Inevitable (27 page)

Oliver finally had the cloth removed from the painting, and dropped it to the floor. I blinked a couple times, clearing my mind as I stood beside Oliver.

“This is my mom,” he explained, his usual playful self fleeting as he gazed down at the portrait resting against the stack of other large canvases behind it.

The painting was a single portrait of the woman. It was extraordinary. She had long glossy-black hair that fell slightly around her shoulders. Her features were soft yet held a toughness to them, her smile barely visible. She looked serious almost sorrowing. I winced when I noticed her eyes—
Oliver’s eyes
.

“She’s pretty, huh?” he asked, looking up at me proudly.

“She’s beautiful.”

“What are you doing in here?” Logan snapped. “You know this isn’t a playroom!”

Oliver and I turned, but Logan’s gaze was on his son as if I didn’t exist.

“I wanted Cassie to see Mommy.”

Logan’s jaw ticked, nostrils flared. “Go to your room, now!”

Oliver looked at me, his face flushed bright-red, but before I could speak he burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably, his tiny hands covering his mouth as he ran from the room.

I stood there, flabbergasted and angry. Logan stomped toward me, his eyes filled with rage, and grabbed the sheet from the floor. Without even a glance at the painting, he threw the sheet back over it.

“I’ve told him countless times to stay out of here when I’m not with him!” Logan yelled, his back to me.

“You were a bit harsh,” I spoke up finally finding my voice, too angry to be afraid of him. “You need to go speak to him. He only wanted to show me her painting.”

Logan turned to face me, slowly tilting his head to the side, glaring at me. He inhaled a deep ragged breath, but as his eyes met mine, I watched his expression slowly begin to soften.

His shoulders slumped after a few moments and then he walked past me toward the window. The air was thick and uncomfortable as I waited for him to speak.

I was about to leave, nothing else left to say, when I heard him sigh.

“That was her, Oliver’s mother, Natasha, on the phone,” he grumbled. I stared at his back, watching his fists pump at his sides. “She wants me to bring Oliver to see her in London. Can you believe her? She hasn’t seen him since his first birthday!” A deep, throaty snarl came next, and as if he couldn’t bear to stand still, he began pacing the room.

I watched silently, waiting for him to continue. The anger and hurt radiated off him in waves. I shoved my filthy hands in my pockets and listened.

“She just left us one day. After everything, she just left! Ran off with some rich son of a bitch. Someone she thought could give her a better life.” He knocked over one of the easels and I jumped back, startled. “I’ll never look at her the same again. Oliver deserves better than that!”

“He does, but she is the only mother he has.” My voice cracked and I swallowed, clearing my throat. “You have to see it from his point of view.”

Logan stopped and turned, staring at me as though I said something absurd. “So what are you saying, Cassandra? I should take him to London to see her? Allow him to spend time with her, fall in love with her, just so she can leave him again?”

“No,” I said softly and shook my head, “you’re protecting your son, and you should continue doing what you think is right. Just remember, she is the only mother he will ever have. That’s all I am trying to say.”

“You don’t think I know that? It took me nearly two years before I could look at him and not see her. He’s my son, my…everything.” He looked down. “I’m aware he sneaks in here. I’ve stood in that doorway, as well as in our old home, and watched him sitting on the floor, staring at her painting. Sometimes he’ll tell her about his day. He has such hope that she’ll come back.” Logan sighed. He dropped his head down and ran his hands through his hair, locking them together behind his neck.

“He doesn’t even remember her,” he murmured. “Oliver romanticizes this idea of her appearing at our door and making us the perfect family.”

I watched him walk back to the grand window and stare out into the setting sun.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, wishing I could help in some way. “She called you and wanted to see him, that’s a step. Maybe one day you’ll be able to trust her with him again.”

“At one time I wanted to believe that. But now…it’s been so long. I can’t…” With his back to me, I found myself desperate to see his face. To comfort him in any way he’d allow.

“Do you still love her?” I asked boldly, crossing the room to stand beside him.

He remained silent, closing his eyes for a moment. His face looked pained and I regretted asking. I was trying to be a friend but a part of me wondered why he kept the painting.

Logan placed his hand on the wall, leaning against it. He looked tired. “I haven’t seen her in over three years.” He looked up at me. “A part of me wonders if I ever truly loved her to begin with or simply loved the idea of her. We were young and she was so vivacious.” His chest rumbled for a split second as he looked out the window in thought. “She gave me everything a young college kid could want. Sex, affection, and what I believed to be loyalty. She was beautiful, every guy I knew wanted her, but she was mine.”

He was quiet for a few moments and I stood there unsure what to say. Logan was in love with Oliver’s mother and she broke his heart. It explained so much.

“I knew she was unhappy. I could see it every morning that I left for work and when I’d return, eager to spend time with her and our son, she was always out. Oliver was left with the nannies more times than not. Natasha even refused to change him. Said she wasn’t a hands on type of mother. Thanks to my father entrusting me in the family business I was able to make a name for myself. By the time Oliver was born employing a nanny or two was manageable.”

“Did she work?”

He laughed, a deep guttural laugh, and leaned further against the wall and looked over at me. He shook his head. “No sweetheart, she did not work. Not once she was pregnant anyway. I was barely twenty-one and even though it was not what I wanted at the time, a family was something that had always been in my plans. I dropped out of school and took care of her every desire. Everything she wanted, but it wasn’t enough.” He looked away, staring out as the sun disappeared into the skyline.

I placed my hand over his and he titled his head toward me, his eyes hooded. “I’m so sorry. For what it’s worth, you’re an amazing father, Logan. Oliver is lucky to have you.”

After a long moment of silence with our eyes connected, he blinked, then looked over to my hand resting over his on the wall. He pulled it away and I stepped back.

After another long pause, Logan cleared his throat and offered a tight smile. “I should go check on Oliver. I’ll see you out.”

We walked silently out of the room, down the hall, and descended the stairs. I fidgeted with my hands, fighting to find the right words.

“I’m sorry if I overstepped, I—”

With his hand on the doorknob, he hesitated before looking up at me.

“Cassandra, you are …amazing. Oliver adores you and I…appreciate having you in my life.” His hand slowly lifted to my cheek, tucking a fallen piece of hair behind my ear. My breath caught and his eyes locked with mine. He thumb caressed my cheek for a brief moment before dropping away. “Truth be told, I’ve never really had a friend that was a woman. They usually hang around only for my money or sex…or at times both.”

A soft chuckle shook his chest and I smiled standing still, aware of every move he made, every breath he took.

“I also never speak about Natasha to anyone. You did not overstep, sweetheart. With you, I welcome it like a breath of fresh air, but it’s still very new to me.”

“Thank you, for trusting me,” I said with a soft smile on my lips. “I want you to know, I’m here if you ever want to talk about anything. I won’t judge you.” My smile grew to a grin and I sucked in my lips. “Okay, I might, but I won’t hold it against you,” I laughed, lightening the mood.

Logan grinned, his body visibly relaxing in front of me. “Thank you for that, Cassandra.”

“No problem, buddy.” I punched his forearm, giggling. He laughed louder as he opened the door.

“Tell Oliver I said good night,” I stopped mid step out the front door, turning back, narrowing my eyes but a soft smile playing on my lips, “and that you’re sorry.”

He nodded, smiling, then glanced up at the stairs regretfully. “Good night, Cassandra. And enjoy your bath.”

I looked down remembering the state I was in, and that my shoes were on his back porch.

“Oh I will.” I gave a flirty smirk and headed home, barefoot.

The next day I awoke ready to see my class. Monday mornings were as welcomed as Fridays. I rumpled the quilt away from my body, stretching my arms high over my head and pulled my crazy hair out of my face, twisting it over my shoulder. Per routine, I reached out to my nightstand, snatching up my phone.

I smiled, seeing his name listed with two new messages. I smiled as I read.

Hope u have a wonderful day, sweetheart. I have an amazing son by the way. He forgave me after I agreed to let him stay up late eating ice cream and watching The Muppets movie.

I scrolled to the next message.

I did however refuse the dance number he requested and luckily he fell asleep before I was forced to give in. See you around, buddy ;)

I laughed out loud, visualizing what it would have been like to watch Logan break out into a dance move from The Muppets. My fingers typed quickly, responding.

When you’re ready for the showtune dance number I better be there to see it!

I only had to wait a minute for my phone to beep with a new message.

I would not hold your breath, sweetheart

Chapter Twenty

Help Yourself

“
S
o, what’s going on with you and Logan?” Hilary asked, tucking her feet under her legs, as we sat on her petite red couch, munching on a slice of cold pizza she had left over from the previous night.

I’d been reluctant to go into details about Logan previously when we hung out but when she called this morning demanding we talk, I knew it was time to spill. Somehow, Logan and I had become closer than any other guy friend I had, a lot to do with Oliver. He was over playing every weekend.

October and November passed in the blink of an eye and I found myself waking up every morning to sweet
have a good day
texts from Logan. He finally laid off the seduction but never turned down his charm. The man could find a sexual innuendo in almost everything we did together.

I didn’t mind. Truth was, he wouldn’t be Logan without it. There was so much more to him than anyone realized. The man was not only paying for Julia’s education and offered Jax a position at the paper, which he eagerly accepted, but he was also extremely charitable. He and Oliver spent time volunteering at the animal shelter, which I happily agreed to go with them, and donated money to multiple organizations. The more time I spent with him, the more I couldn’t understand why he created this ice castle around himself. Every time anyone in town tried to get close, he remained guarded. I was one of the lucky few that he allowed inside and I was grateful for his trust.

With my back against the arm of the sofa, I took a giant bite and watched Hilary stare at me, waiting impatiently.

She was dying for any, preferably all, information she could pull out of me, but it was fun to drag it out a little longer. It wasn’t like she’d been briefing me after every interaction her and Caleb had. After their date at the carnival, she suddenly became tight-lipped on the subject of all things Caleb Townsend, not that I really minded.

I took a long drink of water, savoring her irritation, and then smiled coyly. “Logan who?” I took another large bite from my slice, avoiding Hilary’s narrowed eyes and pursed lips.

I laughed, swallowing. “He’s a friend. What’s the big deal?”

“Well, I kind of gathered that much on my own without your explosive confession,” she grumbled. “Come on, time to share a few juicy tidbits about the elusive Logan West.”

I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders. “Turns out he’s not so bad. He’s actually nice, sweet even.”

“That’s all you have to say? You’ve been hanging out with him for the past few months!” Hilary chuckled, shaking her head. She took a bite of pizza and relaxed into her side of the couch. “You know Caleb says Logan rarely goes down to Haven anymore to drink.”

“That’s none of my business. What he does in his free time isn’t going to affect my friendship with him.”

“Really, so what if I told you that Caleb also happened to notice that when Logan is there, he’s been turning down every offer from the slutty bar flies?”

This was news. I hadn’t noticed the lack of disheveled women sneaking out his front door in the early morning, but now that I thought about it, I can’t remember the last time I saw a woman there. Hilary noticed my thoughtful gaze down at my plate, a smug grin covering her lips when I looked back up. I shook off what this news meant.