Nothing Comes For Free
Georgie and Logan, GH
Chapter Two
"You left him in your house?" Mac asked, in a hushed but angry whisper, well aware that Maxie and Cooper's kids were upstairs distracting themselves with video games.
Georgie answered her father. "He's picking out a bedroom as we speak."
"He's getting the hell out," Mac said, grabbing his coat off a chair. "That is what that bum is doing."
Felicia jumped in front of her husband, holding up her hands. "Wait. We can't just throw him out. You heard Georgie. The will says that they live together or else they can't have the kids. Do you want our grandchildren's custody in jeopardy?"
"Why would Maxie and Cooper ever come up with such nonsense?" Mac grumbled.
"Maybe," Felicia said "they realized that alone Logan couldn't raise the kids and alone Georgie couldn't either but together they just might have a chance."
"Our Georgie would do just fine with the kids alone. Our daughter is the perfect role model. That Logan is just some cowboy who's thinks he hit the lotto. What does he know about raising kids?"
Georgie said "I don't know anything either and I'm not sure I can do this. One thing I am sure about is I won't be living with Logan Hayes much longer. The moment I left the lawyer's office this morning I got on the phone to Alexis and asked her to get me in front of a family court judge so I can make sure that I am the only gaurdian of LJ and Frankie. I'm their aunt. He's just some guy their parents took them to visit once a year."
Felicia said "Your sister wouldn't have set up this arrangement if it wasn't what she wanted. I've lost my daughter. I can't stand here and watch the only child I have left spit on her grave." Felicia stormed upstairs.
"Mom!" Georgie called.
"Let her go," Mac said. He ran his fingers through his hair. "She's not sleeping, barely eating. She's not herself. She'll realize eventually that Logan has no place in the kid's life. You and I have to make sure that cowboy is out of Port Charles city limits as fast as a judge can say 'full custody'. I know a few judges-."
"No. I don't want to win like that. You're not the type who ever won that way in the past. You taught me better."
"I was a better man before my daughter died. Now I'm too desperate to protect the last pieces of Maxie we have left to stand on some high moral ground. You should be too."
With that said, he headed upstairs, adding "I'll tell the kids to get ready to go...home...with you."
Home. The kids had to adjust to a new home- the fire had destroyed the one they called home until a few days before (luckily they had been spending the night with Mac and Felicia when the house burned down and killed Maxie and Cooper). It wouldn't be easy for them to get used to living at Wydermere.
And having Logan around would surely only make it harder. If not on them, then on Georgie for sure.
She had spent the last eight years avoiding men at all costs. Focusing on her work, her health, her spirituality, her charity work.
Now Logan, with his muscles, his twang, his darlin this and darlin that, and those sky blue eyes, was living under her roof reminding her that some men couldn't be avoided- no matter how hard you tried.
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"Uncle Logan!" Six year old Logan James Barret ran up and hugged Logan Hayes, the moment that Georgie brought the kids back to Wyndermere.
Logan hugged his namesake, picking him up. "Well, boy, you sure have turned into quite the little man. What are you benching now- 200? 220?"
"I can kick box! Daddy taught me how." The memory caused the little boy's face to crumble. He buried it against Logan's neck. "My Daddy can't come get me. Grandma says so."
"Your Daddy sent me here to make sure you're okay. I'm here and I'm not going no where, got that?"
LJ nodded.
Logan carried LJ closer to where four year old, blue eyed and pig-tailed Frankie was hugging her aunt's leg, shyly hiding her face.
"Well, hello there, pretty girl. I brought you a present. It's up in my room. It's your very own guitar, since you liked mine so much when you came to see me last."
She peeked her head up. "Really?"
"I surely did. I bet soon you'll be playing better than me."
LJ asked "Did you bring me anything?"
"A fishing pole cause I remember you caught that big fish in the lake behind my farm. I was thinking we could go fishing in that lake out there sometime soon. What do you say to that?"
"Yeah!" LJ cheered.
Just then the maid, Ms. Perkins, came in. "Miss, would you like me to feed the children?"
"Yes," Georgie said "I'd appreciate it."
"Come, children, you can help me prepare the meal."
The kids scurried after the maid, leaving Georgie and Logan facing off, much as they had been only hours earlier in this same room.
She crossed her arms over her chest and made a huffing sound. "You're good with them."
"And you hate that, huh?"
"Not at all."
"Yeah, you hate it."
"You like trying to get a rise out of me, don't you? I'm not in any mood to play the sort of games you usually play with women. I have plenty of money so the inheritance means nothing to me. Why don't you take it and head back to Texas? Win, win for both of us."
His eyes grew cold. "I could do that," he stepped close to her and his voice dropped "except for one thing: my dead brother who asked me to help you raise his kids."
With that, Logan left the room.
A chill swept over Georgie. Whether it was from Logan evoking the close bond he had shared with Cooper- from their days in the army and their time shared in Port Charles and then the trips when Cooper took his family to Logan's farm in Texas- or if he was the fact that when he stepped close to her, she started to tingle from head to toe.
She wasn't used to being so close to any man. That was all it was. It set her nerves on edge to have him evading her space.
His good looks didn't help matters either. But she wouldn't forget that he had been a hard brawling, bullying jackass years before when he used to live in Port Charles.
That was who Logan Hayes was. And that kind of man was not good enough to raise her niece and nephew.
She'd make sure he went back to where he came from- the sooner the better.