I can't believe I asked Logan to be my friend. Who does that? How can you be friends with someone you're so obviously attracted to? I've just met the guy but...All I can think about is how good his lips might taste.

Argh!!!! I groan as I pull the covers off my body.

Heading to shower, I realize it's the first morning I wake up without feeling stressed out about my dad's situation, and I can't decide if that's a good thing or not. I can't lose focus now, and, even as a friend, Logan is very distracting.

"Why can't life be easier?" I look at Bear stretching on my bed. "Bet life is easy for you, huh?" He tilts his head to the side, and I rub his belly before getting up.

After my shower, I feel somehow better about the Logan situation. He is just a guy I met on the beach, who I asked to be my friend because I didn't want to risk anything else. If he had asked for a date, I would have definitely had to decline, no matter how attracted I am to him, and well...I will probably never see him again.

He's a stranger.

I just met him.

I don't care how hot he is.

I have much more important things on my plate right now.

The beep of my phone startles me, and my heart starts beating a little faster when I look at the incoming text.

LOGAN: Good morning, friend.

I can't help but smile. Yesterday, right before I decided to come back home, Logan told me we should exchange numbers since we were going to be friends and all. We chatted for a little while until his phone rang again, and he apologized saying he really needed to answer it.

I said I had to get going anyway, so I gave him a small wave and headed home. He seemed a little reluctant to let me go, but I guess the continuous ringing of his phone made him wave back and leave.

To be honest, I didn't really think he would try to reach out. Especially after I said I just wanted to be friends. But now as I look at my phone, I can't help the silly smile on my face.

ME: Good morning, buddy.

LOGAN: Are you free to have dinner tonight?

When I take a moment to answer, he sends me another message.

LOGAN: No funny business. I promise. Just a friendly dinner.

Isn't it the same thing Mark asked just a couple of days ago and I refused to even consider the possibility? So why am I so inclined to accept Logan's invitation?

Because he's the one responsible for the butterflies' party in your stomach. My subconscious says, but I choose to ignore her.

ME: I work until 9 PM today. How about some ice cream and a walk on the beach?

Yeah, because a walk on the beach with ice cream doesn't scream romantic date at all, Livy. My subconscious keeps pushing it, but I just pretend I didn't hear it and wait for his reply.

LOGAN: Sure. Where do you work? Want me to pick you up there?

ME: I'm driving to work. So, let's meet at the same place we were yesterday. Say around 9:30?

LOGAN: 9:30 is perfect. See you later, friend ;)

*****

I make my way to the kitchen, and as usual, my dad is waiting for me with a cup of coffee ready in his hands.

"Thanks." I kiss his cheek, discreetly checking his temperature. I know he was feeling a little down yesterday, even if he was trying to hide it, but it looks like he's feeling better now.

"Morning, baby girl." He caresses my hair, making me smile.

"Are you ready to go to the hospital?" I ask as I get some toast and butter. He has to go to the hospital for his weekly chemotherapy sessions, and I always make sure I can go with him.

"Uh," he clears his throat, "Mary has the day off and offered to take me to the hospital?"

I'm not sure if he is asking me or telling me, but I smile anyway. "Oh, did she now?"

He starts washing his cup, obviously trying to avoid my eyes. "Yeah, I told her it was not necessary, but you know her, that woman is way too stubborn." He tries to sound nonchalant, but I know him better.

"Okay." I try not to laugh at his flushed face.

The bell chooses this moment to ring, and when I open the door, I'm faced with a way too pampered Mary.

Damn, these two...

"Good Morning, sweetie. Is your dad ready?" she asks anxiously, making me smile.

I don't have time to answer as my dad comes from the kitchen and gives Mary a not so subtle once over. I cough to hide my laugh, and Mary blushes.

"Okay, kids, go have fun. I expect you guys home before lunch. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," I joke, but the look on my father's face stops me.

"Oh! Hasn't your father told you?" Mary asks surprised, making me frown.

"Told me what?" I look from him to her.

"We are going back to my place after the hospital. We know he gets a little down after his sessions, and I promised to take care of him today. Once he feels better, I'm cooking us a light lunch, and maybe we'll watch a DVD later," she says looking at my dad as if daring him to say something.

Dad looks at me, and I know he is about to cancel whatever they had planned. He has never had much of an appetite, always gets dizzy, and sometimes even throws up after his Chemo sessions, which makes him extremely tired. I'm not sure how Mary convinced him to agree to go to her place today, so I'm definitely not letting him cancel their plans.

"Oh, that's so nice of you Mary," I say, interrupting whatever he was going to say. "You should get going then, we don't want you to be late." I rush them out the door.

Mary smiles knowingly at me. "Yeah, right. Let's get going, Charles."

My father looks at both of us before making his way to the door. "Bye, baby girl." He kisses my cheek.

"Go get them," I whisper in his ear and he shakes his head holding his smile in.

It's been some time since I've been by myself at home, and the house seems too quiet. It gives me the chills to think there is a possibility of dad dying and me living here alone, so I force myself to refocus.

Sitting on dad's recliner in the balcony, I think about what I can do to help him. I've always refused to be a pessimistic person, always thinking that we have to think positively to attract good things. But today, looking at this small house on the beach that my dad worked so hard for us to have, I can't help but think about what I would do if he died.

As if sensing my sadness, Bear sits by my side. Petting his ears, I pray to God I find a way to have access to Nana's money before it's too late. Dr. Lucas said Dad would have better chances if he tried the new treatment being developed in Europe as soon as possible, so there must be a way to get the money without getting married. I'm talking to a lawyer again later this week, someone might have come up with a solution for me to get that .

A loan is out of the question with my salary and Dad's lack of a job. So, it gives us only two options; selling the house or finding a way to get access to Nana's trust fund.

Dad refuses to sell the house saying he worked very hard to pay for it, and there is no way he is going to sell the only thing he will be able to leave to me for a treatment that may not even work. I even tried to reason with him, saying if he dies, I'll have Nana's money one day, but he wouldn't have it and said the house was off-limits. He couldn't live with himself thinking that if he died, I'd be homeless.

So, it left me with just Nana's trust fund.

Of course, I need to be married to have the money and I don't even have a boyfriend. Studying hard in college didn't allow me anything serious in terms of relationships, and the truth is that until today I'd never met someone I'd consider making this kind of commitment to.

How the hell will I ever find a husband then?

There must be another way.

_____

A/N: Thanks a lot for reading! ❤️

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- Celeste