He headed toward the kitchen, still not believing everything was finalized. It had been months of meeting with his dad’s lawyer and today was the last session. Everything that his father had owned was now his. He was a billionaire.
Three years ago, his dad came into his life after being MIA since Logan was born. He’d recently found out that he had cancer and wanted to make amends before he passed. For Logan, knowing his real dad had always been something he’d wanted. A year ago, his dad sold his multi-billion-dollar tech company and set up a trust for him.
“Well,” Logan said as he moved to lean against the kitchen counter. “It’s done.”
It had been an emotional year since his dad passed. Even though his bank account now had more zeros than he could have ever imagined, he was finding it hard to use any of it. He missed his dad too much. It felt wrong to spend it.
His mom settled in next to the table and sipped her tea. “That’s great, honey. Any idea what you’re going to do now?” She picked chunks of bread off and slipped them into her mouth.
Logan pinched his lips. What was she thinking? This was a small town. News like this would travel fast. He loved his mom, but she wasn’t discreet.
“Mom,” Logan groaned. He could see the wheels spinning in her gaze as she studied him.
She shrugged. “This is a small town, Logan. That money could go to help a lot of people.”
Anger pricked at the back of his neck. He didn’t like where this conversation was going. Was this his fate? Once everyone in town found out his net worth, could he trust their intentions?
He clenched his jaw and shoved his hands into his pockets. After taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly. This was not what he wanted to think about right now. His fingers brushed the lace of Hannah’s underwear. Tension left his shoulders. He had an excuse to leave.
“I’m gonna head over and return Hannah’s things to her,” Logan said as he all but sprinted toward the back door.
His mom’s face fell, but she nodded. “I still think we should tal—”
“Yep,” he interjected. “Watch Piper for me?”
His mom waved her hand and picked up a magazine that was stacked on the far end of the table.
Once outside, he took a deep breath. He didn’t mind the rain that drizzled from the sky. It seemed to ground him. He ducked his head and headed over to Hannah’s house. He couldn’t focus on his conversation with his mom anymore. Right now, there was a girl standing on her stoop next door with bright green eyes that made his heart race. He needed to steel his nerves for the upcoming interaction. Especially when he had no idea what he was going to say.
HANNAH
“Bert McMillan,” the familiar southern accent shouted through the phone. Then he paused. “She’s not home, is she?”
Hannah gritted her teeth as she slunk farther under the stoop. She had her phone pressed to her ear and was gripping the taxi driver’s business card in the other. “How’d you—?”
“Eh, girl, when you’ve been a taxi driver as long as I have, you get a sense of situations. Girl finally comes home after a long period of time. Parents forgot. Probably a broken relationship with a boy mixed in.”
She pulled the phone from her cheek as her lips parted. She stared down at the screen. Who was this guy? Clearing her throat, she raised it back up to her ear. “Well, I’m hoping since you are an all-knowing taxi driver, you didn’t go far. Can you pick me up and give me a ride to the hospital?”
He paused. “Hospital? But you signed the wavier.”
“I’m not going because of that. I need a ride to my mom. She’ll have the key.”
The smacking of his gum filled the air once more. “No can do, sweetie. My cab waits for no girl. I have a drop-off to make right now, but I’ll swing by after. Anything for my most loyal customer.”
“How long?” Hannah growled as she glanced out at the torrential rain. Thankfully, she had composed herself enough to make this call. All she wanted to do right now was take a hot shower and curl up with a good book on her childhood bed that was probably still covered with a bit too many stuffed animals.
“Eh, thirty minutes?”
She sighed. “Fine. See you in thirty.” She punched the end call button and dropped her phone into her purse. Turning her suitcase to its side, she shoved it against the house and sunk down onto it. Wind nipped at her arms, so she pulled her jacket closer. It was hard to believe that the ocean was only a few miles off.
Her gaze wandered back over to the Blakes’ residence and the last twenty minutes replayed in her mind. Mrs. Blake. Logan. The familiar house and feelings. They all came rushing back to her. Why did Mrs. Blake have to bring up prom like she did? Hannah had spent so long trying to forget that dreadful night. One mention of it and all of Hannah’s hard work was thrown out the window.
Reaching up, she touched her lips. They still tingled from the memory. The song, When a Man loves a Woman, blared through the speakers. Logan’s arm wrapped around her waist. They stopped dancing. He reached out his hand and cradled her cheek. Suddenly, he leaned forward, causing her heart to pound in her chest.
Hannah closed her eyes. Why did it always have to feel so real? It was seven years ago; surely something would have faded by now.
“Hannah?”
See, even his voice was as clear as the night he’d kissed her.
“Hannah.”
Why couldn’t this memory just leave her alone?
A hand grabbed her elbow. “Hannah!”
This wasn’t a memory. Whipping her eyes open, a groan erupted in her throat. Logan’s quizzical eyes were staring back at her.
“You okay?” he asked.
She pushed herself forward and stood. He was inches from her. The stoop was barely big enough for the two of them. “Yep, uh-huh.” Mentally, she slapped herself. Why did she have to sound like such an idiot? Not sure what to do, she wrapped her arms around her chest and glanced over at him. “So, what’s up?”
“Um, well…” He paused as his cheeks turned red. “You left this.” Reaching his hand out, he uncurled his fingers to reveal a pair of her lace panties.
Mortified, she grabbed them. “Oh, my gosh,” she sputtered as she shoved the underwear into her coat pocket, wishing that a hole would open up and swallow her.
Logan tucked his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and glanced around. “Mom’s not home, huh?”
She swallowed hard, trying to push every emotion down that she could. “Yeah, looks that way.”
He glanced up and down the street. “Cab coming?”
“Excuse me?” Her mind was muddled.
“When you ran out, you mentioned something about going to town. I figured you’d call a cab.”
His words began to make sense. She nodded. “He’s coming. This is the last time I don’t rent a car.”
He nodded. “Mind if I wait with you? I’d love to catch up.”
Hannah’s heart pounded. She hoped he couldn’t hear it. “Oh, no. That’s okay. I’m sure you have better things to do. Besides, he’ll be here in like twenty minutes. I’d hate to inconvenience you.”
“Twenty minutes?”
Hannah pinched her lips together. Had she just said that? “I’m sure it’s not going to take that long.”
Logan reached out and grabbed all of her luggage. “Enough said. I’m giving you a ride.” He turned and retreated back to his house with her things.
Grumbling, Hannah shoved her hands into her coat pockets and left the steps for the second time today. What was it with the Blake family and stealing people’s suitcases? Hannah had half a mind to just let him take her luggage and stay on the steps. After all, it was one less thing for her to worry about.
As her fingers brushed her underwear and wet socks, she sighed. She couldn’t leave her stuff with him. What if all the clasps decided not to work and the suitcases burst open? Knowing her luck, that would happen.
She grabbed her phone and hit talk. It dialed the most recent num
ber.
“I’m coming, girlie. It’s gonna take me a bit,” Bert said.
“Scratch that. I seemed to suddenly have a ride.”
His laugh filled the air. “The boy who broke your heart?”
Hannah stammered. “Ye-yeah.”
His laugh trickled down to a low rumble. “Keep my phone number on hand for the future. I’d like to see how this goes for you.” He paused. “In fact, I’ll give you a 50 percent discount.”
That was strange. “To drive me around?”
“Yep.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
He laughed. “I don’t doubt it.”
Hannah pulled the phone from her ear and hit end.
She glanced in the direction Logan had gone and sighed. With no ride coming, she was going to have to brave the twenty-minute drive in his presence. But the problem with that was, she was letting him back into her life. And that was something she’d promised herself, years ago, she would never do.
3
HANNAH
Logan was shoving all her luggage into the back of his pickup when she rounded the house. After slamming the tailgate closed, he rushed over to the passenger door and rested his hand on the handle. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come.”
Hannah managed a smile. “Well, you took my luggage, so I really didn’t have a choice.”
His smile faltered but remained. She neared him, and he pulled open the door.
“You really didn’t have to,” she said as she placed her foot on the step and went to grab the chair and handle. Suddenly, a warm hand engulfed hers. Startled, she turned to see Logan glance at her and then down to the ground. She wanted to drop his hand, but the familiar emotions that rushed from her fingers to her heart paralyzed her.
“Listen, Hannah. I know what you think of me. What I did was… well, it was inexcusable. If only you knew—”
“Logan, please. Let’s just get to the hospital. It’s been years, and I’ve moved on. I’m sure you have as well.” She dropped his hand and shifted in the seat to reach for the seatbelt.
Logan stood in the rain, staring off into the distance. Water dripped from his hair and rolled down his face. As much as Hannah wanted to deny it, he looked amazing.
She pulled her gaze from his face and studied the shut garage door in front of her. She cursed the woodsy smell of his cologne that threatened to activate the tears she was forcing down.
“You’re right,” he said as he slammed the door and raced around to the driver’s side.
He got in and turned the key. The truck roared to life, and he backed it down the driveway. They rode in silence for a few minutes. Hannah’s cheeks burned with every glance he shot her way.
“So, how’s life after college been?” he asked.
“Great. I love my job. I’m looking at getting my master’s, but it costs money.”
“Yeah? What would you get your master’s in?” He kept his attention on the road.
“Social work.”
“You’d be good at that,” Logan said as he shot her a half-smile.
Hannah nodded and silence engulfed the car once more.
“So, did you meet a lot of guys in Ohio?” His question came out barely a whisper.
Hannah paused. She wasn’t sure what to say. Should she tell him about Samson? She wasn’t even sure how she felt about him or his proposal. Plus, it felt strange replaying the situation to Logan. But she couldn’t say nothing at all. “Eh, too many to count.”
Logan’s gaze fell on her, and his jaw flexed. “That’s nice,” he finally said.
Hannah shifted in her seat. This ride was getting more and more uncomfortable. “So, you? How’s life been going for you?”
He flicked on his blinker and changed lanes. “Ah, well, I finally met my dad.”
Hannah stared at the water droplets that rolled horizontally across her window. “Really? How’d that happen?”
That was something he’d always wanted. It wasn’t that his stepdad was bad. But there had always been a hole in his heart from the absence of his real dad.
“He came around about three years ago. He had terminal cancer.”
Hannah’s heart sank. What did Logan mean had? “Is he—I mean, has he passed on?”
Logan nodded, and Hannah’s stomach sank. “I’m so sorry,” she said, wishing there was something more she could say.
Logan took a deep breath. “Yeah. It’s been an emotional few years.”
Hannah nodded. That was true for the both of them. There were moments she’d wished she could have called him up just to hear his voice. But it never felt right.
“It was nice to see your mom.” Hannah thought it was best to move the conversation forward. After all, that’s what she wanted when people brought up difficult subjects. “She’s always been an amazing cook. Remember when she made that five-tier cake, and we accidentally left it out? And Tumor got it?” She smiled at the thought of the neighbor’s bulldog tearing through the neighborhood, covered in icing. He was trying to get away from Mrs. Blake who was red-faced and swearing.
Logan let out a deep laugh. A sound Hannah was all too familiar with. It made her heart soar that she’d brought him some happiness.
“That was an epic day.” He shot her a smile that lit up his entire face.
The laughter died down to silence. It felt good to laugh with him once more. It had been so long since she’d seen him. The day after prom, she’d packed up and left, unable to talk to him or Mom again. Her mom was devastated that she moved to her dad’s, but what other choice did she have? She couldn’t live in that house anymore.
Hannah’s smile faded as she turned her attention back outside. The large “H” sign with an arrow underneath signaled that they were minutes away. She reached down and grabbed her purse. “You can just drop me off at the front.”
“But your luggage—”
“I’ll be fine. I got it all the way here on my own.”
Logan pursed his lips, but then nodded. “Okay.”
He pulled the truck up to the front entrance and threw it into park. Opening his door, he jumped out and raced around to the other side before Hannah could open her door. Not waiting for his hand, she leapt down and slung her purse over her shoulder. “Thanks for giving me a ride. You saved me a half-hour of waiting in the rain.”
He nodded, then walked around to the tailgate and pulled it open. He unloaded her suitcases. “Of course. Anytime, Hanny B.”
Her face flushed at the familiar nickname that only Logan was allowed to call her. She met his gaze and, in that moment, all pain that she had felt for so long dulled.
His lips rose into a half-smile as he pushed his hand through his hair. “Sorry. I should’ve probably asked if that nickname was still okay.”
Hannah swallowed. “Of course, you can always call me that.” Her throat tightened, making her voice come out hoarse. She chewed her lip and cursed the emotions that exposed her.
“You sure you don’t want me to help you wheel in your luggage?” He nodded toward the three bags he had unloaded. “You don’t want them dumping out in there.” He eyed the bag that had spilled earlier.
Heat radiated from her cheeks. She shook her head. “No, I’ll be okay. They all kind of clip together.”
He slammed the tailgate closed and glanced at her. The look in his eyes told her he wanted to say more, but wasn’t sure how.
She wasn’t sure she wanted to know. “I’ll be okay. Thanks for the ride again.” Not knowing what to do, she reached out her hand.
Logan glanced at it and then back up to her. “Anytime you need a ride, I’m happy to help.” He grabbed her hand and shook it a few times. He kept his gaze locked with hers.
“I’ll remember that.” The desire to give her a ride seemed to be a common theme today. She pulled away from him and grabbed the handles of her luggage, trying to ignore the memory of his skin against hers.
She walked toward the hospital doors that opened as she approached. Once insid
e, she turned to see him throw his keys into the air and walk over to the driver’s door and climb in. A few seconds later, he peeled away.
Hannah slumped against the wall. What was she doing to herself?
LOGAN
Logan tried to keep his focus on the road as he drove away from the hospital. The memory of Hannah’s hand heated his skin. He leaned over and cranked up the air. Even though it was December, he needed to cool down.
He twisted his hand around the steering wheel. Why couldn’t he just tell her what had happened? He’d tried, but she wouldn’t let him. He pushed his free hand through his hair. She needed to know why he walked out that night. Even if it didn’t change how she felt about him, she still needed to know.
The rain stopped, allowing the sun to push through the clouds. Logan reached over and grabbed his sunglasses. By the time he pulled into his driveway, the ground was dry.
Jumping down from his truck, he slammed the door.
“Hey, Daddy,” a sweet voice called to him.
Smiling, Logan turned around. “Hey, Pip.”
His seven-year-old daughter grinned back at him. Her curly red hair stuck out from under her bike helmet. She rode up to him and stopped. “Where’d you go?”
Logan tucked his keys into his pocket. “I was giving a friend a ride into town.”
She crinkled her nose. “The lady who brings her underwear around with her?”
Heat flushed his cheeks at the memory of holding Hannah’s personal items. “Yes. That lady.”
Piper played with the bell on the handle of her bike. “She was weird.”
“Piper.” He gave her a pointed look.
She shrugged. “What? It’s weird to bring that stuff around with you.”
“She’s visiting her mom, Miss Kathy, that’s why she had all that stuff with her. It’s her luggage.”
Piper chewed her lip. “Oh.” Then she twisted her handle, causing the tire to scrape the road. “Has my mom called yet?”
Forgiving the Billionaire (A Clean Billionaire Romance Book 2) Page 2