( CHAPTER EIGHT - EL AMOR DE MI VIDA )

▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁

     "I HOPE WE CAN COME FOR MONEY IN THE BANK." Logan's father, Andres Rivera had spoke from the other line of the phone, his face was slightly hidden from the dark due to the lack of lights in his office.

It's how he had always like working, with just this side lamp hanging by the side of the desk to illuminate whatever was in-front of him but working in the complete darkness. He had always found a strange comfort in the blackness.

"Mija, are you even listening to me?" Her father's voice rang out again through the phone, his brown eyes looking towards her as his daughter was busy with trying to find an outfit that was fit to wear for her and Finn's date.

She hadn't talked with her father in quite some time, so hearing the familiarity of the Spanish language was always consoling for her. She was starting to miss her home - her roots. Her father and her were close as much as a daughter and father could be, so the silence was never awkward or unnerving with him, it was comfortable.

Logan and her father were always the busy individuals of the family due to their ambitions, and Estrella knew that her daughter had gotten her business savy from her father.

Logan had always known that her father always wanted the best for her, he advocated her move into Orlando when she wanted to be a wrestler - even though at times he second guessed his own decision. He just wanted to see her be happy, and if that was away from Mexico and somewhere else - he would let her chase the dream.

"Si, papa." Logan sighed loudly and threw the black dress towards the pile that used to be her suitcase, walking over towards the phone with an annoyed huff. "I've already bought the tickets for you two - front seats." she informed him. Since she had already known ahead of time that she would be winning the briefcase which still seemed so surreal to her, she knew she needed to have her parents there for that memorial moment.

Logan saw how her father sighed slightly, and it wasn't because he didn't want to be there for her where she would be making history for herself, it was because her mother had been feeling strangely better lately, he had noticed.

And that had only meant one thing.. and he wasn't sure if he should even mention it to his daughter. He knew that by not telling her that he would be putting a strain on their relationship, but he didn't want her to worry about her mother - not when the biggest night of her life was happening in a mere of two weeks. Andres knew that the moment he would tell her that Estrella was on death's door step, and not taking treatment again like Logan thought she was, she would be on her way home.

"You'll be there right," Logan asked her father when she saw the unsure expression grace his aged face, a frown present on his face but as soon as she spoke up - it vanished. "It's gonna be one of the biggest nights of my life, papa.. and I really need your support."

Andres sat back in his long chair, stretching his legs that were cramped from the lack of foot space under his desk. He stared towards his phone that was propped up by the books where Logan's concerned face was shown on the screen. "Of course I'll be there, your mother too." he spoke up while scratching his overgrown beard while licking his dry lips and putting down his pen. "Now, tell me what's got you in such a fuss."

Logan inhaled hard while she silently debated whether or not she should even tell him the truth. He had never liked Fergal and she didn't really know why - he just didn't like the looks of him.

"I have a date with Fergal in an hour and I have no clue what to wear." she pouted over the phone while her brown eyes scanned her hotel room floor that was scattered with thrown clothes from her three suitcases.

Andres eyes rose on his forehead, and it took a moment for him to picture the face that belonged with the name. "That Irish man?" he asked while his eyes narrowed downwards towards the screen as he watched his daughter nod. "mija, you know I don't like the looks of that man - he's not what you deserve." he spoke out in his native tongue, which to her - made him more intimating.

Logan rolled her eyes at her father, growing slightly annoyed that her father didn't like the man that she was head over heels for. She supposed it was because they were from different worlds and that they didn't have much in common with each-other, that was probably why the two clashed.

"I like him, daddy. I think he might just be el amor de mi vida." Logan spoke out with a hope in her eyes that maybe, just maybe her dad would accept the love she has found in the Irish man - but it seemed like he was still on offence when he scoffed.

"The love of your life?" Andres scoffed on the other side of the screen as he leaned back towards the phone while his elbows came to rest on the top of the stained-wooden desk. "You said that about Seth, and look what happened."

"How many times do I have to tell you that Fergal isn't Seth?! HE WILL NEVER BE LIKE HIM." Logan shook her head while she screamed out, her own eyes widening at her loud tone. "I get that you always want the best for me, but you can't decide who is best for me. I get to decide that."

Silence soon rolled through the rooms of both individuals and Andres stared back at his daughter with a questioning look in his eyes. He could see that she truly loved the man she spoke about, and he just wanted to protect the only little girl he had in his life.

"You'd like him if you just give him a chance."

Andres tongue poked the side of his cheek as he started nodding to himself, his body leaning back to lean against his black chair while his hands folded together. "And you trust this man with your life?"

Logan looked back at her father and finally her angelic face had softened at the sight of her father's expression - his was soft as well. "With my life papa."

He nodded back at her while his tongue played with his lip for a few minutes. "Okay, mija. After the paper-view - I'll give him another chance to prove that he's worthy of my daughter."

Logan met his challenging gaze through the phone and when she smiled, her father couldn't help but smile back at her. "Thank you -- now I need your help picking out the dress to wear tonight."

Andres grunted out in annoyance when his daughter pulled out two very different dresses -- in color and in style. The first was a black dress that had slits across the thighs while the other one was a ruffled white one with small purple flowers that he much preferred over the first.

"Go with the second one. The other shows too much leg." he replied back as his hands clasped together in-front of his chest. Logan rolled her eyes as she threw the black dress towards her suitcase and then walked out of the camera's frame to slip the fabric over her body, her hands grabbing hold of her black curly hair to let it fall down her back in waves.

Logan walked back into the frame while grabbing the ends of her dress so she wouldn't accidentally step on the ends and fall over. Andres watched as his daughter walked back into the frame with a shy smile gracing her features.

"How do I look, papa?" she asked him as she pulled some strands back over her shoulder to frame her face better, and then looked towards her phone.

Andres smiled back at her. He had always known she was going to grow up to be a beautiful girl but now that she was face-timing him in her dress getting ready for a date, he realized that his little girl has grown up to be a beautiful woman. And he hated that.

He hated that she wasn't young anymore and that he couldn't protect her like he used too.

"You look just like your mother, mija." he whispered back through the phone as the corner of his lips turned up into a sad smile, and the room had quickly turned silent.

"How is mama doing?" she suddenly asked while she grabbed her phone and started walking towards the bathroom to touch up her makeup that was left over from tonight's show. "Has her treatments been going smoothly?"

Andres blinked back a couple times and for his sake, he was glad that Logan wasn't looking at him for the second that she showed a frown at the mention of his wife's condition - which was slowly deteriorating, and they were all waiting for the Cancer to take her completely.

"She's doing much better.." he trailed on his words as he watched her swipe some nude lipstick over her lips. "she misses you -- we both miss you."

At the mention of coming home, Logan knew that she was going to get a week off after Money In The Bank had finished. "I think I'll be coming home to Orlando on Monday, following after Money In The Bank." she mentioned to her father to which he smiled back at her.

"I'm glad to hear you say that." Andres replied back while his eyes watched his daughter glance down at the screen after it had vibrated against the counter loudly. He paused for a moment to re-think his next words but decided that it was best if he did get a chance to meet the man who captured his daughter's heart for a second time. "maybe you can bring Finn." he mentioned to her.

Logan only took another second before her brown eyes met her father's stare, a small smile slipped onto her lips since she knew her father was trying to please her. "Speaking of Finn," she trailed on while looking at her father's picture on the screen. "He's downstairs waiting for me.. I'll talk to you soon." she promised him before she bid her father farewell and hunt up the phone.

She then lifted her phone off of the counter to text back Finn to tell him that she'd be down in a minute - that's when the nerves had finally begun to stir inside her stomach.

This would be the first time that she would be getting together with Finn outside of anything that had involved work, and she wasn't sure how she felt about it just yet. She loved him, that was for sure but things had changed between them and she knew he could feel the unsettling tension between the two whenever they had to work together. But there was also the unsolved tension that was rather heavy but felt natural to the both of them.

She wasn't sure how the evening would go - she just hoped that they could settle whatever was happening between them tonight. And if she left empty handed, well... there wasn't anything more she could do about it.

She had tried.

Logan took one look at herself in the long mirror after strapping her black heels around her ankles, making sure she had everything in her clutch that she needed - her phone, room card, the latter most important of all since she didn't want to get locked out of her own room.

Logan inhaled as she grabbed the heavy door and lifted it open to step through and walk through the empty hallway of the hotel. Most of the lights were off at this time of night but most of the lights on the ceiling were still turned on.

Her grey painted fingernail pressed the button to call the elevator to the third floor and then waited for it to arrive. Her brown eyes glanced towards the opening doors and then stepped through, pressing the button to the lobby.

As soon as the doors closed and her reflection was staring back at her, she started to fix her hair in the mirror. A gentle ping brought her attention back to reality and the doors opened, revealing Finn wearing a nice pair of dress pants and a blue button up shirt.

His back was towards her so he didn't notice her arrival until her heels started clicking against the shiny white marble flooring. His head turned around at the sound and as soon as his blue eyes landed on her frame, his nervousness suddenly vanished and a smile slipped onto his lips.

His smile widened as Logan neared him, "Hey stranger." he spoke up through the silence of the lobby with just the man staring back at them behind the desk.

Logan lifted her head and that's when her brown eyes met his blue ones and then her gaze went towards his extended arm as she walked closer. "I thought ya were going to bail for a second there." Finn added to the one sided conversation as her delicate arm wrapped around his and her hand rested against his bicep.

"I considered it." she joked which made him laugh as he turned his head to glance down at her, taking in her playful grin.

"Well I'm glad you didn't-" he replied back as they both walked through the opening doors to walk towards the vehicle that was parked outside for them. "--you look lovely by the way."

Logan felt her cheeks heat up slightly from his words, "thank you, you don't look so bad yourself." she replied while her arm left his, watching as Finn stopped in-front of the passenger's side to open the door for her.

"I beg to differ. But you know what they say? Besides every great man stands a great woman. I just happened to be going out with the most beautiful one tonight."

Logan looked back at him before sitting down in the seat, "Well aren't you the flatterer tonight?" she shot him back a cheeky smile before she sat down in the leather seat and Finn closed the door, making his way towards the driver's side.

As soon as the vehicle started to drive down the highway, which at this time of night was still a bit crowded. Logan turned towards the Irish man with a curious glint in her eye as he focused on driving down the road.

"So, where are you taking me, Devitt?" she questioned him and his eyes briefly left the road to glance over, his own smile matching her own.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told ya." He replied back which made her roll her eyes and sit back in her seat. The silence fell over the vehicle and she felt herself start to get restless, unable to sit still due to the adrenaline still in her veins from her match earlier.

Her eyebrows furrowed when Finn parked in an empty parking lot of a beach, and she turned towards him with a questionable look. "What are we gonna do- swim with the fish?"

Finn snorted while they both got out of the vehicle and he grabbed the red bandanna from his pants pocket which made Logan raise an eyebrow. "Not swim, put this on."

Her brown eyes met his for a second before her hand reached out to take the red fabric from his fingers. She cast a curious glint towards him before she started to put the bandana over her head to hide her sight from the rest of the world. Her breath suddenly quickened with excitement as Finn weaved his fingers through her own, and then guided her blindly forward.

Her breathing was quick but heavy as she heard her shoes boom off the wooden planks of the boardwalk. "Finn, I swear to god if you throw me over the boardwalk - I'll actually drown you." she froze on the spot as she felt his hand rest on the back of her knee and then she was lifted off the ground.

"Now I'm tempted, love." Finn snickered as he begun to mockingly drop her weight as he descended down the flight of stairs that she couldn't see which made her squeal from the being bounced up and down in his hold.

"Finn, please don't. I'll take this blindfold off." she huffed through the combined laughter of them both.

"Ya wouldn't dare ruin my surprises." Finn exclaimed dramatically while he proceeded to put her back on her feet at the bottom of the stairs, and then he started guiding her forward again.

As they walked forward, Logan begun to see the illumination from inside her blind-fold from the little lights on either side of her and soon the soft song of a violin begun to flood her ears as they drew closer to their destination.

Her mind was starting to go a mile a minute while she tried to figure out where Finn had taken her. The beach - that she had seen from a couple feet away - had been pretty empty with just a few people walking the sands while talking and enjoying themselves. But the music and the lights had her thinking that they were at some sort of restaurant or something, she wasn't sure.

Logan was stopped from walking further when Finn clamped both of his hands on both of her shoulders. She stood there waiting in anticipation as Finn's blue eyes met the violists that he hired for the night, and they started playing a soft tune while he grabbed hold of the blind-fold to uncover her eyes, giving her sight back.

Logan's brown eyes fluttered open when she was freed from the temporarily sight restriction and her mouth opened slightly as the lights flooded her eyes, disbelief was quick to flood onto her face as her eyes began to glance around the board walk. "Finn.." she breathed out in disbelief as her eyes fell upon the table that sat in the middle of the boardwalk overlooking the ocean. 

  The atmosphere was lit up by the tiny candles that were placed along the railing and the fairy lights were strung up around the place hanging from the posts, across the table and connecting to the opposite pole. Everything that this place had, described romance and she couldn't comprehend that someone would do this for her.

Her brown eyes started to go glossy at the feeling of being overwhelmed by so much love coming from someone else as she tried to take in everything that was set up on the boardwalk. She still didn't know if she should believe what was in front of her or maybe it was just a dream.

Logan moved her body around to face the Irish man who was already staring at her with his plump pink lip between his teeth and a nervous look in his eye. "I can't believe you did this." her voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke.

Finn smiled back at her and all the nervousness that he felt prior to setting this up, had vanished. He had never gone out of his way to make a night so special before but he would do it again - for her. He wouldn't even speak about how much it was to rent out the whole boardwalk, and then hire chefs to serve food.

He wanted to show her how truly sorry he was for everything that he had done in the last five months. He wanted to tell her he felt guilty when he left her when she needed him the most for the support when she felt like quiting her dream job and he disappointing her.

It seemed like he was on the right track.

"Ya know I'd do anything for ya." Finn spoke up while he begun to walk forwards the small table that was already set up with two wine glasses and the bottle of expensive red wine in the middle.

"You know you didn't have to all this, Finn. I would've been fine with eating junk food and watching movies." she said as she sat down on her chair, which had been pulled out by Finn.

"You're worth more than some sweetish berries and chick flicks."

Logan let out a snort as a smile came onto her lips, her brown eyes following his movements after he pushed in her chair and then sat down opposite to her. Her eyes studied how his tongue stuck out of his mouth as he was trying to concentrate on releasing the cork from the wine and she found her cheeks hurting from the silent laughter as she watched him struggle a bit.

"God, I think Karl was right -- you are going soft." Logan joked as she reached out to grab the bottle from his hands and pop the cork out with ease, to which he started shaking his head with a smile on his face.

"Mr. Devitt, would you like to put your hard steel abs at risk and have some wine?" she met his smile which only turned out into a burst of laughter from him as he begun to nod and she chuckled along with him.

"Pour the wine, Logan." he told her in between his laughs, his icy blue eyes were now crinkled from the amusement on his face but his smile never died down once she put the bottle back on the table infront of them.

"So, do you have any more surprises up your sleeves?" Logan questioned him as she put her left arm on the table while her other hand rested beneath her chin. A smile came onto her lips while he struggled to get his words out from his dying laughter.

"I might have a few things." he told her while grabbing for the wine glass and extending it towards her. "you'll have to wait for those too." he added as she picked up her own wine glass that was half full with the crimson liquid. The sound of two glasses clinking together had overpowered the soft melody of the violins playing in the distant.

Logan had quickly noticed just how much Finn really went out for this date night, or whatever they were going to call this. A redemption to own up for each other's sins and hopefully forgive each other? She could only hope.

She assumed that this date would be the time to talk about everything that had happened between them between that five month span since he left her without letting her explain her own situation to him. She knew that relationships were a 'together' kind of thing, and when things happen - you need to work together to figure things out. But Logan was also the kind of woman that had commitment issues that came with her from the past. She was a woman to not get involved with the opposite sex since that would come out with her having her heart broken.

She was used to doing things on her own and figuring situations out by herself and not involving other people. Growing up - believe it or not - she didn't have tons of boyfriends. She had one that might be worth mentioning but none that really impacted her life, just a childhood love that died off before she moved out for college for her degree in business and then she took on wrestling as a side hobby which became a full time thing. Maybe her parents were the reason why she didn't have boyfriends growing up since they were pretty rule strict.

She could only admit to herself that she truly loved one person, and that was Seth but that had ended.

She had told herself that she wouldn't be able to love after that but then a certain Irish Man had changed her views on what she defined 'love' as. Finn had slowly crept in after she had pushed him away several times and gave him lame excuses but he still broke down her walls of plenty until he got to her garden of Eden.

He made her feel like the only shinning star in the galaxy and he was dying to share her light. He cared about her passions because his passions were her own. He lifted her up when she felt like the whole world was crashing down, and he might've never been there for all of it - but he was there for the scary parts of it.

That's when she realized that this man was worth every bruise, every cut to her heart if it meant that she would have him in the end because real love like that -- is rare.

Maybe this was the world saying that they were meant to be together even though they had tried to hard to stay apart.

"So, are we finally going to talk about what happened five months back?" Finn had asked her while he watched her twirl her fork around, gathering up the pasta on her fork.

Her brown eyes connected with his own blue ones and she inhaled sharply, putting her fork down onto her plate and then grabbing her wine glass. She needed some liquid courage if she was going to talk about something that she had plenty of time to think about and it wasn't something she was proud about.

"Why'd you do it?" Finn questioned as he reached for his own wine glass as the air had gotten heavier around them but the soft sound of the music was still present. "and not tell me about it?"

Logan's eyebrows rose on her forehead as she put the wine glass back on the table, her tongue coming out to wet her lips before she met his heated gaze. She blinked as she could still see the hurt in them, but also the confusion of why she wouldn't involve him in something so personal and huge.

"I panicked." She said on an exhale while squeezing her shoulder blades together, placing her hands on her lap to play with the fabric of her dress. "When I got the news that I was pregnant --" She paused due to the cracking on her voice. "It was just too much for me to handle at the time and I got scared."

Finn shook his head while his jaw was clenched but it wasn't out of anger. He was feeling more hurt and betrayed that she would keep something so big from him -- did she not trust him enough?

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I got scared, Finn. Our relationship wasn't the best at the time and you were constantly traveling since I got rid of the sling. I didn't want to add that to your already full plate.."

Finn blinked back and swallowed. "Do you want to have children one day -- with me?"

Logan kind of felt like she was just hit by a ton of bricks when the question escaped his mouth and she felt the air get sucked out of her lungs. She wasn't sure if she did want children, that's how she felt in the past but everything had changed in her life now. She didn't really have the time to even think about the possibility of settling down and starting a family, and she didn't think that children would be in her agenda in the near future.

"I.. You know I can't answer that Finn." She hesitated on her answer before her brown eyes met his blue ones that studied the emotions written on her face. He felt a bit hurt by her answer but it was what he expected her to say. They weren't together.

"Okay.. Do you think you'll have children in the future then?" he re-worded his previous answer, hoping for something different from her lips.

She licked her lips while she thought for a minute. Marriage had been something that she barely thought about, only if someone else in her life was taking the step. Her own engagement failed and ever since it wasn't something that she wanted in the future.

"I think it's every woman's dream to become a mother, I just don't see myself having a child with everything that is going on with my career right now. Maybe I'd change my mind down the line."

"So you don't wanna have my children then?"

Her lips opened a bit in surprise when the words escaped from his own mouth, a look of hurt coming across his futures as he placed his hands in front of him on the table. "That's not what I mean by that, Finn. You can't expect me to just say that I want children with you, we're not even together anymore and last time I checked -- you lied to me about Cathy. Maybe I should ask you what happened in the time span -- you left me after all."

Finn leaned back in his chair, a bit taken back from her sudden outburst. "I already told ya, I broke it off with her."

"You left me when I needed you the most, when I was feeling the most vulnerable and I let you in to see me in that state. I have done a lot of mistakes in my life that I still have to reminded of but when someone needs my help, I always make sure they know I'm there for them, no matter how dark they get. But you.. you just left."

"I can't take back what I did, Logan." Fin shook his head over at her. "I realized that I hurt ya, and I can't express in words how truly and deeply sorry I am that I left ya." He extended his arm over the table and offered his hand towards her. "I am so sorry for leaving ya.. I should've been there for you."

She stared over at him while her brown eyes had turned glossy from the tears that were gathering in her eyes but she didn't let them fall from her eyes. "What does that mean for us?"

Finn's tongue poked the inside of his cheek while he sat in thought of her question. He wanted her back, he wanted her commitment issues that made her the way she was. He wanted the bad things that made her her and he wanted the good things that came along with the bad things. She was it for him. His future was sitting in front of him, but he couldn't say the same for her.

"I already told ya that I wanted all the bad things that came with you a long time ago if that meant I would get to see the good. You're it for me, Jane and I can't stress that enough. I love you."

She blinked and a small smile tugged onto her lips as she grabbed onto his hand sitting in the middle of the table, intertwining her fingers together with his. Their grasp was tight and comforting, and Finn didn't want to let her slip through his fingers again.

"C'mon, Let's go walk the beach."

And just as he said, Logan found herself taking off her heels to walk through the golden colored sand at the edge of the water, clinging to the bottoms of her feet as the tide flowed in. Finn walked beside her with his hand in hers as they walked through the peaceful silence with only the illumination of the moon casting down on them as their only light.

The night had been full of surprises from the table set up on the beach, from the violinists that played for them while they ate. There was something that Finn never lacked of, he had always tried to be the best that he could be, giving people his best was what he always strive for. She happened to be someone who got more than his best because that was what she deserved.

"The moon is really pretty tonight." Logan said through the silence as they stopped together at the edge of the water, her face was glowing from the moonlight.

She turned her head to look over at Finn who was holding a little velvet box and she found herself blinking when she met his face again. "Finn-" she said as she shook her head with a look of panic but he quickly cut her off.

"-Just wait.." Finn cut her off and grabbed hold of one of her hands while the box remained closed so she couldn't see the contents inside. "I want you to know that from this day on, I will try to be the best that I possibly can for you. But, I want you to come home with me.."

He trailed on the last words while his fingers slipped from hers to open the lid and she gazed down to see the shiny glint of silver, a shape of a key that had her sighing in relief slightly. For a second there, she thought he was going to get down on one knee and propose to her but the box had contained something completely different but still was a step in their relationship -- just not the biggest one.

"I want you to move in with me."

A/N:

I just want to thank everyone for the birthday wishes yesterday, and being so patient while waiting for the next chapter! It honestly warms my heart that you guys are loving this story. 

Anyways for people who are wondering and haven't caught on; El amour de mi vida means, 'The love of my life' in spanish. And the music that I provided at the top is what the violists are playing on the date; it also has a BIG significance to this story that will be in a future chapter. I encourage that you give it a listen to the violin cover and the original song by ruelle. It's honestly so good.