Love You Anyways by Mj Fields Page A

help Harper. She’s kind of upset with Maddox.”
    “I understand. I’d do the same thing.”
    “Logan? You and I need to chat.” I pointed to the room and he walked in chuckling.
    “How much did you drink?” I asked as I shut the door behind me.
    “Five? Six? It’s no big deal Dad…”
    “It is a big deal Logan, you’re a minor.”
    “You always said you’d rather I experiment at home than at a party and get in a car and…”
    “Okay yeah I did. But Logan at a public event, come on that’s not cool.”
    He laid on the bed, “Fine you wanna drink now? I bet I can drink you under the table.”
    “I’m gonna shower. You stay put.”
    ~
    When I got out of the shower my son was passed out, snoring and all. I grabbed his phone and took a picture of him. I looked out in the hallway and Maddox’s dad Brody was there.
    “You meeting your friend?”
    “I’m supposed to but I’m not sure I want to leave the minor passed out and unaccompanied,” I laughed.
    “This floor is secure, he’ll be fine.”
    “How’s Harper?”
    “Well, she is now in Tessa’s room because she’s angry at Maddox. Maddox is sulking and probably going to…” Maddox stormed across the hall and his father Brody stopped talking. “In five, four, three, two.” He lifted up one finger and Maddox walked out carrying Harper across the hall as she cried.
    Tessa walked out and watched them. She didn’t see us standing there because she did a silent little temper tantrum. She stomped her feet, flailed her arms and then finally bit her fist to stop from screaming.
    She looked over at us and those baby blues grew. I didn’t smile. Even though I wanted to. Brody looked concerned. She let out a sigh and then my phone chimed alerting me to a text.
    I read it. “Jose is here Tessa. You wanna go down and say hello?”
    “Sure, let me get changed.” She walked back in her room.
    I looked at Brody. “Must be hard.”
    “Yeah.” He shook his head and then looked at me, “Collin was a good man. I promised if anything happened I would look after them.”
    “She looks to be having a hell of a time not doing that for her kids.”
    “I made a promise to a man.” His eyes narrowed.
    “Yeah? I made a promise too.”
    Our eyes were deadlocked. Each seeking control. I wasn’t about to give up and apparently neither was he.
    Tessa walked out of her room and shut the door behind her. “Brody I won’t be gone long. If she needs me…”
    “I’ll take care of it.”
    “You’ll call her right? If her daughter needs her you’ll call her.” You better say yes man.
    Tessa looked up at him, waiting for a reply. She didn’t see what was going on here and I’m glad. I didn’t want her to feel like she had lost more of her life than she already had.
    “Of course.” He answered.
    “Thirty minutes and then back up here.” I promised as I guided her to the elevator.
    We got in the elevator and she stood against the wall. She looked whipped.
    “You alright?”
    “Please don’t.”
    I nodded and leaned back against the wall.
    “Sorry. I’m sorry I just can’t talk about it.”
    “Understood.”
    She looked at her phone as if she was waiting for it to ring.
    “You don’t have to do this you know. Jose would understand…”
    “I can’t talk about it.”
    “I was going to say.” I turned and lifted her chin so she was looking at me. “He would understand if you were worried about Harper.”
    “No , she’s grown up now. Not a baby. She’ll be fine.”
    The door started to open and I pushed the button to close it and then the twelfth floor.
    She covered her face, hiding her pain, and her purse slipped down her arm. I grabbed it and opened it.
    “What are you… ”
    I held up the candy bar she had shoved in her bag last night and opened it. “Sugar rush and a crash. Then sleep Tessa.”
    She shook her head and the corner of her mouth curled up. I handed her the Baby Ruth and she took a bite.
    “Thanks for…”
    “Don’t