Tessa, who was two years older than Natalie, was a family psychologist who specialized in relationship counseling. From what she’d shared with Logan in passing, Tess had left the multi-discipline medical group she had been working for to branch out on her own.
“Most days.” Nat nodded. “I think she said her schedule’s full three of the five days, and the other two are getting close to being half-booked.”
“Nice.”
“Yeah. I’m really happy for her.”
A stretch of thick silence passed as the two became lost in their own thoughts. For a while, they ate in silence, finishing off the lasagna before moving on to the chocolate cake she’d made the night before.
The uncomfortable pause in dialogue was interrupted a few minutes later when several short, high-pitched squeals sounded from somewhere high in the distance.
The twin dimples in Natalie’s flawless cheeks deepened with the sweetest of smiles. “Sounds like someone’s hungry.”
I fucking love that smile.
“Sounds like it,” Logan agreed. He’d recognized the noise, as well. Known as a juvenile Bald Eagle’s peal call, the sound was typically made when the baby bird was hungry.
“Mama better hurry.” He glanced at the sky around them. “It’s almost dark, and Bald Eagle’s almost never fly at night.”
“Okay, soIknew that, but I grew up around here.’ Natalie tilted her head with an assessing gaze. “But how does a boy from small-town Iowa know so much about them? The Navy make you take a class on the country’s national bird or something?”
“No, smart ass.” Logan wiped his mouth with a paper napkin before dropping it in the center of his empty plate. “I’ll have you know, Bald Eagles are quite common in Iowa, where I grew up. Especially during the winter.”
“Really?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He flashed her a smile, relieved to have fallen back into their usual, easy conversation. Settling into his patio chair, he rested an ankle over one knee and gave up a tiny piece himself he hadn’t shared with her before now. “Ft. Madison, where I grew up, is in the southeastern corner of the state and runs along the banks of the Mississippi River.”
“Ahh…that makes sense.” Understanding seemed to click. “They need the water.”
“They need thefishin the water,” he smirked playfully. “Fun fact, the Balds are so common in that area, the city actually named a park after them.”
“Really? That’s cool.”
“Eagle’s Nest Park.” Logan’s lips spread into a reminiscing smile. “God, I must’ve spent a years’ worth of hours there as a kid.” A tightness filled his chest as old ghosts worked their way inside. “My parents fought a lot back then. They divorced when I was fourteen. But before they split, when the yelling would get really bad, I’d ride my bike the four blocks to the park and stay until dark. Sometimes a little later.”
“I’m sorry things were rough with your parents,” Natalie offered softly. “But I’m glad you had a safe place to go when you needed an escape.” She paused a moment before asking, “What was your favorite part about the park?”
A collage of memories surfaces, making his faltered smile return. “All of it, really. It had the normal things like swings and all that. But the entire structure was built from wood. There was a fort with one of those bridges made of planks and chains. You know, the kind that bounced and swung with every step?”
“Those always terrified me.” Natalie chuckled, adding a muttered, “Probably still would.”
“It scared me, too, the first time I walked on it. But I got over it pretty quick.” A huff of a laugh. “My friends and I would race to see who could make it across the fastest.”
“And I bet you won every time.”
“Noteverytime.” One corner of his mouth lifted. “I lost. Once. Because I tripped.”
She laughed again, her delicate shoulders bouncing with the heartwarming sound. Staring across from him, she started to say something else, but a long, hard yawn stole the words that had been a hair’s breadth away from falling off her tempting lips.
Natalie put a polite hand over her open mouth, and when the yawn had subsided, she offered a heartfelt, “I’m so sorry. That came out of nowhere.”
“Nothing to be sorry for.” He checked his watch, shocked to see they’d been sitting outside for over an hour. “Damn. That time flew past.”
“Yeah, it did.” But then Natalie groaned. “And I still have so much work I need to do before I can even think about going to bed.”
“The new account?”
A nod. “Mr. Schwartz sent me home early today so I could look over the company’s last two audit reports. But I still have half of the second one to finish going over, which means a few more hours of work for me.”