by Tara Randel
“I’m sorry I never told you.”
“Me, too, but we’ll fix this.”
“And I’ve told you the store is good financially,” Heidi added. “You don’t need Mrs. M.’s or anyone else’s money to keep the doors open.”
At the mention of Mrs. M., Serena’s eyes filled up again. She raised a hand to her mouth to cover a sob.
“Hey, you didn’t try to rip her off. She’ll be fine,” Heidi assured her, awkwardly patting Serena’s leg.
Serena tried to speak, but couldn’t utter a word.
“Are you worried about what Mrs. M. might think?” Carrie asked. “She seems pretty cool.”
“But she’s Logan’s grandmother,” Serena finally said.
“So. If Logan’s okay with you, why shouldn’t she be?”
Serena looked away.
“Logan’s not fine with things?” Carrie asked.
“We don’t exactly see eye to eye,” Serena said.
“Wait. Did he end things with you?” asked Heidi.
“It was mutual.” Serena blew out a gust of breath. “He was not happy I lied to him. I was hurt that he was investigating while pretending to care for me.” She shook her head. Wished they’d figured out a way to repair the broken trust. “It won’t work between us.”
Heidi looked confused. “But he’s crazy about you.”
“Really? Which Logan? The PI with a job to do or the town’s favorite son who would never accept the daughter of a con artist.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, Logan doesn’t care what people think,” Heidi said, deadpan.
“He cares about the truth,” Serena said.
Indignant, Carrie asked, “Um, did he miss the part where he willingly misled you?”
“No, he feels bad about that, but his job came first.”
Carrie and Heidi exchanged looks.
“But not bad enough to work things out?” Heidi leaned back and grimaced. “Then I guess you’re better off without him.”
“How can you say that?” Serena asked, sitting up, more life in her voice than she’d had since the conversation started.
Carrie grinned. “Looks like someone has it bad.”
Heat flushed Serena’s face. “Don’t make fun of me. I gave my heart to Logan but this is too much for us to overcome.”
“I’m not laughing. I’m stating a fact. You are in love with him, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then we need to come up with a plan,” Carrie countered.
Heidi sat forward and rubbed her hands together. “Oh, a caper. I love a good caper.”
“He’s probably back in Atlanta by now,” Serena said, the thought depressing.
Carrie tapped a finger on her chin. “Then we have time. Let’s find a way to get Logan and Serena back together.”
“I doubt it’ll work,” Serena warned.
Carrie batted her arm. “What? You don’t even want to try?”
“I don’t know if it’ll work and I don’t want to get hurt all over again.”
Heidi yelped and jumped up. “I need to go.”
“Right now?” Carrie gaped at her. “We haven’t even put on our thinking caps.”
“Some of us don’t need a cap. We’re that good.”
Serena groaned. “You came up with something, didn’t you?”
Heidi crossed the room and shrugged into her jacket. “They don’t call me a miracle worker for nothing.”
“No one calls you a miracle worker,” Carrie countered.
“Well, they should.”
And with that, Heidi opened the door and left.
Serena stared at the door. “I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?”
“Probably,” Carrie said as she picked up her mug and went to the kitchen for a refill. “But you won’t be alone. At least Logan will be included in her plan.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
* * *
LOGAN STOOD BEFORE the dining room window, taking in the lush property of the Masterson House. The rain had let up and in the distance a sliver of sunlight tried to escape the dark clouds. A chill hung in the air. The thermal shirt did little to protect him from the drafty old house.
He supposed he should return to Atlanta. There wasn’t any reason to hang out in Golden any longer. The job was completed. He’d spoken to Deke again last night, and he reiterated that he and his brothers were not going after James Stanhope. At least not right now. So really, Logan could leave at any time. Jump in his SUV and head south. He wanted to, but he couldn’t.
Because of Serena.
A sharp ache lanced his chest. Did he really think he’d recover quickly after she walked away? They might have mutually agreed things wouldn’t work between them, but he couldn’t get past the irrational feeling that she’d bailed on him.
You didn’t fight for her, either.
He squelched the inner voice, annoyed with himself. He’d been so broken up over the silent agreement that they were finished, he’d stood at the bottom of her stairs for a long time, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Bottom line? They couldn’t find a way to forgive each other and he had to move on.
He was realizing it was not going to be easy.
Footsteps echoed on the wood floor in the hallway. He turned from the window, waiting to see who would be the first to breakfast. Bonnie walked in, stopping short when she saw him.
“Logan. I didn’t know you’d be joining us.”
“Grandmother invited me.”
A pleased smile crossed her pretty face. As usual she was dressed up, today in a gold sweater and black pants, with not a hair out of place. She hesitated before crossing the room to him, and for the first time in a long time, he was thankful to see her. When she stopped in front of him, he pulled her into an embrace, inhaling the sweet perfume he remembered from when he was a boy.
She eased away, letting out a surprised laugh. “My goodness. To what do I owe the hug?”
“Can’t I be happy to see my mother?”
Her smile slipped. “You haven’t called me your mother and meant it in years.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
The confusion on her face mingled with surprise. “I’m thrilled, of course. Can I ask what brought on the change?”
He slipped his fingers into the front pockets of his jeans. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since I’ve been in Golden.” He shot her a serious glance. “I’ve been out of line for a long time.”
“It isn’t like you didn’t have your reasons.”
He thought that was all the motive he’d needed to cut her out of his life. He’d been wrong. “True, but it didn’t make how I treated you right.”
“Your father told me he’s been trying to apologize.”
“I haven’t been easy on him.” He rolled his shoulders. Sorting things out with his father was still a work in progress. “But I realized something this visit. I’ve missed my family. Problems and all.”
Her finely arched eyebrows rose. “My, that’s a pretty significant conclusion, coming from you.”
He admired Serena. She’d admitted that her father had been wrong, but at least she had a relationship with him, unlike Logan and his father. The truth stung.
“Your father and I aren’t perfect,” Bonnie admitted. “We made mistakes early in our marriage. And then you came along.” Her sunny smile returned. “I took you in my arms and you captured my heart. No matter the circumstances around your birth, I vowed from the first time I held you that I’d be the best mother I could be.” She paused, visibly gathering her composure. “When I sided with your father the night you confronted him about your birth, I broke that vow and I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
“Logan, you must realize that your fa
ther was embarrassed by the affair. And then to have a child? He thought if everyone assumed it was our child, you’d never have to be weighed down with the cruelty from close-minded people.”
“Did you agree?”
“No. I wanted to tell you when you were old enough to understand, but your father wouldn’t have it. The night you came to his study, angry and hurt, I realized the depth of our transgression, but the two of you argued and I never had a chance to explain. Later, you wouldn’t let me.”
“So the secret didn’t bother you?”
“I told myself no, but as I watched you grow up, I wished we’d handled it differently.”
Was that how Serena felt now? Wishing she’d handled things differently? She thought she was doing the right thing at the time, just like Bonnie.
He looked at his mother. Over the years fine lines had started to form around her eyes even though her skin was still smooth. For the first time he noticed a sadness about her. What would have happened if life had gone differently for the Masterson family?
“I love you, Logan. I always have. I always will.” She laughed again and he realized he’d missed the sound. “You’re stuck with me.”
Placing his arm around her shoulders, he tugged her close. “I’m afraid you’re stuck with me, too.”
As they stood gazing out the window, Logan could finally see a future with his family. It would take work, but as Serena had once told him, no one was perfect. Everyone had their stories to tell or, in some cases, hide. She’d chosen to conceal her past, but as the facts of her story sank in, he realized she’d done the best she could and the results had snowballed on her. Despite her fears, she’d finally confessed, and that had to count for something. The hard truth was, he’d fallen in love with her and didn’t want to live his life without her.
Another set of footsteps sounded in the hallway. Logan removed his arm and said, “I’m ready to work things out.”
Bonnie reached up and cupped his cheek, tears glistening in her eyes. “So are we.”
The moment was broken when his grandmother entered the room.
“Logan. You’re here.”
“I believe you summoned me, Grandmother.”
She waved a hand. “You make me sound like a general.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, I can be bossy, but I’m pleased you’re here.” She glanced around the room. “Reid?”
“Not today.” He glanced at Bonnie, not missing the distress on her face.
“He’s only been gone a few weeks but I miss him,” she said.
“Give him some time,” Logan suggested. “Not as much as you gave me, but a little more than he’s taken.”
Bonnie patted his arm and moved to the sideboard to fill a cup with coffee from the silver urn.
His grandmother sent him the stink eye. “I have to say, Logan, first you go off finding yourself, and now your brother’s off figuring out his place in life. You’re both cutting into my timetable.”
“Sorry to inconvenience you,” Logan replied dryly.
“Is there any progress with you and Serena?”
“We’ve hit a snag.”
She glared at him. “Then you’d better fix it.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
His grandmother dropped the outraged act and studied him closely. “Oh, dear. Is this serious?”
“We’re not sure we can be together, Grandmother. We both kept things from each other and now I’d say we’re...wary of going forward.”
His grandmother pressed her lips tightly together, then said, “I knew I should have intervened sooner. Why I—”
Her tirade was cut off by the doorbell.
“Who on earth could that be?” Grandmother said, then turned to answer the door.
When she left, Bonnie approached him, concern in her eyes. “Is there really no way to fix things with Serena? Granted, I don’t know her well, but you seemed happy.”
“I misjudged Serena’s motivations.” Logan ran a hand across the back of his neck. “Thought I knew better. I was wrong.”
“Then I’m inclined to agree with Gayle Ann. Only I’d suggest you try to fix things out of love, not because your grandmother wants you married.”
Logan chuckled. “Thanks for the advice.”
Moments later his grandmother reappeared, Heidi beside her.
Surprise kicked in, then alarm. “Is Serena all right?”
“No,” Heidi answered, sending him an impressive scowl. “Her heart is broken thanks to you.”
He cringed. In the light of everything that had happened since the first time he met Serena, he supposed he deserved that.
“I was just telling Logan to fix things,” Grandmother said.
“I’m not sure...” Logan began.
“Well, I am,” Heidi said. “You two love each other and there’s nothing that’s happened that can’t be fixed.”
Bonnie sent him a pointed look.
“So we need a plan,” Heidi continued.
“Oh, I love plans,” his grandmother cooed.
Why did Logan feel like he was losing control here?
“I really think you can work things out,” Heidi said. “We need the right place for you to apologize.”
His eyebrows shot up. These women were plotting his future now?
Heidi and his grandmother began to brainstorm ideas. Unable to stop them, he was relieved when Bonnie spoke up. “It’s quite simple, really.”
Everyone stared at her.
“The cottage.”
Grandmother’s eyes went wide. It looked like it was all she could do to contain herself. “Why didn’t I think of that? She won’t be able to resist. I knew that girl had potential from the first moment I met her.”
“What’s going on here?” Logan asked.
“The cottage outside of town? The one on Serena’s logo? I own it. Why else would I have let her use the cottage for her brand?”
“You kept it a secret? From all of us?”
Grandmother shrugged, unrepentant. “Not everyone. And besides, sometimes we keep people in the dark for good reason.”
“True,” Heidi agreed. “And in this case, the cottage is the only thing that makes sense.”
His grandmother looked up at him. “Can you do this, young man?”
For the first time in days, he actually felt lighthearted. “For Serena I can.”
* * *
JUST AFTER ONE in the afternoon, Serena’s cell phone rang. She’d finally gotten off the couch to take a shower and had dressed in a forest green pullover and black jeans. She’d tugged on boots, not really sure where to go, but she needed to get out of the apartment. The sun had finally broken through the dismal cloud cover and it looked to be shaping into a pleasant autumn day.
She scooped up the phone to see Mrs. Masterson’s name in the caller ID. Stomach dropping, she swiped the screen.
“Mrs. M. Is everything okay?”
“Of course, my dear. I do have a request, though.”
How could this woman be so nice to her? Could it be she hadn’t heard that Serena and Logan were no longer together? That Serena had lied to everyone in town, including Mrs. M.?
“Um, go ahead.”
“You know Aunt Mary’s cottage outside of town?”
She inwardly cringed. Yeah, she needed to get rid of that story. “I do.”
“I have the perfect idea on how to use the cottage to your advantage. Can you head over there?”
“I—”
“It’s important.”
She couldn’t say no to her friend. “I’ll leave right now.”
“Splendid.” Mrs. M. abruptly disconnected.
Sure this was a bad idea, Serena slipped on a fawn-brown suede jacket and grabbed her purse. She locked the door and hurri
ed to her car, curious now. What kind of idea could Mrs. M. have come up with?
Ten minutes later she pulled up to the cottage, stopped in the driveway and parked. As she exited the car, she took in the scene around her. Her heart pinched, as it always did every time she viewed the white cottage nestled among the pines. It had always looked a bit run-down, nothing that a little TLC couldn’t fix.
Shaking off her fantasies, she started up the path and noticed a tall figure rise from a rocker on the porch. When he moved to the steps her heart nearly stopped.
Logan.
The air rushed out of her. He looked wonderful. Tall and lean, his wavy hair lifting in the breeze. He wore a black leather jacket over a cream-colored thermal shirt, worn jeans and boots. He looked as handsome as the first time she’d met him. Maybe more so now that she was in love with him.
Love. There was nothing that was going to change how she felt about him. Ever.
“Serena,” he said as he made his way down the steps.
She nervously glanced around to find them alone. “Your grandmother said she’d be here.”
“No, she asked you to head over. She never said she’d be here.”
Suspicious now, she asked, “And how do you know this?”
“Because I’m part of the plan.”
Heidi had been successful?
“This place is important to you,” he said.
“You know it is.”
“Well, I happen to know the owner.”
Serena swallowed. Where was he going with this?
“I’ve made an offer on the cottage,” he said as he walked closer.
“I didn’t know it was for sale.”
The corners of his lips tipped up. “I have connections.”
He was going to buy her dream cottage? Wait... “You’re staying in Golden?”
“Can’t see much reason to leave now.”
She frowned.
“I love you, Serena. And despite how we left things, I firmly believe the only way to move out of the past is to walk toward the future together. Can we give us a second chance to get it right?”
Hope welled in her chest. Was it possible? Did she dare take that chance? If they trusted their hearts, and not their circumstances, would it be that easy?
