Trapped For Christmas

Chapter 10...

"Did I hear that right? Logan James is coming to Christmas?" Jess looked at me through my phone with a doubtful look. We were currently on FaceTime as I caught her up on everything she's missed while she's gone to work on some case with her boss.

"No, you heard right. He agreed." I shrugged, shoving a mouthful of noodles into my mouth.

"The world must be ending." I snorted but kinda agreed. "So on top of coming for Christmas he has also been helping out at the bakery all week?"

The moment I told Jess about Logan helping out she freaked the fuck out and even threw her phone.

"I've told him he doesn't need to come help and that he probably has better things to do, but every morning around 5 he's outside waiting for me."

I thought Logan helping at the bakery was a one time thing. Thought he'd be like 'hell no' after the first day so imagine my surprise when I got to the shop the next morning and there he was. Waiting out in the cold for me. The other surprising part was he stayed after hours to help me clean up. All of this unpaid by the way.

It didn't feel right not paying him for helping, especially when he's going up and beyond to help. He has spent hours making dough after dough, pie after pie, greeting customers and helping some carry their boxes to their cars. But every time I tried to pay him he'd shut me down. I've resorted to stuffing money from the tip jar in the boxes he takes home.

"And like today when I was getting stuff ready to go to the Veteran Center he offered to come with me." I waved my fork in the air as I spoke.

"Is that suppose to be a bad thing?"

"Yes...no? I don't know." I huffed. "It's all so confusing. I don't get why he's suddenly now in my life, especially with what happened three years ago."

I knew I was ranting but I couldn't help it. Not when it came to Logan. Something about him drove me crazy. A good or bad crazy I wasn't quite sure yet.

"Maybe he just wants to help." Jess shrugged, eating her own noodles on her end of the phone. In typical Friday night fashion we were eating Chinese, even if she wasn't here. "I mean he did get you home early today which is next to impossible."

"I guess so." I muttered, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. George ended up leaving a bit early when his wife called saying she needed help with something, so it left me and Logan by ourselves manning the store.

I wasn't sure how he did it but when 2 o'clock came around Logan somehow convinced me that I had been working too hard over the week and that I needed a break. While I protested he went around and shut all the ovens off and flipped the store sign to Closed. All it took was one firm look from him to stop myself from flipping the sign back over.

It was a Friday and with the store being busier than normal it has felt like the longest week ever. Getting up early and staying pretty late was taking its toll. So shutting the store down a little bit early did sound really appealing.

After we cleaned up and locked the door behind us Logan all but shoved me towards my car. But when I told him about heading to the VA to drop some stuff off he didn't even hesitate in offering to tag along.

"What was he like at the Veteran center anyways?" Jess asked.

"He was actually really great."

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Flashback: Four Hours Before.....

"You want to come with me to the center?"

"If you need some help." I followed his eyes to the filled up passenger seat of my car as well as the backseat. Because we had closed earlier than I had planned, there was quite a bit of stuff left. Too much for me to give Logan or take home.