryan closed the door to his office and waved in the direction of a chair. He went to sit behind his desk. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of you seeking me out?"
"Well, I'm wanting to find out if you think Saige is interested in a more permanent relationship?"
Ryan sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers in front of his chest, elbows on the arms. "What kind of relationship and why do you ask?"
"I'm thinking of asking her to marry me. I'm deeply in love with her and the twins. I want her as my wife and them as my children." Logan paused.
"And so what's the problem?"
"I'm not sure she's wanting it. I think so but she never eludes to us getting together in the future. She seems to want it but never says anything about it."
Ryan nodded and smiled. "Oh, she wants it all right. She's talked with Kayla about how much she wishes you were here and a more permanent part of her and the twin's lives. Her words." Ryan leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk. "She's afraid you won't want her. Heck, you pulled her from the sea as she was trying to swim herself to death. Not the best beginning to a relationship."
"We've talked about all that. Saige has done so much to get over those issues. I'm so proud of her. She has to know that." Logan picked up a pencil and started tapping it on the desk top.
"She does. Saige is just unsure of herself. Here's what I think. If you ask her, she will say yes. If you beat around the bush and sneak up on the issue, she'll back off because she'll think you are hesitating and don't really want to commit to her."
Logan thought about that. Ryan was right. That's just what he had been doing because he didn't want to pressure her. In doing so he hadn't let her know how committed he was. How much he loved her. How much he loved her children and wanted to make them all his.
"You're right. Now a few more questions? Who's the landlord of this building? I saw an 'Offices For Rent' sign. Can you and Kayla keep the kids on Sunday afternoon? I want to spend some time just Saige and me."
"Sure. I'll clear it with Kayla but I don't think there will be any problem." Ryan was grinning ear to ear.
"Just don't tell Kayla about this conversation. I want to ask Saige in my way on my timetable."
"You got it, Bro."
~~~~~
Logan took Saige out to lunch after church on Sunday. The twins had gone home with Kayla and Ryan. The plan was for Logan and Saige to bring pizza for supper with the Ennis' that evening. This would give them all afternoon to be together without Saige having to be mom.
They went to Olive Garden even though they had to wait about an hour to be seated. Logan didn't care. He just wanted to be with Saige. She didn't seem to mind either.
"At least we both have garlic breath," Saige said as she waited while for Logan to unlock the car door for her.
"Why?" Logan grinned. "So it won't be awful to do this?" He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. He watched Saige turn a pretty shade of pink. He smiled as she quickly got into the passenger seat of the red Mustang he had rented.
As they left the parking lot Logan said, "I have something I want to show you."
"What?"
"Not telling. You'll just have to see it."
"Can I have guesses?"
"You can but I'm not telling."
They played the game with Saige asking if it was ridiculous things like an aircraft carrier or an amoeba. They laughed their way across town.
"This is Ryan's office building," Saige said as they entered the parking lot of the strip mall.
"Yes, come on." Logan parked and shut off the engine. He held her hand as they walked to the storefront next to Ryan's. Logan unlocked the door and allowed Saige to enter first.
"So, what do you think?" he asked.
"About?"
"My office?"
"You're office?"
"Yes. You're standing in my new official office. I've rented this space as my new headquarters. Scofield Consulting now has an actual, permanent office. I'm even considering hiring a secretary."
"Here, in town?"
"You seem surprised."
"I am. You've never had an office have you?"
"No, there's a first time for everything."
"Why now? Why here?"
Logan could see Saige's hand shake as she tucked her hair behind her left ear. "I'd think that would be obvious. There's this beautiful, young mother with a set of twins who are a big part of my life and I want to be near them. With them. That's hard to do when you are somewhere on the other side of the world."
Saige looked at Logan. Just looked at him and he wondered if he was still being too vague. Then she smiled.
"I like that idea. We like being with you very much too. More than very much actually. I'm glad you're going to be around."
"Don't get me wrong. I'm still going to have to travel. That's just essential to my work, but I'll be based out of here and will adjust my travel schedule so I'm not going straight from one job to the next without coming home first."
Saige smiled then turned and walked around surveying the space. "You're going to need to decorate this space. Need some help?"
Logan grinned. "You bet."
~~~~~
Logan picked up the twins several days later. He borrowed Saige's SUV since it had the booster seats. They wouldn't fit in the back seat of the Mustang very well. He was taking them to buy Christmas gifts for their mother. They were very excited and each had several ideas about what to get her.
Tyce thought a video game system would be just the thing for his mother. They could play together, so he said. Amie thought a pony was just what her mommy would like more than anything else in the whole, entire, wide world. Maybe even the whole universe.
Logan took them to the mall and they looked all over the place for just the right gifts. Amie, disappointed she couldn't get her mother a pony, settled on unicorn slippers. Tyce debated over a number of things but when he saw the muti-purpose utility knife he was sold. It had a tool for everything she might ever need one for.
Amie wanted to wrap her gift herself but Logan thought that might just past his level of adult-child interaction so they had them wrapped at the mall. Then he treated them to ice cream. As they sat at a small table in the food court Logan thought about how to bring up the next item he wanted them to purchase.
"Hey guys. I want to talk with you about something really important. Just like your gifts you can't tell your mom about it. Just until I give her my gift, that is. Don't ever think you can't tell your mom everything."
He had their attention. That was good. He needed to keep their focus. Five year olds weren't known for their attention spans.
"You guys know I love you." They grinned and nodded. "I love your mom, too."
"I kind of figured that out when you were kissing." Tyce sounded a bit disgusted about the kissing.
"Is that alright with you guys? That I love your mom?"
"I love you, too, Logan." Amie patted the hand he had lying on the table.
Logan smiled. "I'm glad. I'd really like to marry your mom."
"That'd make you our step-dad, huh?" Tyce asked.
"Yes, would that be okay?"
Amie jumped off her chair and came to hug him. "It'd be the best. Since we can't have Daddy, I choose you as the best step-dad to have."
Tyce looked squarely at Logan. "So long as you're good to Mommy. That's most important."
"You're a good son, Tyce, caring for your mother like that. It's what a man does."
Tyce grinned. "Hey, if you're gonna be my step-dad can I have a PlayStation for Christmas?"
Logan reached over and tousled Tyce's hair. "That's for your mother to decide. We aren't married yet. I have to ask he
r and she has to say yes." He gathered up the paper dishes, plastic spoons and crumpled napkins and tossed them in the waste bin. "First, I need you guys' help in picking out a ring."
CHAPTER 10
Over the course of the next several days the twins bounced with excitement. They were as evasive as five year olds could be. They'd giggle and run off laughing. When Logan came over they could barely contain themselves. They'd pounce on him and whisper in his ear. When he answered their excitement would drain away. This evening was no exception.
"Hey." Logan put Amie, who'd jumped into his arms when he'd entered, down and gave Saige a kiss on the cheek. She was busy stirring up corn bread batter to go with the chili simmering on the stove.
"Hey, back. How was your day?"
"Not as productive as I'd hoped. There's a complication and I'm going to have to fly to London. I leave day after tomorrow and hope to get back by the fifteenth. No later than the twentieth. I told them in no uncertain terms that was when I was leaving no matter what."
"Bummer. I'll miss you. So will the twins, although with their excitement level when you're around it might be nice to have a bit of a break. Restful."
"Hey, that's not nice. True but not nice." Logan dipped his finger in the batter then stuck it in his mouth. "Yummy."
Saige swatted his arm. "Stop that." She poured the batter into a pan and put it in the oven. She set the timer and called to Tyce and Amie. "Time for you to set the table. Dishes are right there." She pointed to the stacks on the counter. "Come on. Let's go and leave them to their chore."
The evening progressed as was becoming normal for them. Logan would help Tyce get ready for bed with lots of wrestling and grunting. Amie and Saige would have mommy-daughter time, then they'd settle on one or the other of the children's beds and read the chapters of whatever book was in progress. Then the twins would be tucked in with each of the adults kissing both goodnight.
Saige was both pleased and concerned about the twin's growing attachment to Logan. He hadn't said anything more about their relationship and she was beginning to wonder if he was afraid to commit to her because of the twins. It was a huge step to take on being a parent as well as becoming a husband.
Saige had come from Tyce's room and was sitting on the sofa waiting on Logan to emerge from Amie's room. He was taking longer than usual and she was just about to go see what was keeping him when he came down the stairs. He flopped down on the sofa next to her.
"Well, Amie was Miss Chatty this evening. Seems she wants to make sure she had told me everything before I went to London."
Saige laughed. "You have become an extremely popular person in this household."
"I'm glad. You all are extremely popular with me." Logan turned sideways on the sofa so he was facing her. "Saige, have you planned a winter vacation this year?"
"No, last year was a bit of an anomaly."
"What if we planned to go back to Antigua? You, the twins, me, your sister and family. Maybe even your folks and mine."
"That's a pretty large group. You haven't even met my folks or me yours."
"It'd be a grand time for all of us to meet each other."
"It's pretty late to be trying to make reservations."
"I can cover all that. I'm the reservation guru. With all the traveling I do I know my way around."
"Oh." Saige didn't really know what to say.
"Here's the deal. I'd like to plan this entire thing and make it really special. Make it a real event."
Now Saige was getting an inkling of what might be going on. Her heart began to beat a little harder. "What kind of event?"
"That depends on you." Logan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue velvet box.
Now Saige's hands started shaking.
"Saige, I love you. I've prayed all year that you'd overcome your grief and heal from your loss. God has helped you do that. I have seen it happening. I'm so proud of you." Logan's face reflected his words. He placed his hand on her cheek. "I love you and I love Amie and Tyce. I want to help you raise them to be Godly adults. I want to have the opportunity to have children with you. Will you marry me?"
Saige had tears running down her cheeks by the time he finished speaking. "I want to. You understand I need to talk with Amie and Tyce."
Logan broke into a smile. "I already did." He opened the ring box. "They helped me pick this out." He took the ring and her left hand. "May I put this on your finger?"
Saige's throat was filled with a large lump so she just nodded. He did and then kissed her.
When they parted Logan cracked a lopsided grin. "Tyce tried to get me to agree to him getting a PlayStation since I want to be his step-dad."
Saige burst out laughing. "He's been wanting one for a long time."
"Is he getting one for Christmas?"
"I don't know. What does his step-dad to be say?"
CHAPTER 11
Today was the day. Just before sunset they would assemble on the beach with their families around them. The resort staff were setting up a palm branch arch that would frame the setting sun. Saige and Logan had decided to forgo a formal wedding. They'd each done the big white wedding before. This time they decided on relaxed and casual. Tyce's idea had been Teen-age Mutant Ninja Turtles and Amie's was Frozen. Saige and Logan had chosen pink and blue floral sundresses for she and Amie and plain blue golf shirts with khaki shorts for him and Tyce. The twins had been excited to be the bridesmaid and best man for the ceremony although Ryan and Kayla would sign whatever documentation was required.
Even Logan, travel expert that he was, hadn't been able to get the reservations for the entire group of families as early as he had wanted. Instead, it was now late March. The delay had tested his patience as being with Saige without being able to satisfy their physical desires became more and more challenging. Logan had gone on a couple of business trips he could have handled without the travel just to keep his desires in check.
In keeping with the casual theme Saige and Logan walked to the palm arch hand in hand, the rest of the guests just gathering around. Amie had insisted she got to throw flower petals so she walked in front of everyone. They used a smartphone attached to speakers for the music.
As soon as everyone was in place the minister began the ceremony. A number of resort guests also gathered around to watch. It didn't take very long and shortly Saige Garner became Saige Scofield and the new Mr and Mrs Logan Scofield were announced. At that moment the sun dipped below the waterline and the rare and beautiful green flash lit up the horizon. It seemed as if God himself had given them a green light on their love.
I hope you enjoyed Rescued By Love. I'd love for you to post your thoughts in a review. Please contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to receive information about my upcoming works. Also if you found any typos or other issues with the book please contact me.
This book is dedicated to the staff at the real Tranquility Bay in Antigua. Thanks for all the wonderful times we've had there.
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Sophie
Books By Sophie Dawson
Cottonwood Series
Healing Love
Lord's Love
Giving Love
Redeeming Love (With George McVey)
Stones Creek Series
Leah's Peace
Chasing Norie
Chloe's Choice (Short Story)
Chloe's Sanctuary
Love's Infestation
Mold and Marriage
Single Books
Seeing The Life
Rescued By Love
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