15
HANNAH
Hannah stood there. She felt as if her body weighed a million pounds. Did Piper just say mommy?
Glancing over at Logan, she noticed he was watching her. If Charity was Piper’s mom, that meant that Logan was her dad, not Bobby.
“You’re Piper’s dad?” Hannah asked.
Logan looked at her with a pained expression on his face. “I tried to explain to you—”
Piper didn’t seem to notice the tension that was thick enough to cut. She raced over to Charity and wrapped her in a hug. “You’re back. I asked Santa for you to come, and look!” She grasped both sides of Charity’s face and planted a kiss on her cheek.
For a moment, it looked as if Charity was cringing. As quickly as it came, it disappeared. “I missed you, too, Pip.” She grabbed Piper’s arms and pushed her away.
“Hey, Piper, I gotta dishwasher that needs to be unloaded,” Mrs. Blake offered.
“On it.” Then she paused. “You’re not going anywhere. Right?” she asked, turning to her mom.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Charity said as she stepped away from Mrs. Blake and up to Logan, grabbing his hand.
Hannah’s stomach summersaulted, and she wanted to throw up. All she wanted to do right now was run upstairs and lock herself in her room. What was Bert talking about? Christmas was not a magical time. At least, not for her.
Once Mrs. Blake had shepherded the bouncing Piper from the house, the kitchen grew silent.
“So. Who are you?” Charity asked as her icy gaze landed on Hannah.
“This is Hannah. Remember her?” Logan asked.
Charity’s gaze ran up and down Hannah’s body. Suddenly, she felt extremely exposed. Wrapping her arms around her chest, she took a step back. Five more steps and she’d be out of the room.
“Oh, Hannah,” she said, dragging out every syllable in her name. “The girl you took to prom.”
Logan glanced down at Charity. For a split second it seemed as if he glared at her, but it just might have been Hannah’s desire for him to detest Charity. Why had she allowed herself to care for him again? The feelings that swarmed her mind that night at prom returned. This time, with a vengeance.
“And my best friend,” Logan added.
“Was,” Charity said, raising her perfectly manicured finger toward him. “You can’t have a best friend other than your wife.”
Logan took a step back. “We’re divorced. You said you couldn’t stand me anymore. Said I held you back.”
Charity’s high-pitched, squeaky laugh filled the air. “I was out of my mind.” She turned and rested her hand on his chest. “I’ve changed. I want to be a family again.”
Hannah needed to get out of there. “This seems like a personal conversation. I’m just gonna…” She pointed toward the door and then turned, praying no one would ask her to stay.
“Honey, this is your house. We’ll just go,” Charity said.
Hannah stopped. Charity’s voice caused prickles to race up and down her spine. But, she did have a point. When she turned back around, Charity had Logan’s hand in hers and was pulling him toward the door.
“Hannah, I…” He pulled free from Charity’s grasp and took a step toward her.
“Logan, come on. Let’s go back over and spend some time with our daughter.” She glanced over to Hannah and narrowed her eyes.
Logan’s gaze never left Hannah’s face. “Please, let me explain.”
Hannah cursed the tears that threatened to spill. This was not how she wanted any of this to go. She needed some time alone to think. “You should go,” she whispered, trying to ignore the pain that rushed over Logan’s face.
“But, I need to tell you.” He reached out with his fingers inches from her arm.
“I’m not interested.” The words fought against the lump in her throat. Truth was, she didn’t want to hear either way. If he wanted to be with his ex, that would break her heart. But, if he wanted to be with her, that would break Piper’s heart. Hannah wasn’t sure which situation would hurt more.
Charity made her way back over to Logan and wrapped her hand around his arm. “See? She’s not interested. You know who is? Your wife and daughter.” She tugged him in the direction of the door. “Let’s not keep our princess waiting.”
Hannah’s heart dropped to the floor as Logan took one more pleading look at her, then turned. Five seconds later, the kitchen fell silent as Charity shut the door.
A sob escaped Hannah’s lips as she let the tears flow. Broken-hearted, she made her way over to the kitchen table and collapsed on a pulled-out chair. Pushing the dish in front of her to the side, she rested her folded arms on the tabletop. Her shoulders shook as the tears streamed down her face.
The back door opened and, for a moment, she allowed the feeling of excitement to rush though her as she pulled her head up. Was it Logan coming back?
But her mom’s exhausted body filled the door frame. She was studying the mail in front of her. As she looked up, a surprised expression crossed her face. Her gaze ran the length of the kitchen before it landed on Hannah’s face. Then her expression turned sour.
“What happened?” she asked.
Another sob escaped Hannah’s lips. “Logan was here—”
“Logan? Logan Blake?” Her mother let out an exasperated sigh. “Hannah, what did we talk about? No visitors.”
Hannah raised her eyebrows. “It was Logan Blake,” she said as she wiped the moisture that had accumulated under her nose.
Her mom massaged her temples. “Hannah, it doesn’t matter. You broke my trust. Again.”
“Mom, I’m sorry. I…just…” She studied her mother’s pinched lips. All she wanted was for her mom to listen to her. To try to understand what she was going through. Instead, she’d disappointed her mom. Again.
Instead of justifying, Hannah’s shoulders slumped as she studied the crumbs on the table. “I’m sorry. I should have respected your wishes. I’ll clean up.”
Her mom sighed. “Thank you.” Walking across the floor, she stepped out of the kitchen and into the living room. “Hannah!”
Hannah cringed. That didn’t sound good. She stood, even though every molecule of her body told her stay put. “What’s wrong, Mom?”
She walked into the living room to see her mom standing there, staring at the Christmas tree. “What did you do?” She made her way toward the tree, then stopped. “And your dolls?” She reached down and picked them up. “I worked so hard to keep them perfect.” She pulled out the rubber band Piper had used to hold Samantha’s hair back.
“Mom, these are dolls. My dolls.”
Her mom placed them back into the boxes. “If you play with them, they will get ruined.”
Hannah wanted to scream. She wanted to shake her mom and tell her it was because of her obsessive need to have everything perfect that she was breaking her daughter’s heart. But, instead, all she wanted to do was run away.
“I have to make a call.” Hannah turned and headed toward the stairs. Her mother had made her way over to the Christmas tree and was picking the icicle tinsel from it.
Once in her room, Hannah sat down on her bed and stared at her hands. The all too familiar feelings of pain rushed through her body. Everything had seemed so perfect and now? It was as if she were living the past all over again. She grabbed her phone and did the only logical thing her brain could process right now. She called Samson.
LOGAN
Logan’s body felt numbed as he sat on his couch, staring at Charity. She was here. Sitting next to him. Holding his hand. He blinked as he shook his head. What was she doing here?
“And that’s when I decided that I’d been a fool, so came back to find you.” She turned and smiled at him. When he didn’t respond, she leaned closer. “Logan? Did you hear what I said?”
Feeling stupid, he cleared his throat. “Sorry. Just trying to digest this information. It’s been weeks, months even, since I’ve heard from you.” He scrubbed his face
with his hand and stood. He needed to get away from her. “Since Piper has heard from you,” he said with his voice low as he leaned in.
Thankfully, Piper was so tired after helping his mom that she agreed—with little protest—when he suggested she head to bed. Right now, he needed to speak freely with Charity. Something he couldn’t do with Piper’s little ears listening.
The lights on the Christmas tree twinkled as he turned and studied them. His thoughts turned to Hannah and the tree they’d decorated together. Their tree. Try as he might, he couldn’t get the look she had on her face out of his mind. She must feel so confused right now.
“So, what do you think?” Charity’s question broke into his thoughts.
“What?”
“About us trying again?”
Logan sighed and stared out into the darkness. “I don’t know, Charity. You’ve been gone so long, what am I supposed to say?”
She stood and walked over to him. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she pulled herself close. “Say yes.” She looked up at him.
The feeling of pain and sadness that always followed her seeped from her embrace and settled in Logan’s stomach. He needed to distance himself from the whirlwind that was Charity Monson. “No, Charity. We’re done.”
Even though she looked as if she wanted to say something further, Charity stepped back. “Well, it’s Christmastime. You never know.” She made her way back over to the couch. “I think it’d be best if I stay here with Piper.” She glanced over to Logan.
Acid rose up in his throat. “I’m not—”
“Come on, Logan. It’s Christmas.”
She kept saying that like it meant something. What happened to the last five Christmases where she basically abandoned her daughter? Didn’t those matter?
He clenched his jaw. As much as he wanted to point that out, he knew it might unhinge Charity and cause her to run again. Piper would be so upset if she woke up to her mom gone. He couldn’t disappoint his daughter like that.
“Fine.”
Charity smiled. “Good.”
He waved her toward the stairs that led to the basement. “You can stay in Tim’s room.”
Charity raised her eyebrow. “Down there?’
Logan nodded. “If not, there’s a nice motel about ten minutes out. I can call you a cab.”
She chewed her lip, then smiled. “Nope. Basement’s fine.”
Once she was at the bottom of the stairs, she turned and looked up at him. “See you in the morning.”
“Yep.” Then he turned and headed up the stairs to his room where he was secretly hoping that Hannah was sitting outside on the roof. He desperately wanted to talk to her.
He shut his door and headed over to the window. One glance and his heart sank. She was nowhere to be seen. Her bedroom light was on, but her drapes were shut tight.
He contemplated grabbing an item and chucking it to her window to get her attention but then thought against it. He was sure Miss Kathy wouldn’t appreciate a broken window. Instead, he flopped down on his bed. Glancing up at the popcorn ceiling, he brought his fingers to his mouth.
The memory of Hannah’s lips rushed back to him. His heart pounded as he thought about her body against his. He rolled to his side. Then, Charity had to go and mess things up again. Was this his fate?
A soft knock broke him from his frustration. He sat up. “Come in.”
The door opened, and Piper peered into the room from the crack in the door. “Daddy?”
“Hey, Pip.” She pushed the door open farther and, in the faint glow of his side lamp, he saw her tear-stained face. “What’s wrong?”
She sobbed as she sprinted to his bed and climbed up. “Is Mommy still here?”
He wrapped her up into his arms and pulled her next to him. She laid her head on his shoulder and sobbed again.
“Sh, sh,” he whispered as he rubbed her back and rocked her. “She’s here. She’s downstairs sleeping in Uncle Tim’s old room.”
Piper pulled back. “So she’s not mad at me?”
He wiped a strand of hair from her face. “Why would she be mad at you?”
She sobbed again and buried her face into his shoulder. He could feel the moisture from her tears seep into his shirt. “Because it was my fault,” she whispered.
His heart broke from the pain this little girl carried. Pulling her back, he looked into her eyes. “What’s your fault?”
“You and Mommy fighting all the time. If only I’d been a better girl, Mommy would have stayed.”
He wrapped her back up into his arms and held her tight. If he could, he’d take all her pain away. “It’s not your fault. Really,” he said with his voice deep with emotion.
“So you won’t make Mommy go away?” She pulled back and stared at him, wiping some snot away with the back of her hand. He grabbed a Kleenex from on his nightstand and motioned for her to use it.
“Of course, I won’t make Mommy go away.” He smiled.
“And you’ll think about us becoming a family again?”
His stomach flipped. She’d heard. “How do you know about that?”
Her face reddened. Her lips hung open as if she were trying to come up with an answer. Finally, her shoulders slumped. “I listened.”
Pulling her back, he looked into her eyes. “I promise you, you little sneaky girl, that I will do what’s best for the two of us. If that means making things work with Mommy, then I will.”
She stuck out her pinky. “Promise?”
Logan met her gesture. “I promise.”
She snuggled into his chest and within three minutes, was fast asleep. When he returned to his room after laying her down, he climbed into bed. He was too tired to think anymore today. Right now, he needed sleep. In the morning, he’d deal with his mess of a life.
16
LOGAN
Voices from the kitchen carried up the stairs and into Logan’s room. He rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. He winced as his mother’s decibel showed her frustration. She was upset with someone.
He scrubbed his face. What was he going to do? Charity was here, and he’d promised Piper he would try and make it work. But at this moment, all he could think about was Hannah. How she’d played with Piper. How she made him feel. And last, but certainly not least, how her lips felt against his.
Groaning, he threw his covers off and headed into the bathroom. He needed a cold shower.
Once he was out and dressed, he opened his door and strained to hear the voices downstairs. They were still at an unsafe volume so shut his door again. He decided to head over to the window. Glancing out, his heart stopped. Hannah was sitting on her roof with her knees pulled up to her chest, staring out into the distance.
He glanced at his bed and flexed his hands. No. He couldn’t go out there. What would he say? What would she say? He glanced back at Hannah, then back to his bed. After about twenty times of starting to walk toward the window only to detour to his desk, his bookshelf, and then his dresser, he took a deep breath.
Get a grip.
Forcing a smile, he pulled open the window and stepped out onto the shingles.
He glanced in Hannah’s direction. She hadn’t noticed him. Instead, she kept her gaze toward the horizon. Briefly, she brought her mug to her lips and took a sip, then placed it back down. The sun’s morning rays illuminated her face. She was beautiful.
“Hey,” he offered, nodding in her direction.
Startled, she jumped and turned. When her expression fell, Logan thought his heart would break. No longer was there laughter and excitement in her eyes. Now, only pain and regret clung to her gaze.
“Hey,” she said, turning back to the horizon.
Determined to get her to talk to him beyond these ridiculous pleasantries, he settled down on the roof. “It’s a beautiful morning, huh? Hard to believe that Christmas is tomorrow.”
Hannah nodded and sipped her tea again.
“Any big plans?” He rested his elbows on his knee
s.
Hannah glanced over at him. “After tomorrow night, I’ll be heading to my dad’s to celebrate Christmas morning.”
“Oh.”
She gave him a small smile as she twirled a leaf between her fingers. “How are things with Charity?”
Oh, right. That. “Okay. She’s staying here to visit with Piper.” He narrowed his eyes. “And only Piper.”
Her gaze found its way back to his, and he held it. The only sound that surrounded them was the light trill of a bird off in the distance. He was desperate to read her. Had he ruined everything? Again?
“So—”
“Hannah—”
They both stopped and looked at each other. Hannah pinched her lips together.
“You go,” he said, waving toward her.
“No. You go first,” Hannah said, nodding toward him.
“I insist.”
Hannah paused as she eyed him. “So, you had a baby with Charity.”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
“While we were in school?”
He nodded again. “I made a mistake. It was a one night mistake. Before, you know…” He wanted to tell her it was before he realized he had feelings for her. Before that fateful prom kiss.
“But Piper’s great.” Her gaze wandered over to the dark windows on the side of his house.
“Yes. She’s one of the best things that has ever happened to me.” He intensified his gaze. Hannah was the other. How could he help her see that? She had to know that he cared for her. Deeply.
Hannah studied him before she dropped her gaze to the roof and traced her fingers along the edge of one of the shingles.
“I found out that Charity was pregnant on prom night,” he confessed.
Hannah’s gaze whipped to his face. “What?”
“I left that night because I’d just found out about the pregnancy. She called to say she was taken to the hospital because of bleeding. I needed to be there for her. I should have never left you like that, but I didn’t know how you’d react…” He let those words linger in the air as he watched her face, hoping she’d give him a reaction or something. Anything for him to go off of.
Forgiving the Billionaire (A Clean Billionaire Romance Book 2) Page 11
