Melissa moved to inch away, but Charity dropped her hand and leaned back.
“Don’t matter anymore. I’m with Logan now.” She reached out and grabbed her shot glass in front of her. “Logan,” she mumbled.
Melissa glanced over to Hannah, who just shrugged. This woman really couldn’t hold her liquor.
Just when Melissa moved to stand, Charity shot her hand out and patted Melissa’s arm. “He’s loaded now, you know that?”
Hannah’s ears pricked at the mention of Logan’s money.
“That’s nice,” Melissa said.
“Like, lots of millions, loaded.” Charity hiccupped and smiled. “I’m gonna be a rich woman.”
Hannah’s stomach soured. What did that mean? She slid over the remaining seats. “You’re going to be rich?” she asked as she leaned toward Charity.
Her empty gaze fell on Hannah. “Yes. Why do you think I came back? He thinks I just found out, but”—she hiccupped again—“I knew all along.”
Heat raced from her spine as she studied the awful woman in front of her. “Not to be with Piper?”
Charity scoffed. “As soon as we’re married again, she’s going to a prep school.” Charity giggled and pushed her fingers against her lips. “Whoops. Don’t tell Logan.”
Hannah stared at her. What an awful person. Her mother was never perfect, but at least she wanted Hannah around. Piper deserved someone better than this.
But before she could think about what she was going to do with this information, Sandy started shouting her name into the microphone. For some reason, the tipsy Sandy thought it was a good idea that they sing Big Girls Don’t Cry karaoke style—even though the DJ repeatedly said this wasn’t a karaoke bar.
Hannah obliged. After all, this was Sandy’s bachelorette party. When the song was finished, she checked the schedule and informed all the party goers it was time to head to the next bar.
After shoving all the women into the cabs that were lined up against the street, Hannah pulled open the passenger door to Bert’s cab and jumped in. They made it to the next bar in record time. The rest of the night was filled with drinking, singing, some attempts at mini golf, and puking. As Hannah watched it all unfold in front of her, she was glad she’d chosen to sit this one out.
By midnight, she crawled into Bert’s cab between Charity and her mom. Charity moaned when she slammed the door. Silence filled the air as Bert pulled away from the curb. As Hannah watched the lights fly by, her thoughts turned to Charity and her confession.
What was she going to do? Logan had to know his ex’s intentions. Hannah clenched her jaw. And she’d pushed so hard for them to get back together.
“What’s wrong, Hannah?” Her mom’s soft voice broke through the silence.
Turning, Hannah glanced over to her mom. She looked tired. “Nothing.”
Her mom quirked an eyebrow. “Hannah, what’s wrong?”
Glancing up, she saw Bert studying her through the rearview mirror. He gave her a small smile of encouragement.
“I’m worried about a decision I made,” Hannah said, turning back to her mom.
“To marry Samson?”
Hannah shook her head. “Involving Logan.”
Her mom grew quiet, so Hannah looked over to her. “You care about him, don’t you?”
Charity was snoring by now, her head propped up on the window and a trail of drool making its way down her chin. She was passed out so wouldn’t hear Hannah’s confession. Tears stung her eyes as she looked out the window again.
“I do, Mom. So much.”
Her mom’s hand engulfed hers. “I always had the suspicion. Only true love has the capability to break your heart like this.”
Hannah wiped a tear as she turned to look at her mom. “True love?”
Her mom nodded.
“Mom, I don’t love Logan.”
“Hannah.” Her mom reached out and wiped another tear. “I think you do.”
Hannah broke her gaze and turned her attention back outside as the words settled in her mind. Love. Did she love Logan? Butterflies erupted in her stomach at the thought. A smile played on her lips. She did. She loved Logan so much that it hurt to breathe.
Turning back around, she smiled at her mom. “You’re right. I do.”
Her mom pushed a strand of hair from her face. “So the question is, what are you going to do now that you know?”
Hannah straightened in her seat. “I’m going to tell him.”
Her mom clapped her hands. “Perfect!”
Bert pulled into Hannah’s driveway. Her mom pulled on the handle. “I’m going to bed. Busy day tomorrow. I think there are a few things you need to take care of.” She nodded toward the Blakes’ residence.
Hannah’s eyes widened. “What? Now?”
Her mom smiled. “No time like the present,” she said as she stepped out, leaving the door open as she made her way to the walkway and disappeared into the house.
The smile on Hannah’s lips grew bigger the more she thought about Logan and confessing to him that she loved him. It had always been him. She wanted to be a part of his life now and forever. She wanted to be there for Piper. She wanted to be a family. As she moved to slide out of the cab, a hand shot out and grabbed Hannah’s arm.
Startled, she glanced back to see Charity staring at her. Hannah’s stomach sank. Did she hear? “How are you feeling?” she asked, giving her a small smile.
Charity’s gaze turned icy. “I heard,” she said with her voice low and threatening.
Hannah steeled her nerves. “Heard what?”
“Your declaration of love for Logan.”
Hannah glanced over to Bert, who was watching their interaction. She swallowed. “Well, it’s true, and I’m not going to deny it.”
Charity laughed. “If you tell Logan, trust me, things won’t go over well.” She tightened her grasp, digging her fingernails into Hannah’s arm.
“Excuse me?”
“If you tell Logan…” She narrowed her eyes, and her gaze filled with anger.
“Are you threatening me?”
Charity’s laugh sent a chill through Hannah. “Threatening? No. Promising. See, I’m Piper’s mom. Not you. I have the ability to make their life a living hell. If Logan dumps me for you, I will take him back to court.”
Hannah felt sick. This wasn’t what she wanted. “But, Logan has full custody.”
Charity straightened and glanced out the window. “For now. And even if I can’t win, I will never stop fighting.”
Hannah tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry. “Charity, don’t do that. Not to Piper.”
Her gaze fell back to Hannah. “Then leave us alone. Go off and marry Samson. Forget about Logan.”
Hannah fought back the tears that were filling her eyes. Realization settled in her stomach. If she loved Logan and Piper like she did, then there was only one thing she could do. She needed to walk away. “Fine. I will go. But, please, don’t send Piper to a prep school. She loves you. All she wanted was to play American Girl dolls with you.”
Charity snorted. “Those stupid dolls? I’m not wasting my money on them.”
Hannah glanced over to her.
Charity sighed and raised her hands “Okay, I’ll think about not sending her to a prep school. As long as you leave us alone.”
Hannah nodded and slid out the open door, her heart breaking with every movement. Charity staggered out of the car as well and made her way across the Blakes’ yard and disappeared inside.
Hannah stood there, not sure what to do. She feared what would happen to her heart if she walked into her house and shut the door.
“Hannah,” Bert called from the passenger window.
She bent down and glanced inside.
“Why are you doing this?”
A tear fell. “I have to, Bert.”
He shook his head. “No, you don’t. Don’t let that awful woman win.”
Frustration from the night boiled over. “What do you know? You’r
e a cab driver. Just leave me and my problems alone.” She stepped back, stifling a sob.
“Hann—”
“Go,” she said as she turned.
There were a few seconds of silence. Hannah’s heart pounded in her chest. She didn’t have to look to know that Bert had pulled out of the driveway. Soon, she was alone. All alone.
LOGAN
Logan sat at the kitchen table, nursing his headache. He wished he could blame it on the liquor and cigars, but he’d only had a few drinks—nothing to cause him this pain. It must be from sitting next to Samson all night. Rubbing his temples, he glanced over at the clock. Twelve thirty. Where were the ladies?
The front door slammed, causing Logan to jump from his seat. As he rounded the corner, he saw Charity slip into the basement. His heart sped up. If she was home, that meant one thing—Hannah was home.
Peering out the front window, he saw the cab pull out of her driveway and speed down the street, leaving Hannah standing in the yard. She was staring up at the sky. This was his chance.
He opened the front door and steeled his nerves. He couldn’t wait to tell her Samson’s intentions. It felt like an eternity as he crossed his yard and was standing next to her. She had her arms wrapped around her chest and her face tilted upwards. It was as if she was in a trance.
“Hey,” he said, reaching out and touching her shoulder. Tingles raced up his arm from touching her.
She jumped and turned. Her eyes were puffy—as if she’d been crying. “Logan?” Her voice was rough.
“What’s wrong?” He stepped toward her. The urge to protect her surged through his body. All he wanted to do was wrap her up in his arms.
But before he could get close, she moved away. “Don’t…” She glanced up at him.
He didn’t like the look she was giving him. It was the same one he’d seen a few days ago when she was sitting next to his mom. “Hannah, what happened?” What brought on this sudden chilly disposition?
Hannah glanced over at his house. “Where’s Charity?”
Logan shrugged. “In bed, I’m guessing.” Then he studied her. “Did she say something?”
Hannah’s face flushed, but she shook her head. “No, nothing.”
Dipping down to catch her gaze, Logan reached out. “Hannah, you have to believe me when I say that I don’t have feelings for Charity anymore. That ship has sailed.”
Hannah shoulders tightened. This wasn’t going how he wanted. Words got jumbled in his mind. He needed to bring her back. He knew she had feelings for him. Why wouldn’t she just admit it?
“Samson’s taking you back to his house tomorrow. He doesn’t care that you want to spend time with your mom and dad. Plus, he doesn’t want to have kids,” came tumbling out. He pinched his lips as he studied her. Inside, he was trying to fight the feeling that he’d just tattled on Samson, but he was desperate.
Her eyes widened as she stared at him. “You talked about me with Samson?”
Ugh. The tone of her voice and the look in her eyes told him that he’d made a mistake. “He told me. Bragged is probably the better way to put it.”
Hannah turned away. The moonlight lit up her profile as she stared at the ground.
“He’s not good for you.” Logan reached out again. Why wouldn’t she just admit it?
“He’s not good for me? What do you know?” She whipped around and glared at him.
Logan studied her gaze. Behind the anger was sadness. Why was she sad? “You can’t be serious. You have to know.” He wasn’t going to hide that he loved her anymore.
Hannah shook her head. “All I know is, I love Samson and he loves me. We’re getting married and that’s it. We’ll discuss having kids when the time’s right. Besides, I think it’s best that I leave tomorrow after the wedding.” She took another step back.
“What? What about Christmas Eve? What about your mom?” His voice dropped as emotions clung to his throat. “What about me?”
“It’s what’s best for you and me. And Piper.”
He glanced up at her. He heard her voice falter at the mention of his daughter. Something had happened. Why wouldn’t she just tell him? Before he could ask, she turned and started walking toward the house.
“Hannah.” He rushed over to her. He couldn’t let things end like this. She was supposed to be with him. “Hannah.” He reached out and grabbed her elbow.
“Leave me alone. We’re done. We should have taken our cue from the cosmos. We are not supposed to be together.” She gave him a weak smile. “Just leave it at that.”
“But…I can’t.” How was he going to make her see?
“I’ll see you at the wedding.” She turned and walked up the front stoop.
“Hannah—”
“Good night.” Her voice was weak. She pulled open the door and slipped inside.
Logan stood there, paralyzed. He wanted to confess to her that he loved her. He wanted to tell her she was the one. He wanted her in his life. He wanted to have a family with her. But, she’d made it pretty clear, they were over. There was nothing there. As he turned and made his way across the yard, he shoved his fists into his pockets. What a crappy Christmas.
24
HANNAH
The next morning, Hannah laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling. The numbers on her clock shone brightly in her room. Six thirty. She needed to get up soon and get ready.
But, she was trying to forget the conversation she’d had with Logan last night. She tapped her fist on her forehead. Only problem was, it seemed that no amount of pushing it from her mind helped. His voice and his gaze were as fresh in her mind as if he was standing right next to her.
Groaning, she pulled her pillow over her face. She’d stay here for the rest of her life if she could.
A soft knock filled the silent room.
“Come in,” she said, pulling the pillow off and tossing it on the floor.
“Hey, just wanted to let you know that you have about half hour before we need to get moving,” her mom said, slipping into the room.
Hannah sat up. “Thanks, Mom.”
“How’d it go last night?” Her mom’s eyes sparkled as she nodded in the direction of the Blake’s house.
Ugh. Her mom thought she was going to confess her feelings to Logan. “Fine. I told him I was marrying Samson.”
“What?” Her mom stared at her.
“Mom, I’m marrying Samson.” A sick feeling settled in her stomach. She hated lying to her. Not when they were trying to mend their relationship. “Oh, and I’m leaving right after the wedding.”
Her mom’s expression fell. Hannah hated hurting her like this.
“You’re leaving? Again?”
“It’s what’s best.” She pulled the covers from her body and swung her legs over the bed. The room felt as if it was closing in on her. She needed to do something.
“But, Christmas Eve is my holiday.” Her mom’s voice was weak as her gaze turned stony.
“Well, I’m marrying Samson and I have to consider his feelings as well. His mom wants us to come to a holiday party for their company. I have to go.” Hannah stood and made her way over to the bathroom. “Thanks for understanding,” she said as she shut the door on her mom’s hurt expression.
Flipping on the water, Hannah climbed into the shower and cried. Cried for her love for Logan. Cried for how badly she had to treat her mom. And cried for Piper.
When she got out, she had no more tears. Splashing cold water on her face, she stared at herself. She needed to get a grip. This was her choice. All she needed to do was get through this wedding and then she’d get on a plane and fly away. Away from all of this pain.
She did her make-up and hair. As she walked into her room, she grabbed her phone. She’d missed a dozen texts from Sandy. Hannah slipped on her shoes and opened her door. In the kitchen, she almost ran into Samson.
“Hey, Han. Sleep good?” he asked as he spooned some cereal into his mouth.
Hannah just nodded. “I’ve decided
to leave today. After the wedding, we’ll fly out to your parents’ party.”
Samson’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”
Hannah pinched her lips together. “Yep.”
“Awesome.”
Hannah’s mom walked in. She was dressed in her hospital scrubs. “I have to go in. Dr. Robinson is sick and I need to cover for her.”
Hannah felt awful. Her mom seemed so upset. But what could she do? She had to leave. “Okay, Mom. Will you be back in time?”
She shrugged. “It’s a twelve-hour shift, so probably not.” She grabbed her purse that was hanging on the wall and pulled out her keys.
Hannah made her way over and pulled her mom into a hug, who stiffened from the contact. It didn’t matter. It was Christmas. She was going to hug her mom. “I’ll see you real soon.”
She just nodded. “Okay.”
Hannah hugged her again. “I love you.”
“You, too.” Her mom pulled from the hug and stepped back. “Have a safe flight,” she said as she opened the garage door and stepped out.
“Mom?”
“Hannah.”
“Merry Christmas.”
Her mom gave her one last look and then shut the door behind her. Hannah’s shoulders slumped as she turned. She hated doing this to her. The hurt was written all over her mom’s face. Hannah wanted a better relationship, but it seemed she was always disappointing her mom.
Then Hannah squared her shoulders. Once things calmed down, she’d make more of an effort. It was evident they could make a relationship work. It would just take time.
Turning to Samson, Hannah forced a smile. “Ready?”
He nodded. “Let’s do this so we can get out of here.”
Hannah grabbed her purse and headed toward the front door. Time to get this wedding over with.
LOGAN
Music blared from the speakers as he walked into the reception hall. The wedding had been pleasant. Except for the fact that he had to see Hannah. She refused to link arms with him, so they walked down the aisle next to each other. And she refused to look at him during the ceremony.
Forgiving the Billionaire (A Clean Billionaire Romance Book 2) Page 17