***
Tess looked at the stubborn frown on Logan’s face. “I’m not going anywhere,” she growled. “And I don’t appreciate you going behind my back and organizing what you think is best for me.”
“I know what I’m talking about.”
“So do I. It’s my life, so butt out.” Tess was so angry she couldn’t sit still. She paced backward and forward across Logan’s living room, wondering what she’d ever seen in him. Molly and Annie had woken her out of a perfect Sunday sleep-in to ask her what she thought about going to Seattle. They had everything planned out, too planned out.
“You could be in danger. I don’t know who supplied Senator Gibson with drugs. They might not like one of their high profile clients being investigated.”
“I don’t care about any of that. I’m not running away to Seattle with your mom.”
She could see Logan reining in his temper, trying to plaster an understanding expression on his face. “I know you don’t want to go with mom, but it makes more sense than staying in Bozeman.”
Tess threw her hands in the air. “Only to you. You’ve got no right to tell me what to do. You knew what would happen before you wrote your story. Now you tell me your friend is publishing another story tomorrow. You’re ruining my life and you want to tell we what I should do? Forget it. I’m not listening.” She turned to stomp out of the door. If she stayed a minute more, she’d say something she’d really regret.
“I’m only doing this because I care about you.”
“Care? You care about me?” Tess turned around and glared at Logan. “I can’t believe you even mentioned that word. You pushed yourself into my life, made out you were a nice person. All the time you were digging into my past, writing a story that would put you on the front page of every newspaper in the country. I bet you even took notes after you left the café. I was stupid to think you were different from other reporters.”
“I am different,” he bellowed. “I wrote the story because I wanted to stop the senator doing the same thing to someone else.”
“As if I really believe that. You wrote the story because Jilly was going to beat you to the front page.”
“I had to print the story before she made a mess of everything.”
Tess planted her hands on her hips. “How do you think that made her feel? She’s your friend and you still wrote your story. What kind of person does that make you?”
“A person who cares about you.” Logan turned his back on her and stared out of the window. “I couldn’t let her write the first story.”
Tess took a deep breath. She knew better than to trust anything Logan said. He was a low-life reporter who’d stumbled onto a story. A front page story that could win him another award. “I don’t believe you. You could have gone straight to the police, but you chose to write your story. You’re no better than Jilly. You just had more facts to back your story up.”
She picked up her jacket and keys.
Logan turned around. “Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“You can’t go. We haven’t finished discussing this.”
“Yes, we have. I’m not going to Seattle and I’m not talking to you again.” She walked out of the living room and headed toward the front door.
“Tess, wait.”
She wasn’t waiting for anything Logan Allen might or might not say. She closed the front door and walked out of his life. Forever.
All of Me Page 36