Logan’s shoulder rose and fell. “It’s not like I try to keep up with the latest gossip, but my grandmother is a master at it, and someone in the book club brigade squealed. Gran told Piper and I.” He leaned forward. “Don’t worry. I’m better at keeping secrets than sleep-deprived Finn is.”

Mike gave him a pointed look. “You’re the one who just told Father Joe.”

“Well, yeah. But... I said it quietly.” Logan’s expression changed as if he’d had a sudden revelation. “Oh, shit—sorry, Father—that’s why you’re asking about kids. You’re dating a single mom. And trying to connect with her kid.”

“More like trying to get Zoey to allow me to connect. Hazel’s the reason we’re a big, dark secret, and Zoey won’t even consider telling her daughter that she—a grown woman—has decided to be with me—her best damn friend. Sorry, Father.”

Father Joe raised one hand. “You’ll never get this conversation anywhere if you two apologize to me every other minute. I’ve heard more curse words than you two probably know, so as long as you leave the Big Man’s name out of it. I preabsolve you both.”

Logan sipped his beer, then shook his head. “A woman is always going to put her kids first.”

“Of course she will,” Mike answered. “I want Zoey to do what’s best for Hazel, but—”

Logan laughed, but there was little humor in it. “There are no buts, man. A good mom is always going to be willing to sacrifice her own happiness for her kids’ sake. Even when she doesn’t need to.”

That’s what Mike was afraid of. “You and Piper had an issue with that?”

Logan rolled his eyes and nodded. “It almost ended us.”

Mike looked down the bar to see if he was needed back there. Tim caught him looking and gave Mike a thumbs-up, mouthing stay there.

He turned back to Logan. “How did you and Piper work through it?”

Logan grimaced. “My situation was different from you and Zoey. Piper’s husband died a literal war hero. His parents were super involved with Piper and the kids before I showed up. In their eyes, I was an interloper.” His eyes grew distant. “So I had to win them over as well as the kids. I had to help Piper move past her guilt, and I had to win over Ethan and the grandparents. Little Lily just wanted everyone to be happy.”

“I’ve known Hazel all her life, and we get along great. But she only knows me as her mom’s friend...not her mom’s friend. But Hazel’s really mature for her age.”

Father Joe, who’d been drinking his beer in silence, looked up.