Always You (A Magnolia Falls Novel)

by Ruth Roberts

  Liz was eating and gaining more weight, so he wasn’t slacking on his duties. However, it seemed their relationship had morphed into much more than a client and therapist. She would have to talk to Liz about it sometime. As long as Liz was getting the help she needed maybe she shouldn’t worry. For Logan’s part in it, well she couldn’t blame him. Any hot-blooded male on the planet who was interested in women could fall victim to Liz.

  She was sipping her tea, thinking of the best way to broach the subject with Liz when Jillian came around the corner. She set her cup down, jumped up and ran to Jillian, hugging her. “You’re back. I thought you weren’t due back until Monday. Did you win?”

  “You know I can’t tell,” Jillian said. Diana knew full well her friend could not keep a secret and would eventually tell her.

  Diana linked her arm through Jillian’s and led them to the swing she had just vacated. “Tell me this then, do we need to start looking for the perfect space for your cupcake shop?”

  Jillian ran her fingers across her lips. “My lips are sealed.”

  They sat on the swing. “Aw, come on. You have to give me a hint. Besides, you know I wouldn’t tell a soul.”

  “You are the soul of discretion, counselor.”

  “Can you at least tell me why you came home early?”

  “Filming wrapped up early so we were able to leave yesterday. I got home last night. I surprised Zack and Cassidy.”

  “I’ll bet. They were planning an evening of painting and pizza.”

  “I got home just in time to eat pizza and see the finished product of their painting session. My poor brother doesn’t have an artistic bone in his body.”

  “I wouldn’t say that. I’ve seen his creative side many times.”

  “Eww, don’t say things like that about my brother. I know he finally put his big boy pants on and asked you out. I’m ecstatic. But I do not want details. Got it. No details. Ever.”

  Diana laughed. “So you don’t want to know what happened when the girls spent the night here with Liz, and Zack cooked me dinner? I’ve got some juicy details.”

  Jillian covered her ears. “I’m not listening.”

  “Okay. No details. I promise,” Diana said. “By the way, where is Cassidy? I’m glad she is sharing you so we can catch up, but I would think she wouldn’t let you out of her sight.”

  “That’s what I would have thought, but we were at the festival, and we ran into your sisters and a very good-looking man. Cassidy decided to stay with them. Seriously, where does Liz find these men?”

  “That was Logan, her eating therapist.”

  “If I ever need therapy, find me a Logan. He is hot. And he seems to be quite taken with Liz.”

  “Aren’t all men when they meet her? He is getting her to eat, and that is all I’m concerned with right now.”

  Just then the girls came running out the back door toward them. Each was carrying a stuffed animal and cotton candy. Cassidy jumped into her mom’s lap. “I won this for you,” she said, handing the pink puppy to Jillian.

  “Thank you, baby. It’s beautiful,” Jillian said.

  Jessica sat wedged between Jillian and Diana. “Look at what Logan won for me.” She held up a large, purple teddy bear.

  “That was very nice of him. Did you say ‘thank you?’” Diana asked.

  Jessica nodded. “Then he and Liz got mad at each other, and he left so he couldn’t win one for Cassidy.”

  Diana and Jillian looked at each other. “Why did they get mad?” Diana asked her.

  Jessica shrugged. “Liz said he was stiff, and she didn’t need him.” Jessica looked up at Diana. “But I like Logan. He can get Liz to eat all her food. And she smiles and laughs a lot when she’s with him. He isn’t going to leave, is he?”

  Diana put her arm around Jessica and pulled her closer. “No, he won’t leave until Liz is all better. That’s why he’s here, to help her eat and to smile more. He is doing a good job, isn’t he?”

  Jessica nodded her agreement.

  “Why don’t you girls go play for a while?” Jillian said.

  The girls set their toys and cotton candy down on the table and ran to the large jungle gym across the yard.

  “What do you think is going on?” Jillian asked.

  “I have my suspicions, but I don’t know for sure yet. I had already decided to talk to Liz.”

  “Speak of the devil,” Jillian said as Liz and Mandy came outside. Liz carried a pitcher, and Mandy was carrying a tray.

  “Hi guys. We both needed a girls’ night of sangria with fruit and cheese. Want to join us?” Liz asked.

  Diana and Jillian looked at each other. Never, in a thousand years, would they have imagined themselves having a girls’ night with Liz and Mandy, the two mean girls from Magnolia Falls High. But they both had changed, so what could it hurt to give them a chance? It sure couldn’t hurt Diana and Liz’s new budding relationship. “Sure, I’m for it. How about you, Jillian? Do you have time?”

  The shock was apparent in Jillian’s eyes, but she acquiesced. “I’m always up for sangrias at—” she looked at her watch. “Four in the afternoon.”

  Mandy and Liz set the food and drinks down on the table and moved the girls’ stuffed animals and cotton candy to a vacant chair. “Great. I’m going to get the glasses. I’ll be right back,” Liz said.

  Mandy sat across from Diana and Jillian. “I hope we aren’t intruding. Liz called and said she needed ‘girl time,’ so I dropped everything and came over.”

  “You aren’t intruding at all. Is she okay?” Diana asked.

  “I don’t know,” Mandy said and shrugged.

  Diana got the feeling she knew more than she was saying, but didn’t want to betray a confidence. Perhaps Liz would open up after a drink or two.

  Liz got back with the glasses and plates and poured them each a drink. Mandy handed the plates around so they could each serve their food. Liz sat back. “I needed this. Just us girls, no men to make things difficult.”

  “They can be difficult,” Diana said.

  “Says the girl with the perfect man in the palm of her hand,” Liz said.

  “I have to agree with Liz. My brother is perfect, and I’m glad he finally had the good sense to get together with the woman who is perfect for him,” Jillian said.

  Diana opened her hand and held it out. “Nope, no miniature Zack in my hand.”

  “Ha, funny. But really, Diana. Zack is perfect. He’s the last good one left. Don’t let him go this time. Not all of us are as fortunate to find a man like him. We just find duds,” Liz said.

  “Are you talking about a dud in particular? Perhaps one named Logan?” Diana asked.

  Liz looked up at her. “Has he said anything to you?”

  “No. Is there anything to tell?”

  Liz popped a grape into her mouth and shook her head. Diana didn’t dare disturb her when she was eating so she let it drop. “How about you, Mandy? Any duds in your life?”

  “I wish. Since I opened Cherry on Top I don’t have time for men, duds, or otherwise. I always seem to be working. This,” she gestured around at them. “Is a rare occurrence. I don’t even have time for my friends these days.”

  “I can attest to that. It had to be an emergency for her to come,” Liz said.

  “What’s the emergency, Liz?” Jillian asked.

  Liz sighed. “Logan—”

  “I knew it,” said Diana. “There is something going on between you two, isn’t there?”

  Liz looked at her sheepishly. “Please don’t get mad, Di.”

  “I’m not mad. Just concerned.”

  “There is no need to be. He has feelings for me, but he is refusing to do anything about it.” She pouted, almost making Diana laugh.

  “Considering his position here is as a therapist to help you with a problem, I’d have to say he is right to not want to further your relationship,” said Jillian. “And, he has ethics. He is starting to sound perfect, too.

  “Why don’
t you tell us what has happened so far between you two so we can gauge his feelings?” asked Mandy.

  “Nothing. Absolutely nothing has happened, and it’s maddening.” Liz threw her cheese back on her plate and set the plate down, making Diana wince. That meant the end of her eating for now.

  “Then what makes you think he has feelings for you? Or that you do for him?” Mandy asked.

  “It’s a feeling that’s there between us. It’s in the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not watching him. The way he treats me when he isn’t psychoanalyzing me. He almost kissed me once, but didn’t.”

  “How do you know your feelings for him?” Diana asked her.

  “I’ve never met anyone like him before. He is different. He treats me different. He isn’t obsessed with my looks, and that I’m a supermodel. Do you know how terrible it is to have guys just want you for your body and not expect you to have a mind?”

  “No,” said Diana.

  “Nope,” said Jillian.

  “Never had that problem,” said Mandy.

  Liz laughed at them. “This is serious. Besides, you are all beautiful, so don’t try and tell me it’s never happened to you. Some guy meets you, and he automatically assumes just because you are attractive you don’t have a brain.”

  They all three looked at each other and shook their heads. “I’ve been working toward making partner in the firm for so long I haven’t had time to meet random men. Most of the men I met were other attorneys who knew I had a brain,” said Diana.

  “Back to you. Do you think his attitude toward you is part of his job?” Jillian asked.

  Liz shook her head. “Maybe it started that way, but not now. I haven’t had a deep conversation with a man, in—well, never. Not like the ones Logan and I have.” She picked up her glass and sipped.

  Mandy lifted her plate and handed it to Liz. “For every sip you eat a cheese cube and a grape. You are a lightweight. Two sips and you’d probably be drunk.”

  To Diana’s surprise Liz took the plate and ate. Diana looked at Mandy questioningly. Mandy gave her a look that said, ‘I’ll explain later.’

  “Why don’t you give it time? He’s only been here three weeks. He has several weeks to go. Maybe I can even help,” said Diana.

  Liz looked up surprised. “You would do that? You’d help me?”

  “Of course I would. I’m pretty sure that’s something a sister would do, right?” She looked to Mandy and Jillian.

  “Absolutely,” Jillian said. “If she’s a good sister and not one who is sleeping with your husband.”

  “Your sister sounds about as lovely as mine, Jillian. But that’s a story for another day,” said Mandy.

  “I didn’t know you had a sister,” Jillian said.

  “Me neither,” said Diana.

  “I’ll tell you that story at our next girls’ only hour. I’ll bring ice cream if you bring cupcakes, Jillian.”

  “It’s a deal,” said Jillian. “So, how do you plan on helping Liz?” She asked Diana.

  “I’ll talk to Logan.”

  “You can’t do that,” said Liz.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll wait for the right time and I won’t say anything direct. I’m an attorney, I know how to use my words to convince people to believe what I want. Trust me.”

  “Okay. I’ll trust you. Now, on to something better. Tell us all about your night at Zack’s,” Liz said.

  Jillian covered her ears. “No details!” She yelled out.

  Diana, Liz, and Mandy laughed.

  ***

  An hour later Diana and Mandy were in the kitchen washing the dishes they had used earlier. Liz and Jillian were outside with the girls. “You have to tell me how you can get Liz to eat,” Diana said to Mandy.

  “It all started when we were kids. Liz’s eating disorder began after her first modeling job. One day we were at my house, and she passed out. She didn’t want me to tell anyone, so I made her agree she had to eat every time I told her to. If she didn’t, then I would tell your parents. Looking back as an adult I realize I should have told someone instead of trying to take care of her myself. I didn’t do her any favors by keeping it a secret. Anyway, ever since then when I put food in her hands she eats.” Mandy handed the wet pitcher to Diana to dry.

  “Funny how we see things so differently as adults. But you may have kept her alive all those years. She wasn’t very good at listening to our parents back then,” Diana said.

  “I’m just glad you are getting her the help she needs now. You’re a good sister, Diana,” Mandy said as she finished washing the last plate.

  “Thanks. I’m working on it. We both are.” Diana put the pitcher in the cabinet and reached for the wet plate.

  Mandy set down the dishrag and dried her hands. “Diana. I’m really sorry for being such a brat all through high school. When I look back I feel so ashamed at most of the things I said and did. It was inexcusable.”

  “I appreciate the apology, but it’s unnecessary. We all did things back then we are ashamed of.” Diana folded the towel and set it down. “Tell you what, let’s forget it all and use today as our fresh start. I really enjoyed our afternoon girls’ hour. I think it’s a pretty good place to start.”

  “Me, too,” said Mandy.

  Logan walked in then. “Sorry. I don’t mean to intrude, but I thought I would start dinner.”

  “You aren’t intruding. I enjoy all your good cooking,” said Diana

  “As long as you are helping my best friend get well you can intrude on anything, anytime,” said Mandy.

  “Liz is fortunate to have you both in her life. A lot of my clients don’t have a support group. If she keeps doing as well as she is I may not need to stay the entire twelve weeks.” Logan was pulling food out of the refrigerator when he said this. With his back to them, Diana and Mandy exchanged knowing looks.

  “Uh uh. Our deal is for twelve weeks so twelve weeks it is. Besides, my sister has plans for you.”

  He dropped the food on the counter. “What has she said to you?”

  “That you are being the perfect gentleman, against your will and hers. As long as you don’t hurt her I really don’t care about the therapist-client relationship.”

  “It’s unethical, Diana. I can’t get involved with her. Even if that means Liz can’t have what she wants for once.”

  Diana and Mandy laughed. “You figured her out quickly. She usually gets what she wants. But what do you want, Logan?” Mandy asked.

  He looked from Diana to Mandy and didn’t say a word.

  “You want Liz, don’t you?” Diana asked.

  He nodded. “I’ve never had this happen with a client. There have been clients who develop feelings for me because of the position I am in, but I’ve always been careful not to encourage them in any way. I have certainly never returned the feelings. There are some lines a therapist doesn’t cross. Getting romantically involved with a client is one of them, especially a high profile client like Liz. Somehow she blurs those lines. The darker I try to make them the more blurred they become.”

  “That’s Liz,” Diana and Mandy said in unison.

  Diana patted his arm. “It’s okay. The shell shock Liz causes will wear off eventually. And I don’t want to tell you to go against your morals, but she won’t be your client forever,” Diana said.

  “Thanks for listening. After a day in Liz’s company I feel as if I need a therapist.” He dropped more food on the counter he had taken out of the pantry. “I usually cook up a storm when I’m working through a problem, which means I will probably make enough to feed an army. So if you want your friends to stay, there will be plenty.”

  “That sounds great. Thanks, Logan.” Turning to Mandy she asked, “Do you want to stay?”

  “Yeah. I’ve heard all sorts of amazing things about Logan’s cooking.”

  “It’s overrated,” he said.

  “No, it isn’t. I’m going to call Zack to see if he can come, too. Mandy, you want to go out and ask Jillian if s
he and Cassidy want to stay?”

  “Sure.” Mandy went outside, and Diana went upstairs to call Zack.

  ***

  Logan wasn’t kidding about cooking up a storm. Diana surveyed all the dishes he had made that were not sitting on the dining room table. It was a good thing Zack was bringing two extra people to help them eat it all. When she called him he was at Gavin’s garage so he asked if he could bring Gavin as well as Gavin’s cousin Jayce who had recently arrived in town.

  As soon as they arrived they all sat down to dinner, including Jessica and Cassidy who refused to be excluded from the ‘party,’ as they called it. “This is yummy. Thank you Logan.” Jessica enthusiastically ate all the food on her plate.

  “You are very welcome Miss Jessica. I’m glad you are enjoying it. How about you Cassidy. Do you like it?”

  She nodded as she stuffed another spoonful into her mouth. The grown-ups around the table laughed.

  After dinner the girls decided they wanted to dance so Diana turned on the music for them in the family room. The rest of the party followed. Cassidy grabbed Zack’s hand while Jessica pulled Diana up to dance. The four of them danced alone for a while and slowly the others began to join them. Diana watched as Logan stood and held his hand out to Liz. She happily accepted. Then Jayce asked Mandy, at last Gavin nudged Jillian and nodded his head towards the others. Jillian rolled her eyes and laughed. “Is that how you ask a lady to dance Gavin?”

  “It’s worked up until now.”

  Jillian got up and held onto his arm. “Gavin, one day you are going to meet your match. When you do I hope I’m around to see you fall.”

  Gavin pulled her into his arms and they began dancing. He dipped her down and held her there for a moment. “It will never happen.”

  She laughed as he pulled her up.

  Diana looked over the girl’s heads at Zack and saw that he was intently watching the exchange between his sister and his best friend with an unreadable expression on his face.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Zack and Diana were laying on the brown leather sofa in the family room of her house. Alone at last. His sister and Cassidy had gone home, Liz and Logan had disappeared, and Jessica was fast asleep upstairs. Thankfully, Gavin and his cousin, Jayce, had left at the same time as Jillian and Cassidy. Dinner with everyone had been fun, but he was glad to have her all to himself now.