The Outside Series - Complete Trilogy: Books 1-3

by Kristina Renee

  I didn’t take a breath until my mom smiled brightly and said, “Actually, I’m taking some business classes. I haven’t worked outside the home in a long time but I’m excited to get back into the workforce.”

  If I had anything in my mouth, I would have spit it across the table. She just kept surprising me. I had no idea she could hold herself so well in respectable company.

  “That’s commendable. What did you do before you were married?” Will refilled his glass of wine and topped off Mom’s too. I gave Logan a sideways glance. What was going on?

  “Honestly, not much. I worked in a dental office for a few years but I don’t have a lot of experience.” The way she looked down in her lap and fidgeted with her napkin made me feel sorry for not having more faith in her. She really was an amazing woman that had been to hell and back and was coming out stronger for it. I should have been making it easier for her.

  “Don’t sell yourself short, Mom.” Her head bounced up at my words. “You’re good with numbers and super organized. Once you take those classes, I know you’ll find a great job. I’m really proud of you.”

  Tears pooled in her eyes but she held them in. It wasn’t often I said encouraging things to her but I resolved to change that. If she could take steps to be a better mother, I could try to be a better daughter.

  Before the moment got too awkward, Will jumped in. “Angie, if you’re looking for an administrative job while you’re in school, I might know of one.”

  I looked from him to Logan but neither man would meet my eye. I pinched Logan’s arm but he just cracked a smile and pretended to be engrossed in a conversation at the next table.

  “Really?” The way my mom lit up made me forget about being out of the loop with whatever they had planned. I missed seeing excitement on her face.

  “It’s not glamorous but one of my office managers is leaving me in a few weeks so I need someone to run my storage facility. It comes with an apartment but the hours aren’t too bad and you’d have plenty of time to study when it’s not busy.”

  “An apartment?” She was as dumbstruck as I was. “For free?”

  “Of course.” All eyes were on his hand as he placed it over Mom’s and held it there. “There’s a small yard for the children and it’s near a park. The job is yours if you want it.”

  She slowly tore her eyes away from his hand and locked them with Will’s. She just nodded, unable to speak the words I knew she was feeling. The same words I couldn’t get past the lump in my throat.

  The love and compassion I’d experienced since meeting Logan wasn’t something I could express easily. It was something that surrounded me, filled me from the inside out. And it was slowly extending to the people I cared most about.

  He made me a better person and gave me a better life. I gave him my body, mind and soul and he gave it back to me tenfold. As long as I had Logan Cooper, I would never be afraid again.

  Epilogue

  Twenty-four hours left until I’m free. An official high school graduate, ready to embark on my next journey and see where life takes me.

  The past three years have been the best of my life. Seriously, the best. Jesse’s death was the key to opening up options for me and my family. But really it was Logan that changed everything. He gave me a reason to fight back and that’s ultimately what saved us.

  Mom is a completely new person. She loves her job and is throwing herself into it. She set up a new billing system that has improved collections by 50%. Will even offered to pay for business-related classes so books and tuition for her bachelor’s degree have been fully covered. She’s scheduled to take the CPA exam at the end of summer and I think she’s actually gonna pass. By taking care of herself, she is finally putting her kids first in a way she hasn’t done often in the past. I was hopeful.

  Macy started preschool this year and is a little hellion. Sassy doesn’t even begin to cover her attitude but it’s so funny that we can’t discipline her without laughing. Mom has her work cut out for her. She’s adopted a stray cat that’s about to have a litter of kittens. I have a feeling this is how the previous manager started her journey into cat-ladydom. It worked out pretty well for her so I’m not too concerned.

  Billy’s new school is amazing. He’s in middle school now and joined a baseball team. He can’t stop talking about it. He gives me a rundown of every inning even though I haven’t missed a game yet. I’ve never seen Billy look as proud as he did when he was handed the game ball after his first home run. I don’t know who had messier makeup, me or Mom.

  “Honey, are you almost ready?”

  “Yes, Mom. I’m coming.” Grabbing my bag off the hook in my room, I run down the stairs to meet up with everyone.

  “Can we go now? I’m starving.” Billy is standing in the doorway with his body half outside.

  “Let’s go, kid. I’m hungry too.” Will invited us over for a pre-graduation dinner since I’m going straight to the all-night party after the ceremony and Logan is taking me to the beach for the weekend.

  Logan just finished his second year at Stanford. I was so relieved when he decided to stay close for college. He was accepted to Brown and University of Pennsylvania but claimed he wasn’t ready to leave his dad alone. I, on the other hand, did not get into Stanford or any other high brow schools but I wasn’t too heartbroken. We couldn’t have afforded those schools even if I did. So, I’m going to Atherton College, a small private school just a few miles past Stanford that offered me a generous scholarship. Mom doesn’t know it yet but Logan and I will be getting an apartment together this summer. I’m waiting for the right time to break it to her.

  When we get outside, I walk straight to the used silver minivan that Mom bought a few years ago. It’s not pretty but it’s practical and she’s cool about letting me drive it. I stood at the passenger door for a good thirty seconds before realizing no one else is with me. Looking around, I see Mom, Billy and Macy standing in front of a black Honda Accord. It takes my brain a moment to translate what they’re doing. As I take a few steps toward them, Billy steps away and reveals a big red bow perched on the hood.

  My eyes immediately go to Mom’s and she’s nodding her head. “Happy graduation, baby. I’m so proud of you.”

  She rushes to me and pulls me into her arms. Through the tears blurring my vision, I can see that it’s beautiful. Looks brand new even though I know it must be a few years old. I wipe my eyes and pull back.

  “You bought this for me?” It’s such a foreign feeling to be getting something so expensive from anyone, much less my mother.

  “Do you like it? I tried to get something safe and reliable but still cute.” I walk to the driver’s door and open it, peeking my head in to check it out.

  “It’s perfect.” I look back at Mom. “I can’t believe you did this. Are you sure you can afford it?” Doing the mental math, I know she must have used most of her savings just for the down payment and the monthly payments would be crazy high for such a pristine car. I calculate what I’d need to pull out of my savings to cover it if she can’t.

  “I’ve been saving, and yes, I can afford it. You just have to pay for gas and insurance but I want you to have something nice for school next year.”

  I slide in the black cloth seat and take a deep breath. Although I can’t see anything, the distinctive vanilla scent makes me look around for an air freshener.

  “Logan put it under the seat,” Billy says as he climbs across the back seat.

  “What?”

  “The little tree. He put it under the seat so it wouldn’t be ugly.”

  “Logan knows about this?” I look at Mom in the rearview mirror as she buckles Macy into the seat behind me.

  “He helped me pick it out. He wanted to make sure it was in good shape.” Mom chuckles to herself. “That guy is pretty anal about cars.”

  That was the understatement of the year. He was shockingly meticulous about most things despite his generally laid-back attitude.

  When I pull up
in front of Logan’s house, he’s already waiting for us outside. As I open the car door, he pulls me into his arms. Instinctively, I melt into him. I feel like I’m not entirely whole unless he’s wrapped around me. His nose burrows into my neck as he inhales my scent.

  “Mmm, you smell delicious.” He gently nips at my earlobe. “I could eat you up.”

  “Don’t be a tease,” I whine. “I’ve missed you.”

  “I missed you too, love. Two days is too long to not see you.”

  “You’ve got me all weekend.”

  “Do you like it?” He lifts his head and nods toward my new car.

  “I love it. I can’t believe you knew about it and didn’t tell me.”

  “Ang wanted it to be a surprise.” His lips brush against mine lightly. My lips chase his as he pulls back. “Ah ah ah. We’ve got to get inside. Everyone’s waiting.”

  “Can’t we just ditch them and go christen my new car?” My hand slides down to cup his ass and I give a little squeeze.

  A low growl vibrates through his chest as he pulls me against it. “Now who’s the tease?” He sucks my lower lip into his mouth and tugs, conveying with his dark eyes that he means it. “Inside. Now.”

  With a whimper, I take a deep breath to collect myself. “Fine. But I’m not done with you, mister.”

  I straighten my shirt and stomp to the front door. Logan is mumbling something about my hair when I open the front door and walk in like I own the place. Just as I’m about to head toward the dining room, cameras flash and people appear from every direction. If Logan didn’t grab my shoulders as I jumped back, I would have landed on my butt.

  Mom is in the center of the room with all my friends and most of my family, taking pictures and screaming, “Congratulations.”

  I look around the room and see so many loving faces, it’s overwhelming. When my eyes lock on Will’s, I can see the pride and love he has for Logan and I as he watches from the corner. He’s been like the father I never had during the time that I’ve known him. I give him a big smile before turning back to Logan.

  “Seriously? A surprise party?” I try to act mad but I’m just too damn happy to pull it off.

  “Would you have agreed to a graduation party if we asked for permission?” He nudges me toward my mom as he waits for my answer.

  “Uh, no. Never.”

  “That’s why we didn’t ask.” With a quick peck to my temple, he steps away so my grandma and aunts can pass me around for hugs.

  I never imagined being as happy as I am now. We danced and laughed and had cake and it was one of the best times I’ve ever spent with my family.

  Using the excuse of needing some air, I sneak out to the balcony and look back at all the people that truly love me and are rooting for me to succeed. I don’t want to get teary but I can’t help it.

  I’m excited to leave for college but a part of me wants this for a little while longer. I want more time with a happy mom. I want to see the joy in her eyes when she’s able to give me something special or see me reach a milestone. I want to be at all of Billy’s games and pick up Macy from school and take her for ice cream. I won’t be far but it won’t be the same. What seemed like freedom only a few hours ago now seems like I’m being pushed out of the nest and I have mixed feelings about it.

  “What are you thinking about, beautiful?” Logan scoots against the railing and tucks me into his side, rubbing his palm over the goose bumps on my arms from the cool breeze.

  “I can’t believe I’m leaving home soon. I’m gonna miss them.”

  “You won’t be far.” He turns so he’s standing in front of me, blocking me from everyone inside. “And you’ll always have me.”

  “Always?” I ask, smiling. I’m not being insecure. I just like to hear him say it.

  “Forever.” He pulls another one of those blue boxes out from behind his back. Over the years, there have been several. Sometimes earrings or a bracelet. A few necklaces. But never a ring. That first ring is still my most prized possession and has never come off my finger so when he places the box in my right hand and holds my left hand against his heart, I feel faint.

  “You’ve worn my ring for almost three years and I never wanted you to take it off.” He lowers my hand and slowly slips the ring to the tip of my finger. “But I think it’s time for an upgrade.”

  My breath hitches as Logan pulls the silver band free and slips it into his shirt pocket then drops to one knee. Still standing with the new box in my hand, I can’t say a word as he lifts the hinged lid and removes the biggest diamond ring I’ve ever seen. “Elizabeth Charlotte Martin, will you make me the happiest man alive by agreeing to become my wife?”

  I drop to my knees in front of him and attack his mouth with mine, nodding my head furiously while stealing the breath from his lungs. The sound of cheers and ‘aww’ from the other side of the glass wall finally forces me to pull away.

  “So…is that a yes?” Logan’s gorgeous smirk makes me want to climb right back inside of him.

  “That’s a yes. Forever.”

  On the Outside

  Keep reading for Kim’s story in On the Outside…

  15

  I could feel their eyes on me when I stepped through the front door of the school. The rumor mill was still in full swing. That was fine with me. I turned on my signature Kim Curtner charm and walked through the halls with my head held high. The furtive chatter and the stolen glances had been thrown my way nonstop since I got back from Thanksgiving break.

  It didn't bother me. At least, not that I let on.

  “Kim!” My best friend, Liz, was waiting for me by my locker. A broad smile touched my face. I always missed her while I was away, but this time we'd been apart for longer than usual.

  “I'm so glad you're back,” she said as she greeted me with a warm hug.

  “Me too.” I frowned as I held her at arm's length and quickly examined her face. “Are you sure you should be back at school so soon?”

  “Of course.” She smiled at me without any hint of worry on her face. “Honestly, I'm fine. Everything's better now, and I think I'm gonna lose my mind if I have to sit around doing nothing. I spent so long not living my life and just trying to survive, I'm not gonna hide for another minute. I’m officially getting out there and doing what I want.”

  Liz's stepdad had always been a source of terror in her life. Every time we said goodbye, part of me worried I'd never see her again. After hearing about what happened to her while I was with my family at Black Diamond Lodge, I couldn't stop worrying. As soon as we got home, Liz's boyfriend Logan took me to visit her. She'd been upbeat, almost cheery despite everything. I assumed she must still be in shock. But here we were, only a week later, and she looked better now than I'd ever seen her before.

  I smiled and gave her a little squeeze before turning to open my locker. “I'm sorry I wasn't here for you.” I shook my head slowly, guilt eating away at me. “I'm just glad you're safe now.”

  “You were off having fun in the snow.” She waggled her eyebrows. “I've only been back for five minutes, but it seems like everyone's talking about you and Austin. You never told me what happened between you two at the Winter Formal, but I get the sense it wasn't good.”

  I opened my mouth to reply, but quickly closed it again when Logan slid up to us.

  He slipped an arm around Liz's shoulder and kissed her forehead. “It's just about time for class, love,” he said softly. “I figured I'd walk you over.”

  He looked at me sidelong, his expression inscrutable. I could tell he wasn't exactly pleased with me. He clearly hadn't told Liz what happened that night, which meant he was giving me the chance to do that.

  “Just a sec.” Liz shifted her gaze back to me expectantly. “You know what this place is like. I'm probably gonna hear three different versions of the truth by lunch anyway.”

  “Austin and I broke up.” I swung the door of my locker shut with the same finality my words held. “Things didn't go well at the winter
formal, and I got tired of being led on by someone who won’t tell me how he really feels. As usual, someone must've heard half the story from someone who wasn't even there, and rumors started popping up.”

  “That's a pretty reductive account,” Logan said with a scoff, shaking his head.

  Before anyone could say anything else, the bell rang.

  “We're not done with this conversation.” Liz pointed at me as Logan tugged her toward her first class. “I want the entire story.”

  I bounced through my morning classes and ignored everyone's whispers like a pro. The only way to overcome rumors is to stay above them. Don't engage and don't feed the fire. The rumor cycle would die out in a day or two. It had only been kicked into overdrive because I came back from my ski trip looking tanned, relaxed, and freshly made over. Once the rumors started to lose their traction, the boys would be lining up as usual.

  That was the plan anyway.

  Niggles of doubt still shrouded me. Breaking up with Austin hit me a lot harder than I cared to admit. I spent way too many hours locked in my hotel room and eating my feelings. That was my guilty secret. I stress ate, and for whatever reason, this particular breakup had been more stressful than any other.

  I managed to get things under control by the time our vacation ended, but I was still a little concerned about the extra few pounds of chub I’d added to my midsection. It was winter, so I could get away with a cute knit sweater that hid my middle, but I'd only be able to keep that up for so long.

  It was California after all.

  When my lunch period rolled around, I met Liz by our usual spot under the trees. I didn't see Logan or the boys anywhere nearby and briefly hoped it would just be us girls for now. I definitely wasn't in the mood to see Austin, especially not with tension still in the air.

  “So, I've heard about a dozen different versions of the story so far.” Liz looked up at me as I neared the table where she already sat with her lunch tray. “The most common one seems to be that you dumped him for some guy at Black Diamond Lodge. Really, I think the only reason everyone's talking about it is because you held so many guys at bay waiting for Austin to ask you to the winter formal.”