That’s my hope and prayer for all of us, she added silently.
The boy turned to Logan. “You can’t leave Crimson now.”
“You’re going to be all right, Jordan. Your mom and dad love you. If you need anything, I’m only a phone call away.”
“You don’t have to go.” Jordan shook his head, then turned to Olivia. “Tell him.”
She bit down on her lip, using the pain to block her unruly emotions from rising to the surface. As a child, she would have given anything for her father to come home to their family, no matter how much she’d been hurt by him. Olivia felt nothing for Melissa Dempsey, but she’d come to care for Jordan and desperately wanted his story to turn out differently from hers. “Come to the community-center party, Jordan. Bring your mom with you if she wants. If I can help ease her return to town, I’ll do that for you.”
Jordan gave a jerky nod. “Thank you.” Without looking at Logan, he turned and ran out of the building. The front door slammed behind him, then a deafening silence filled the room. Logan stood as still as granite. Olivia rose, took a step away from the desk and then stopped, unsure if she could bear to touch him right now. No matter how much she longed to.
“You think I’m wrong to offer to help my ex-husband’s mistress,” she said softly. “But I made the offer for Jordan, not his mother.”
A muscle clenched in Logan’s jaw. “Does that mean you forgive her?”
“I don’t know. Does it matter? I was hurt by what happened between her and Craig, but in a way she helped free me. We’ll never be friends, but it’s not my place to punish her. She can take care of that all on her own.”
His gaze snapped to hers, his eyes stark. “How can you always be such a good person? I don’t...”
His voice trailed off and he looked so alone standing before her, as alone as she’d felt just weeks before.
“You were the one who made things okay for Jordan in the first place.” She tried to smile but her lips wouldn’t curve. “Maybe I’m only following your lead.”
“I told you not to make me into a hero, Olivia. I don’t fit the part.”
“You’re human, Logan. We all are. It’s you who expects more of yourself. You shouldn’t—”
“What if Craig comes back?”
“I’ll deal with that when and if it happens,” she said on a shaky breath.
“And if he wants you back?”
“He won’t.”
“He’d be an idiot not to.”
“It wouldn’t matter, Logan. Craig is my past. I’m moving on with my life. Building a future in Crimson is my priority now. This town is home for me. It could be yours to if you’d let it.”
He shook his head. “If I could stay here, I would. I need you to know that. If I was strong enough to make it work...”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit.”
“I have to leave, Olivia. I’m going to take off after the party.”
“So soon? You could try for a little longer.” She hated that she was begging ,but the words just poured out. “If we take it slow maybe—”
He cut her off with a sharp glance. “We’re way past slow. I’ll pack my stuff tomorrow. I’m sorry.”
She dug her fingernails into the center of her palms to keep from crying. “You should talk to Jordan before you go. The next couple of weeks are going to be a big adjustment for his family. He needs you.”
I need you, she wanted to scream. But she’d never been able to use her voice to make her own needs known.
His head jerked in a nod. “I will.”
He lifted his hand as if to pull her to him but ran it across his face instead. “I’m sorr—”
“No!” She practically leaped forward, then covered her mouth with her hand. “No apologies between us,” she said when she had her voice under control.
He flashed a sad smile as he turned. Before he made it two steps, he whirled back around and reached for her. His kiss was hard, searing into her senses. He devoured her mouth as if branding her with his touch. She arched into him just as he pulled back. Without another word, he walked away.
Olivia sagged against the reception counter, wondering if that was the kiss she’d hold on to in her memories for years to come.
Instead he came to her later that night. She’d eaten dinner by herself, trying not to notice that the lights in the garage apartment had been dark. Of course she wondered what he was doing on his last evening in town, but told herself it was no longer any of her business. Still, she’d locked and then unlocked her back door at least a half dozen times before she went to bed.
In the end she’d left it open and, just as she’d been drifting off to sleep, she’d heard Logan’s footsteps outside her bedroom. He’d slipped under the covers and pulled her to him, but neither of them had spoken. For her part, Olivia wasn’t sure if she could say a word without bursting into tears. Their intimacy had been slow, sweet and almost wistful. He’d kissed her body, running his hands across her skin as if he wanted to memorize every inch. The tenderness had almost undone her, but she’d forced herself not to cry. She’d told him she would take what he was able to give and wouldn’t ask for anything more, and she was determined to be true to her word.
Much later in the night, she’d fallen asleep in his arms but woke alone in a cold bed. That was the end, she knew. All she’d wanted was to curl up in a ball and wallow in her sadness. She’d worried about her lack of feeling after Craig left but now realized what a blessing that had been. Living with a truly broken heart was going to be more difficult than she could have ever imagined.
* * *
Someone was in the kitchen. Olivia heard the refrigerator door shut as she put on the last dab of mascara. Logan, she thought as her pulse raced. Hours earlier, he’d told her he’d see her at the open house, but evidently he’d changed his mind.
Could he have changed his mind about leaving, too?
The thought had her hurrying down the stairs.
But it wasn’t Logan who sat at her kitchen table, sipping a glass of lemonade and polishing off the last of her brownies. The ones Logan had made.
“Craig, what the hell are you doing here?”
Her ex-husband tsked softly. “Cursing, Liv?” He shook his head. “That’s not like you. It must be what happens when you take up with a guy like Logan Travers. He’s pulling you down to his level.”
She stalked forward, grabbed the glass out of his fingers. “You’re the one who brought me to my lowest point, Craig. I think you’d have realized that by now.” Part of her was tempted to throw it into his face, but she dumped the lemonade into the sink. Turning to face him, she pointed to the back door. “Get out.”
“This is my house, too.”
“Not anymore. We’re divorced. Finished. Done. You wiped out our bank accounts. I got the mortgage.” She took a step closer. “Not quite a fair deal, but I’ve made it work.”
“You’re different,” he answered, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “Feisty. I like it.”
She grabbed her cell phone from the counter and began dialing. “I’m calling the cops, Craig. This is my home now. Not yours. I want you to leave, and if I can’t make you, they can.”
“Wait.”
She jerked her arm away when he touched her wrist.
“Please, Olivia.”
Something in his voice made her fingers pause. She looked up and met his gaze. All traces of a smile were gone from his face.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I messed up. I hurt you and I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve to be treated that way.”
Olivia’s fingers clenched around the phone, but she didn’t move. “You don’t belong here, Craig. I know Melissa’s gone back to her family. I assume that’s why you’re in town. Whatever you feel about h
er, you need to let it go. She has a son who needs her.”
“It was a fling.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “A stupid, life-wrecking fling. I just felt so stifled in Crimson, in my position as mayor and...”
“In our marriage?” Olivia asked the question without emotion, surprised that she felt so little for a man she’d once thought she loved. Now that she understood what real heartbreak felt like, she knew that Craig had never truly had any hold on her heart.
“Being a politician didn’t fit me. It was my father’s dream. I should have been strong enough to stand up to him from the start, but I wasn’t.”
Olivia backed up to the counter and crossed her arms over her chest. She did not want to have anything in common with her ex-husband, especially something that involved mistakes made trying to live up to their parents’ expectations. “Is this where the violins start playing?”
“Sarcasm, too? You have changed.”
Her eyes squeezed shut for a moment. “Why are you here, Craig?” she asked when she opened them again. “It isn’t for Melissa and I know it’s not because of me.”
“Are you really involved with Travers?”
“My life isn’t any of your business any longer.”
“Logan is bad news. Always was. Stay away from him, Liv. You could do a lot better.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. People change. They grow up. Logan is a good person. He’s been a huge help getting the community center renovations done. I’d be lucky to have him in my life.” She drew in a breath. “But he’s leaving for Telluride after the open house tonight. So your concern is neither appreciated nor necessary.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. He’s not the type to stick around for the long haul.”
“Spoken like one who has experience in that area.”
“I don’t want to fight with you, Liv. I’m here because of the community center.”
She felt her shoulders stiffen. “You have nothing to do with the community center.”
He shrugged. “I need to get on with my life. It’s not going to be with Melissa—”
“And it’s not going to be in Crimson,” Olivia finished for him.
His eyes narrowed. “It is my hometown. But I don’t want to come back. I have a line on a few job opportunities down in Albuquerque, but my contacts are up here. I need references, people who will vouch for me. My dad made some calls, but it doesn’t seem to be enough.”
“It’s not my fault that you burned your bridges in Crimson. You can’t possibly expect me to help you.” When he continued to study her, Olivia felt her mouth drop open. “You do want my help. Are you joking?”
“I’m in a seriously bad spot, Liv. People in town won’t return my calls.”
“Why is that my problem?”
“It’s not,” he admitted. “But if you could throw a little kindness my way, it would help me mend fences in Crimson. I want to go to the event with you tonight.”
She managed to sputter, “No way,” before Craig held up a hand.
“Just hear me out.” He stood and paced to the edge of the kitchen before turning to face her again. “I need a couple of the town council members to vouch for the work I did as mayor. If they see me with you, that things are okay between us and we’re friends, it would go a long way.”
“We’re not friends!”
“It’s one night, Liv. One event. I know how good you are at playing the part. You can make this better.” He ran his hands through his hair. “If I can’t figure things out down in New Mexico, what choice do I have but to come back to Crimson?”
“You don’t mean that.”
He shook his head. “I don’t want to, but if there are no other options, my dad has offered me a job in his company. Just until I get my feet back under me. I know you’ve moved on and, for whatever reason, you’re doing it in this town. Speaking of that, I thought the plan was for you to move back to Saint Louis?”
“Plans change,” she said through clenched teeth.
“You’re still an outsider in Crimson.”
“I’m not—”
“I’m sure you’re working to make yourself a place here, to be useful. Useful is what you do best. It would be difficult with us both in Crimson.”
“Are you threatening me?”
He sighed, all earnest contrition. “I’m asking— begging—for your help. Please, Olivia. I need you.”
Olivia gripped the counter as her head began to swim. Those three words, I need you, brought back a flood of memories from her childhood. It was what her father had always said to her mother after he’d returned from one of his stays in DC, when they all knew he’d been with Millie and her mother.
I need you, Diana, he’d say. I need you to stand by me. Not I love you or I’m sorry for breaking your heart. Simply I need you.
Olivia hated that she’d grown up to be like her mother, so easily swayed by three meaningless words. She wanted Craig out of her life, out of Crimson, for good, but she was no longer willing to sacrifice herself to make that happen.
This was her home now. Despite what her ex-husband might believe, she wasn’t an outsider any longer. “No, Craig. You don’t get to need me anymore. I can’t stop you from returning to town, but I’m not letting you back into my life. I belong here, and nothing you do can change that.”
He looked as shocked as she felt that she’d finally stood up to him. It turned out having a backbone suited her. Feeling lighter than she had in months, Olivia turned and walked away.
Chapter Fifteen
“You’re fidgeting,” Natalie told her for the tenth time later that evening.
“I’m nervous.” Olivia’s hands fluttered in front of her stomach and she clamped them together.
“The whole night came together perfectly,” Sara assured her. “Other than your rotten ex crashing the party. Explain again why we aren’t having the guys throw him out.”
Her friends flanked either side of her, as Olivia had instructed them from the moment they arrived. But Sara was right. The open house was a definite success. It felt as if half the town had come to celebrate the dedication of the community center. Artists and teachers milled about in the different classrooms, handing out program guides and flyers. The dessert table was filled with goodies from the local bakery and a trio of musicians played near the far wall. A few older couples danced before them, although Olivia had declined Noah’s playful invitation to join them.
She took a calming breath. “If Craig doesn’t get a job in Albuquerque, he may move back to Crimson. I don’t want him to think his presence matters to me or that he has the power to scare me off in any way. Besides, it’s not a big deal.”
“If you say so,” Natalie answered. She and Sara didn’t look convinced. “What does Logan think about Craig being here?”
“I’m sure he doesn’t care. He’s leaving anyway.” The truth was she’d been too afraid of losing control of her emotions to talk to Logan about it. She’d had a feeling her ex would still show tonight, even though she’d refused to help him. She’d texted Logan the basics of Craig’s return so he wouldn’t be caught off guard. He hadn’t responded, which was probably for the best. Or so she told herself.
“Logan has been shooting daggers in Craig’s direction all night,” Sara said, a smile in her voice. “I’d bet my last dollar that he cares more than you think.” She gave Olivia a small hug. “Right now, I’m going to find my husband and force him to whisk me out on the dance floor. We’ll keep an eye on your two men and make sure they stay in their respective corners.”
Olivia chocked back a horrified laugh. “I don’t have men and they don’t have corners,” she called to Sara’s back.
She glanced to the edge of the room where Logan stood speaking to Ted. The older man patted Logan on the back then
shook his hand, grinning broadly. Logan had insisted on using local Crimson suppliers and sub-contractors instead of looking to Aspen or nearby Grand Junction for help. The town’s economy had bounced back from what it had been a few years ago, but she knew how much it still meant to have money and labor kept local.
A broad laugh drew her attention. “You’ve done a fine job here, Olivia.” Marshall Daley, Crimson’s mayor, walked over to her. “I wasn’t sure you could pull it off, but this place has exceeded everyone’s expectations.”
Except Logan’s and mine, she thought to herself. “I’m glad you’re happy with the outcome,” she said out loud. “The center will need support from the town as well as private funders to really be a success.”
“Right, right,” he said with a wink. “I should see about hiring you to help with all our fund-raising projects. You do have a knack for it.”
“Told you so,” Natalie whispered, nudging Olivia in the ribs.
She rolled her eyes but smiled at her friend. “Didn’t you want to check out the dessert table?”
“Take care of her while I’m gone, Marshall.” Natalie started to walk away, then said to Olivia, “I’ll bring you a cookie.”
“The tiles were a brilliant idea,” Marshall said as Natalie disappeared. A crowd milled around a table near the front of the room with a banner that read The Crimson Center Tile Program.
Olivia had come up with the plan to sell ceramic tiles to be used in a mural for the entrance wall, each tile personally decorated for the buyer. Natalie had arranged for a local potter to donate the use of his kiln and Natalie was handling the design of the tiles. Throughout the night a steady stream of people had filled out forms for the tiles. The last time she’d checked, they’d already raised several thousand dollars more for the center, much of it in cash donations.
“I’m overwhelmed by the community’s support tonight,” she said honestly. “I wasn’t sure some of them could overcome my involvement enough to see how necessary this place is to the town.”
“Nonsense.” Marshall waved off her concern as if he hadn’t expressed the same one only weeks ago. “You shouldn’t be held accountable for something that wasn’t your doing.” He switched his gaze to where Craig stood, talking to several members of the town council. “Unlike some people who seem to have forgotten how much trouble they caused around here.”
A Second Chance at Crimson Ranch Page 17
