Nothing Comes For Free

Georgie and Logan, GH

Chapter Four

May 2016

"I think I owe you an apology," Georgie said to Logan the next morning, when she found him drinking coffee and reading the paper in the kitchen.

He fixed her with a dry glare, over his coffee cup. "You owe me a whole hell of a lot more than that."

"Logan, just let me get this out, okay?"

"A dinner, for starters. I ate tuna out of can last night because you told the staff I could fend for myself."

"I was pissed that you invaded my life but I realized you were right, what you said yesterday, this is not about my life or yours. This is just about the kids. So I'm sorry. I will try to be much more hospitable from now on. I'm embarrassed that I behaved that way."

"You've had it rough here lately. We all have."

"Thank you for understanding. I don't deserve your kindness."

"Stop beating yourself up. You're all ice water and sharp edges but I'm not all that soft and cuddly myself. One of us is gonna have to soften up though because those kids deserve so much better than two grouches for guardians."

Georgie filled a kettle for tea. "You're right about that. Though I wouldn't label myself a grouch, normally."

"Ha, okay." He took a drink of his coffee.

"Most people consider me very easy to get along with, I will have you know."

"Do these people have four legs and fur?"

"I don't have that many cats."

"I've got less horses on my twenty-two acres than you've got cats on this Spook Island."

"Miss Fluffybottoms had kittens and I couldn't bear to give them away. They're a family."

"I surely hope you got Miss Fluffybottoms fixed."

"I did. Only because her last pregnancy was really hard on her."

"You got any human friends? Maybe, and I know this is far-fetched, a man in your life? Bed?"

"The only thing stopping me from dumping this kettle of boiling water over your head is that I don't have the time to go to trial right now. No jury would convict." She poured her boiling water over her tea bag, added sugar and started to leave the kitchen.

Logan taunted her as she walked away. "There's that sunny personality that only the cats usually get to see."

"Choke and die."

"You're not that lucky."

She shot him one last withering glare and then stormed away. It would not be easy to tolerate that man under her roof but for the sake of her niece and nephew she would have to do a better job in the future.

Baby steps. For today, she just wouldn't kill him. That was enough for today.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"He moved in?" Emily asked Georgie, in shock, when she heard about the will reading.

They were both volunteering at the free clinic. Emily was a doctor and Georgie worked the front desk.

"Muddy cowboy boots and all. The only break I may get is if he goes back to Texas to get his truck and Charlie."

"Charley? A girlfriend? Wife? Kid?"

"Dog. Boxer. I have a feeling I'll like the dog better than the guy."

"Is he that bad?"

"The moment that the lawyer said we have to live together, he looks at me and goes 'I guess I'm moving in then,' and he did! He didn't even ask. The nerve, huh?"

"I think it's sweet that he would do all that for his godkids. Most men wouldn't give up their whole lives for someone else's kids."

"And ten million dollars. Don't forget that part."

"You really think the money is all he's after?"

"I don't know. He seems to really love the kids and he is good with them. But I remember him as being such a bully and a jerk. I don't want that kind of guy sleeping under the same roof as me."

"Has he been a real ass so far?"

"I've been giving it to him with both barrels and he's responded in kind. We tried to call a truce but it lasted about five seconds. We're like oil and water. I don't see this lasting. The thing is...I had to call off Alexis. I can't drag Logan to court to get his rights terminated. It would hurt LJ and Frankie too much if he went back to Texas right now. They're so fragile. They need as many people around who love them as they can get."

"This is really unfair to you though. It's like Maxie is making you marry some guy you barely know and don't even like."

"Whoa, it's not all that. We live together. It stops there."

"Plenty of married couples don't hit the sheets that often. You two are raising kids now. That is as close as you can get to married without the sex and joint tax returns."

"Don't remind me. I was doing just fine by myself. I don't need his help but it isn't up to me."

"Well if he turns out to still be a bully and a jerk you just let me know. I'm sure that Lucky wouldn't mind moving Logan out by any means necessary. The one thing my husband can't stand is a man who abuses women."

"Logan isn't like that."

"I thought you just said that is exactly what he was like years ago?"

"Sure he fought with Spinelli, because they both wanted Lulu, he drank too much and slept with too many women behind Lulu's back, but it is a long reach from that to being a danger to me and the kids. Besides, it's been eight years. People change a lot in that amount of time. I know that I have."

"Me too." Emily filed her latest patient report. "If you need any help with the kids, or babysitters, you know that Lucky and I got your back, right? You can call us, night or day."

"Thanks. I just might have to make that call one of these days. God knows, I'm in so far over my head that I can't see the surface anymore. I don't know how to be a guardian, let alone a Mom. These are Maxie's kids." Tears filled her eyes and her voice broke as she said "She is supposed to be here to raise them."

Emily wrapped Georgie in a hug. "You got this and I got you. You have so many people who have your back that, with all of our help, you'll be all those two kids need. Maxie and Cooper knew that. That is why they left their kids to you. They know you got this and so do I. Now you just have to know it too."