“Everything is great, Mom. Nothing’s really changed, still working at the firm and doing well there. Turner and I are doing well. Everything is great. Oh, Jackie and Aralia send their love.”
“Oh, those sweet girls. I miss them, tell them to come visit soon! I haven’t seen them in at least a year,” Elizabeth crooned.
“I will.” Caroline nodded. Elizabeth leaned back on the couch and sighed, a serious look coming over her face.
“So, have you heard from Logan or has Turner completely eclipsed that old romance?” Her mother asked her out of the blue.
Caroline startled in surprise at the mention of Logan’s name, just hearing it felt like a knife to her heart. Caroline forgot that she had told her mother about Logan shortly after their separation.
She had been so depressed for weeks after Logan went on tour that she had turned to her mother for a few phone calls of comfort. Her mother had kept her confidence and not mentioned anything to her father, which was great since a rock star was definitely not who her father had ever pictured her with. She didn’t need to hear that lecture, too. Caroline shook her head in response to her mother.
“No, I assume that he’s still on tour. It’s irrelevant anyway, since he’s still dating that woman. It just wasn’t meant to be, I guess,” Caroline spoke softly, feeling a catch in her throat, as she remembered their brief romance.
“So, you’re happy with Turner then? You love him?” Her mom cocked her head to the side, looking inquisitively at her daughter.
Caroline looked down, not meeting her mother's eyes, and paused for a moment. Before she could answer, Rosie walked into the room and announced that dinner was ready.
Chapter Fifteen
“When are you taking your exam, Caroline?” her father asked, passing a plate of sliced roast beef to her, after placing some on his dish.
“Soon. I think it's in three weeks or something like that.” Caroline shrugged and helped herself to some food.
“Something like that? Three weeks? Caroline, you don’t sound like you’re taking this seriously at all. I did not spend thirty thousand dollars on law school for you to be-” John began lecturing her.
“Oh, John, let’s not argue over dinner. This is our first time meeting Turner, we don’t need to bicker in front of him,” Elizabeth cut in, trying to stop the lecture before it even began.
“Then when am I going to be able to talk to her about it, Beth? We spent thirty thousand dollars for her to go to law school and we can barely get a phone call, let alone a visit out of her. She has been studying for the damn exam for two years now, but she doesn’t even know when it is? And it’s only three weeks away? That sounds completely irresponsible and unprepared to me!” John argued with his wife, his voice escalating in volume.
“Fine, fine. But let’s talk about it after dinner, okay?” Elizabeth put her hands up in surrender, exasperated.
She grabbed the bottle of wine in the center of the table and refilled her glass, quickly taking a hardy sip. John nodded his head and muttered to himself, as an awkward silence fell over them.
Caroline just wanted to crawl underneath the table and disappear. She was so embarrassed that Turner witnessed one of her father’s lectures. She was so exhausted of having this same argument with her dad again and again.
“So, uhm, anyone been watching the Giants this season? Quite the impressive quarterback they’ve got, right?” Turner cut the tension in an attempt to switch topics.
Luckily, the Giants were an easy favorite for Caroline’s father and he instantly grabbed the bait. The rest of the meal went seamlessly as the men argued player statistics and forecasting football games, while Caroline and her mother chatted about friends and local gossip.
ღ ~ ღ ~ ღ
After the two couples finished dinner, Elizabeth excused herself to go to bed early, complaining of a headache. Caroline felt guilty, knowing that arguing with her father always gave her mother a headache. It happened every time Caroline visited. For some reason, she could never please her father or be the daughter he was expecting her to be. At least, that’s how she felt most of the time.
Turner went to go take a shower and get changed for bed, leaving Caroline with her father alone to talk. The two headed out to the back deck, overlooking the garden and pool. Caroline was nursing a glass of wine and her father was on his fifth or sixth scotch, but since this was usual for him, his tolerance kept him calm and collected.
Caroline settled on a swinging bench seat with her glass and watched the sun setting over the hill while her father leaned against the deck railing and gazed at her.
“I like that boy, Carrie,” her father said. Caroline nodded her head and smiled. She knew that Turner would be right up her father’s alley.
“But do you like him, baby girl?” he followed up, after her mute response, looking at her curiously.
Caroline furrowed her brow and looked up at her father.
“Mom asked me the same thing. Of course, I do. Why else would I have brought him here to meet you? I knew you guys would like him,” Caroline said, sipping some of her wine.
“You knew we would like him.” He nodded and took another sip. “But you have never been the easy daughter who agrees with everything we want for you, beautiful.”
Caroline smiled sheepishly and tilted her head to the side, looking up at her father.
“I am sorry, Dad. I don’t mean to be. You know that I just really don’t want to be a lawyer.” Caroline sighed.
“What? I was talking about Turner, not you being a lawyer. You have always wanted to be a lawyer. You practically aced law school, Carrie.” Her dad sounded confused and upset.
“Dad, you know that my heart has never been in law. You have to know that by now. What about my drawing? I can show you my sketches sometime. I am really good and I love it so much. Why can’t I pursue something like that?”
“Caroline, drawing is not a career. It’s barely a hobby. It’s a pastime at most. How are you going to pay the bills with that?”
“Well, I have done some illustrations in college for collegiate magazines and stuff like that. I think I can get into illustrating books and make a living just fine. I know you guys are supporting me right now, and I appreciate that, but I don’t need it. I know I can do well on my own as an artist,” Caroline tried to explain, although she knew in reality she wasn’t ready to go without her parent’s financial support.
Her father let out a deep breath and sat next to her on the swinging bench seat.
“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?” he said quietly.
“Dad, I’m sorry. But yeah, I really am,” she told him as he sighed and glanced at her, then rubbed his hand across his closed eyes.
“Are you disappointed in me?” she asked, nervously, sounding like a child.
“Carrie, I could never be disappointed in you.” He reached his arm around her back and pulled her flush against his side. She leaned her head on his shoulder, enjoying the comforting embrace.
“I want you to be happy. If being an illustrator will make you happy for the rest of your life, then I will find a way to support that. But you’ll need to take care of yourself, learn to stand on your own feet. It’s time I let you do things yourself.” He rubbed her arm, holding her tighter.
She smiled and closed her eyes. She had dreaded this conversation, but had never imagined it would go so well. She felt that father-daughter connection that she had been missing during law school. She was both afraid of being on her own, as well as excited.
“Carrie, do you remember the story of how I met your mother?” he asked her and she shook her head no.
“It went to a dance, back when I was in the Navy. We were on shore for such a brief period, but it was Valentine's day. So, the local chapter of naval families hosted a ball and invited every woman in town to dance with us for the evening. Your mother didn’t want to go, but her younger sisters dragged her along. As much as I can’t stand your Aunt Margaret and
Joanne sometimes, I will always be grateful to them for bringing her that night. I didn’t even notice her at first, until she bumped into me. I turned around, ready to mouth off to whoever it was that had just knocked into me, until I saw it was your mother.”
Caroline smiled at the thought of him ever trying to yell at her mother. She’d never stand for it.
“We didn’t even say anything, not even a hello. We just stared at each other for a moment, then I took her hands and we danced. We danced all night until the event ended. Then, we went to the docks and dropped our feet into the bay. We sat there until the sun came up, talking about everything. I was shipped out the next day, but we traded hundred of letters until my enlistment ended. The moment I came home, I told her I was going to marry her and I did,” he paused and breathed deeply, smiling nostalgically at the memory.
“That’s really beautiful, Daddy,” Caroline told him, smiling at the story.
“In a decade or two, when you are telling your child about how you met their father, my only wish is that it’s a story like that. Love beyond your wildest imagination. Just think about it, baby girl.” Her father stood up and kissed her on top of her head, then headed inside.
Caroline sat there and finished her wine, as the sky turned dark. She couldn’t stop thinking about what her father had told her. She accidentally let her thoughts drift back to Logan.
I am such a mess, she thought as she got up and headed inside to go to bed.
ღ ~ ღ ~ ღ
“It’s not a mistake, Gina.” Logan handed her a stack of papers. She grabbed them from him and tossed them to the side, letting them flutter across the room before settling on the floor.
“I’m not taking those. I’m not leaving. I have been the best thing for your career and made you into Logan Clay. THE LOGAN CLAY. You don’t get to just toss that aside,” Gina shouted at him, storming across the penthouse.
“And I’m definitely not leaving here. This is my home and I’m not just going to give it all up, because you decided to become an entirely different person over the last few months,” she continued, seething with anger.
“No one’s asking you to give anything up,” Logan told her, attempting to gather up the papers that she had thrown.
“If you would read these papers, you’d see that. You can have the penthouse and the town car. I don’t care about those. Your contract was up anyway, the record company just isn’t going to renew it,” Logan told her.
“Oh really? And whose fault is that? You probably asked them not to renew it. My own company!” She crossed her arms across her heaving chest.
“You’re right, I did ask him that. Plus, it’s not your company, it’s your dads. He’s offering you a different job with this new up and coming girl band. No one’s leaving you high and dry, or anything like that. Only I’m leaving. I told you I was moving out when the tour was over, Gina. I told you that six months ago. We haven’t even had the smallest dose of romance between us in even longer than that,” Logan argued with her and dropped the stack of papers on the countertop.
“I’ll have someone come and pick up all my things tomorrow. Everything will be packed up and out of your way, then we can both move on, Gina. We need to move on.” Logan took a few steps toward her, grabbing her arms. Gina slumped slightly, looking miserable.
“What happened to us, Logan?” she started to whimper, placing her hands on his chest. A few lone tears rolled down her cheek.
“We’re not those young kids anymore, Gina. We changed.” He pressed her head against his chest to comfort her, gently caressing her hair.
“But that’s a good thing, Logan. We grew up. We changed together. Isn’t that a good thing?” Gina put her arms around Logan’s neck, a look of desperation in her eyes.
Logan sighed and gave her a hug, kissing her gently on the cheek, then pulling away from her.
“We didn’t change together, Gina. We’ve never been further apart,” Logan told her, then turned around and left the penthouse.
Chapter Sixteen
“Come on, George, you’ve helped me out before. What do I need to do?” Logan stood at the counter of the Java Jolt coffee shop that Caroline went to every morning, attempting to pull information out of the barista.
“I’m sorry, I can’t. She’s in a different place now! I don’t know if it’s right to say anything. I probably shouldn’t of even said anything before, I wouldn’t have if I had known the whole situation,” George told him, looking guilty.
“I know, George, but I need to see her. I know she is in a different place, I went to her apartment and they said she moved out last month. Do you know where to? Or her phone number? Anything, George? I need your help, man.”
“Ugh, hold on. Christy, come get the counter. I need to take a quick break,” George called over another barista and pulled off his apron, coming around the counter.
Logan moved out of line to let the customers go ahead. He looked like an eager puppy rushing up to George, hoping for anything that could help him find Caroline.
“Logan, I hate to tell you this, because I was the biggest supporter of you two. Remember that? I really was. I helped you guys before, remember?”
“I remember, George. So, are you going to help me now?”
“Well, the thing is that back then, Caroline liked you. And Caroline has been my friend for five years, so I was really doing it to help her.” George shuffled his feet, feeling awkward and trying to dodge the conversation.
“What’re you trying to say, George?” Logan stepped back and looked sideways at George, his eyes narrowing.
“Caroline likes someone else now. They’re very happy together and she is moving in with him. He’s a very nice guy.” George spit it out rapidly, trying to peel off the bandage quickly, rather than prolong the pain.
“She’s with someone?” Logan said with a hint of confusion, as if he didn’t understand the words he was saying.
George pulled his brows together and frowned, giving Logan a look of pity. Logan staggered a step backward, pushing his hand through his hair. He nodded at George and turned toward the door, still looking confused. His mind was reeling, but he was also kicking himself, because how could he have expected anything different?
Caroline was beautiful and wonderful, of course men would want her. He had been gone six whole months. For some reason, he had held onto this fantasy that she was going to be there, that she was going to wait for him. That kiss in the elevator had been so perfect and stuck with him for every sleepless night during his tour.
He walked out of the coffee shop and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, looking up the street, trying to figure out what he wanted to do. He was not going to give up, he knew that. He couldn’t. He looked down at his watch and suddenly had an idea.
He walked back to the coffee shop doors and sat down on the sidewalk, right next to the door. He crossed his legs and checked his watch again. Caroline came by here almost every morning, if he remembered correctly, so he would just wait. George stepped out of the coffee shop a minute later and stood in front of Logan, his hands up in a questioning manner. Logan just grinned.
“I’m going to wait for her,” Logan told him, firmly.
“You can’t just wait here. She might not even come here today. She doesn’t come here every day you know. Plus, you can’t just sit on the sidewalk. I don’t know, but that might be illegal or something,” George said, pretty much devolving into whining and irritated with this situation.
“Well, call the police then,” Logan told him, crossing his arms over his chest.
George stared down at him, still looking puzzled. He put his hands on his hips and looked around the street. He wasn’t really sure how to handle this, but he didn’t think calling the police to remove a rock star from his storefront would work out well. So, he sighed and tossed his hands up in defeat.
“Alright, fine. Suit yourself,” George told Logan, then headed back into the coffee shop.
Logan leaned back ag
ainst the brick wall of the building, looking up and down the street, hoping to spot Caroline.
ღ ~ ღ ~ ღ
“Babe, do you want beer or wine? We only have light beer, but we have a good bottle of pinot,” Turner called to Caroline from the kitchen.
“I could go for a beer tonight. I think I had enough wine over the weekend at Jackie’s birthday party,” Caroline responded from her spot on the couch, flipping through television channels.
“Really? You never go for beer. Glass or in the bottle?” he called back to her, just as Caroline landed on a news channel that grabbed her attention.
“Yes, Steve. The speculation is that it’s some type of artistic installation, maybe a promotion for another tour?” the news show journalist reported to the host.
“Didn’t Logan Clay’s tour just end though?” the host responded.
“You’re right, Steve. Logan Clay just finished up six months of international and domestic shows, promoting his latest album, HAZEL EYES, that’s quite the turn from his normal music. This album mixes his normal rock and roll genre with romance and a bit of pop inspiration.” the reporter continued.
“Is there any word from people on the street about what they are seeing?” the host, Steve, questioned from his seat in the studio.
“Apparently he has been just sitting there for about thirteen hours straight now. He won’t talk to anyone and the coffee shop behind him says that he’s waiting for someone.” the reporter finished.
“Well, viewers, you heard it here on Channel 6: Logan Clay is officially a squatter at a local Manhattan coffee shop. Mystery surrounds exactly why he’s there, but speculation is that he has a new artistic venture coming out. So, this might be a way of promoting that. Coming up next at seven o’clock is …”
“Caroline! Earth to Caroline! Glass or bottle?” Turner was standing in front of her, looking curious. Her attention snapped back to him.
Logan Clay: A Forbidden Rockers Box Set Page 20