Can't Forgive You (Second Chance Diaries Book 2)

by Emma Vikes

  My heart raced. The last thing I wanted to happen was for her to recognize me. I shook my head. “No. I’m an old friend of hers. There’s just something I need to talk to her about that’s really important.”

  She studied me with narrowed eyes, the suspicion clear in them. “I have to call Miss Wilson before letting you go in.”

  I let out a shaky exhale but nodded. She called Olivia’s phone and then turned to me and asked my name. I swallowed, unsure if I should tell her who I was. I asked her if she could ask Olivia to step out. Her eyebrows furrowed but she did as I requested.

  Olivia came out of the door of her office and approached me. “Mr. Crewe? What are you doing?

  I glanced at the receptionist before grabbing Olivia’s hand and pulling her to the side where we weren’t within hearing distance. I hated how she still kept it professional. “I’m not here as your client right now. Please, I need to talk to you in private.”

  She went quiet for a moment as her hazel eyes regarded me carefully.

  I knew that coming here wouldn’t guarantee anything. But Olivia was the only person in the world I trusted and although we were at odds, a part of me hoped she’d help.

  Slowly, she nodded. “Follow me.”

  I followed her to her office and the moment she closed the door, I removed the baseball cap and sunglasses then sank on her couch.

  “I almost didn’t recognize you,” she commented with a raised brow. “What’s with the cap and glasses?”

  I ran a hand through my hair. “The media’s all over me. Apparently, Julija made a post that people speculated was about me. Clara found me at the boxing gym and told me to lay low for a while but there’s a slight problem with that.”

  Olivia leaned against her desk, arms crossed. “What would that be and why did you come to me?”

  I swallowed. “They’re already camping outside my home. Sure, the neighbourhood has security but it won’t take long until they figure something out or overpower security. Hotels are out of the question too, or even renting a house. They’ll eventually find out where I am and I need a place to stay where they wouldn’t suspect me to be.”

  Olivia shook her head. “Well, you have quite the situation in your hands but I’m not sure where I fit into the whole thing.”

  My eyes met hers. “I need your help, Liv. If you’ll allow me, can I stay with you and Amy for a little while? Just until the whole thing blows over or Clara figures something out.”

  She nearly gaped at me, mouth open in shock. She sputtered, trying to find the right words, grasping at them. She pushed herself upright. “Oh no, Logan. You’re a fucking billionaire. You have the whole world in the palm of your hand and you’re telling me you need to stay with me?”

  I looked away, feeling self-conscious. “Like I said, it’ll be hard to book a hotel and staying at a public place would be risky.”

  “What about your parents? Friends?”

  “My parents live in another city,” I explained and then I let out a soft exhale. “And I don’t really have any friends, Liv. I’ve surrounded myself with people that would be right for business, not for my life. I pushed people away because I was after my success and it finally came back to bite me in the ass.”

  She stared at me.

  I could already hear the rejection coming out of her lips before she could even say it, so I stood up and stepped closer. “I know that I’m asking too much, Olivia, but you’re the only one in San Francisco who can help me. You’re the only one here that I really know and trust. I know that I’ve stepped over the line countless of times already but just this once…” My voice trailed off and I looked at her, begging. “There’s no one I can turn to but you. I’ll go down on my knees and beg if you want me to. I’ll do anything you want me to. I’ll clean the house, cook for you, help Amy with homework, absolutely anything. I’ll even pay rent.”

  Olivia’s face remained unreadable.

  My heart sank. Who was I to ask Olivia of such a favor after all that I’d done to her?

  Then, Olivia let out a shaky breath and looked at me, eyes shining with hesitation. “If I find out that there’s actually someone else that could have helped you, I swear to God, Logan, you’re going to regret coming to me.”

  I had to refrain from pulling her into a hug. “You really mean this?”

  “Two nights. That’s all I’m willing to give you. Have Clara or yourself figure something out. After that, you leave.”

  12

  Olivia

  What was I thinking?

  This had been the question that constantly plagued my mind since I agreed to have Logan stay with us for two nights. I tried to think of a plausible answer to that question. Maybe I was simply empathizing with his situation. I was still human after all and even when he broke my heart ten years ago, it would be too cruel to turn my back on him because of that.

  But really though? Is that really the reason? Or was I simply making an excuse because it was Logan asking for my help and I could never really turn my back on him? Even ten years ago, whatever help he needed from me, I would come to his rescue without hesitation. As pathetic as it seemed, ten years never changed that.

  My phone buzzed just as I was about to put it in my bag. Our housekeeper was calling. I usually had her during the weekdays and she was off on the weekends. Most of the time, she waited until I came home so someone would be there with Amy. But there were certain occasions when she had to leave early whenever her son needed her help.

  “Hey, Raquel, is there a problem?” I could hear Amy squealing with delight in the background. It made me smile.

  “Hi, Miss Wilson. I called to ask you a question. And it will be an odd one too. A man came here with a couple of bags. He says he’s a friend of yours and he would be staying with you and Amy for a while. Amy knows him but I just wanted to make sure that you permitted this?”

  I let out a shaky breath and placed a hand over my temple, rubbing gentle circles. “Yes, I did. He’s…he’s a family friend. He’s in town for a while and needs a place to stay, so he came by the firm and asked if he could stay with me.” Although I was a lawyer, lying through gritted teeth still made me uncomfortable.

  “Oh, I see. I haven’t let him in, so I supposed I should.”

  Logan came by about two hours ago. I presumed he would head straight to my house after that.

  “Amy and I went to the park and then had ice cream.” She sounded sheepish. “We were out of the house for about two hours. He’s been waiting at the front porch for a while.”

  I couldn’t help but smirk. In my shock at Logan’s request, I must’ve forgotten to hand him the spare house key that I had with me.

  In a muffled voice, I heard her say ‘come in’ and then give instructions to where the guest room was. In the background, I could also hear Amy talking to Logan. She seemed thrilled at the idea of having him around for a while.

  “Oh, Miss Wilson, will it be too much to ask if I leave now? Your friend is here to take care of Amy and I don’t think I’m needed that much anymore.”

  I bit my bottom lip but knew that Raquel would want to be with her family. I’d always been mindful of that fact. “Sure. I’m heading home now anyway and I’ll just get take out for the three of us. Thank you for your help, Raquel.”

  Setting my phone on the table, I sank back into my seat and let out a long exhale. I was no longer sure what waited for me when I arrived home. Amy wouldn’t mind letting Logan stay. It was clear that she absolutely adored him. Meanwhile, I wasn’t sure how to react to that, despite being the one who agreed to it.

  “What do I keep getting myself into?” I muttered as I covered my face with my hands.

  The knock on my tinted glass door startled me and Lacey’s head popped in.

  She wore a curious expression on her face. “I thought you were heading out early?”

  I nodded and stood, grabbing my blazer and putting it on. “I am. Are you heading out too?”

  She pushed the door
wider and slid inside my office. With a pout, she shook her head. “No. There’s still a case I need to work on and Xavi hates it whenever I bring work home. He says it doesn’t give us time for each other.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. Their relationship had always been something I admired. “That’s true. I try not to bring home work a lot, so I can focus on Amy at home.”

  Lacey’s eyes glistened. “Hmm-mmm. You know, Michelle and I had a little chat at the pantry a while ago and she mentioned a guy came to see you?”

  I bit the inside of my cheek. At least, Michelle didn’t recognize Logan which meant Lacey didn’t know who it was. “Yes. He’s a friend of my brothers who’s staying here in San Francisco for a while. He just came by to say hi.”

  Lacey kept looking at me with suspicion clear in her eyes. “Doesn’t that sound a little fishy? He’s your brother’s friend but he came to see you.”

  Of course, Lacey would latch on to that rather than just dropping it altogether.

  I flashed her a thin smile and shrugged. “I was close to all of my brother’s friends growing up. They all see me as their little sister. You know how I was invited to their weddings.” I had to remind her that most of my brothers’ friends were married, so she wouldn’t get the wrong idea. I had brought her along whenever I looked for a dress to wear or called her when I needed to borrow shoes for those weddings. I prayed to any god listening that she would go along with it.

  Lacey nodded slowly and her smile brightened. “That must be why Michelle said the guy looked familiar but she couldn’t put a finger on who he was.”

  My shoulders sagged in relief that Michelle didn’t recognize him. I grabbed my bag and flashed Lacey a smile. “I should get going. Amy’s waiting for me at home and I need to grab us dinner.”

  Lacey waved at me as I moved to the door, wishing me a safe drive home.

  In my car, I let out a long exhale to calm myself. I tried to clear my mind off of any kind of thoughts that included Logan. I needed to view the whole situation as me helping out someone I knew. He needed help and it had been very clear to me when I saw the desperation in his eyes earlier.

  I just wished he’d asked someone else for help.

  I stopped by the Chinese restaurant that Amy liked and bought our dinner. I wasn’t exactly sure what Logan wanted but ordered what he used to eat when we were dating. Surprisingly, it was the same with Amy. Orange chicken. The similarity sent a pang to my heart. Amy didn’t grow up having Logan by her side and yet bore so many similarities to him.

  When I arrived, I saw another car parked in my driveway and it must’ve been Logan’s. I took a deep breath, wanting to calm myself before going in. When I finally gathered enough courage, I got out of my car, balancing the takeout and my bag, and headed to the front door.

  “Mom!” Amy squealed in delight from the living room as soon as I shut the door. Her footsteps were loud as she padded from the living room to the hallway that led to where I stood. She barrelled towards me, small arms wrapping around my waist. She had a toothy-grin on her face and her hazel eyes sparkled with delight. “Logan’s here!”

  Logan reached us and quietly took the takeout from my hands. He nodded, flashing me a small smile.

  I patted Amy on the head. “Logan will be staying with us for a while. Will that be okay with you?”

  Her eyes widened with excitement and she cheered, turning to Logan. “Of course! He can stay here forever if he wants!”

  “Oh, really?” Logan teased, grinning at her as he picked her up. “That sounds like an inviting offer, Em, but we gotta check with your mom about that. For now, let’s be happy she’s letting me stay her for a while rather than letting me be a hobo.”

  Amy giggled at that and then pointed at the takeout still in Logan’s hand. “Can we have dinner now? I'm starving.”

  Logan put her back down and then turned to me. “We’ll set up the table. You can wash up or change if you’d like.”

  I opened my mouth to speak but decided not to. Logan was offering to help, doing just as he told me earlier to get me to agree. I merely nodded and watched as the two of them disappeared into the kitchen. I climbed the stairs and headed straight to my room. I stripped off my clothes and then walked naked to the bathroom, turning on the shower and letting the hot water soothe me.

  I was under the shower for about ten minutes, wanting the water to comfort me but knew I had to head down now. Quickly changing into comfortable clothes, I headed downstairs into the kitchen to find Logan patiently teaching Amy how to use chopsticks. It was something I’d always tried to teach her but never had the patience needed.

  When Amy managed to pick up a small piece and have a bite, Logan cheered beside her. As I approached, Logan’s food remained untouched and mine was placed on the table. I took my seat. Logan was sitting on my right while Amy was on my left.

  Logan reached for the bag, procured another set of chopsticks, broke it in half, and handed it to me without a word.

  Everything seemed so casual, as if the three of us had been having dinner together all our lives. Logan and Amy casually converse and sometimes, Amy asked me a question so I could butt in their conversation. They would listen to what I had to say and then Amy would ask another question to Logan which would lead them to a new conversation.

  Just the casualness of the situation finally broke my calm waters. I saw how easily Logan and Amy were getting along and it brought my fear to the surface.

  “I’ll clean all this up,” Logan offered.

  Honestly, I didn’t mind. He could clean the entire house if he wanted as long as he stayed out of my way which wasn’t really possible because Amy would notice. “You sure? I could do it. I’m not that tired from work.”

  He shook his head. “It’s okay. I promised you I’d help.”

  “I’ll help you!” Amy said, butting in our short conversation and she stood up from her seat, rushing to help Logan. I couldn’t help but stare at the two of them head to the sink, the plates in Logan’s hands. He handed her the dry towel and told her that she could dry while he watched.

  They were so comfortable around each other and the sight of them together sent warmth through my heart. But as soon as I felt warm all over, the truth slapped me on the face again and I could feel the pang in my heart slowly ebbing throughout my being. Neither of them knew the truth but I did.

  And a long held truth was never easy to let it out.

  “Amy,” I said, wanting to take the image of them together out of my sight. The more I saw them side by side, the more the truth crept into my heart, desperate to get out. “Don’t you have any more homework to do?”

  “Raquel helped me with it and the ones she didn’t know how to do, Logan helped me with.” She sounded so nonchalant when she said it.

  It made my heart sink. She had time to spend with Logan and I was in for a long night if she did. “Didn’t you mention you have a quiz for your first period? You should study.”

  “But Mom, I’m still helping Logan.” Amy looked at me, mouth set in a pout.

  I swallowed. I hated that I was prohibiting her from having a good time. “You can help Logan when you don’t have anything to do or study for. C’mon, go to your room and read on your quiz. Didn’t you make a promise that you’d give me a report card with all A’s?”

  “But Logan said he would teach me to draw after we do the dishes.”

  I glanced at Logan who returned my gaze.

  He was watching me, gauging how I’d react to it.

  “Logan can teach you to draw on Friday. You have notes and a book waiting for you.”

  Amy let out huff but followed my request. She sullenly walked up the steps and

  Logan turned to me, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Why’d you do that?”

  I stood from my seat, tilting my head to the side to seem confuse. “What do you mean?”

  “I didn’t think you would be the kind of mother to force her child to study. I know you were nerd but I didn’t ex
pect that you would want your own child to turn out to be too.”

  I opened my mouth to speak but his statement rendered me speechless. Scoffing, I loudly pushed the chairs to the table, annoyed at him. “I’m not turning her into a nerd, Logan. She has something to study for and you’re the one who volunteered to do the dishes. You didn’t need her help so she should utilize her time better.”

  He turned to face me, hands still wearing kitchen gloves. “Is something wrong, Olivia? Because since you arrived, you’ve been sullen and quiet. If you don’t like having me around here, why did you even agree?”

  This was the Logan I knew. Always direct and to the point as he didn’t want to waste any time arguing about pointless things.

  “I’m not sullen and quiet. I’m just tired from work. And you begged me to help you because you didn’t have anyone else around!” I kept my voice in a hush whisper, glancing at the stairs because I didn’t want Amy to see us arguing.

  Logan looked at me with furrowed eyebrows. “If you’re upset with me for some reason, don’t take it out on Amy. She deserves to have a little fun after school.”

  Clenching my fists, I tried to calm myself down. “Don’t teach me how to be a parent because I’ve been doing it for nine years, Logan. Also, don’t assume that it’s you I’m upset with. Oh and, if I have to remind you, you’re just a guest in our house. Don’t overstep your boundaries or else I might change my mind and leave you to the wolves.”

  13

  Logan

  I felt confused by Olivia’s behavior. What she did with Amy wasn’t like her really. But then again, she had a point. I wasn’t a parent and she was. Defending Amy the way I did and telling Olivia what to do was over-stepping on my part. I should’ve just shut up and finished washing the dishes. She was already being gracious with me for letting me stay for a while with them.

  I couldn’t ruin that for myself.

  To make up for it, I decided to make breakfast for the two of them. I wasn’t sure what time Olivia usually got up to prepare so I was already awake by dawn. Amy had class and Olivia had work. I wasn’t briefed on what time they would wake up and get ready. Still, I wanted to do something nice.