22. Logan
22
LOGAN
T he hum of activity fills the air as I stand at the heart of the event, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of people setting up booths and tables. Brightly colored banners flutter in the gentle breeze, each one representing a small business that’s become part of the community’s fabric.
My tech company’s logos are subtly plastered on signs and screens, blending in with the festivities rather than dominating them. It's a far cry from the sleek corporate presentations I’m used to. This is more personal, more raw, a reflection of what matters.
I glance over at the booth in the center, the one I've put my heart into: Serena's confections. It’s not just another table; it’s a showcase, a small tribute to her creativity and the warmth she brings to everything she touches.
The delicate sweets and pastries, each meticulously crafted, will be displayed like pieces of art. They’re surrounded by technology—QR codes that pull up stories about Serena and the other small business owners here, all curated to tell the real story of what they bring to this community.
"Logan, the speakers are set up, and the sound check is good," Grace says, giving me a thumbs up. She’s been a rock through this whole process, helping me pull together every detail, no matter how small.
She helped me brainstorm a giant gesture to help push my family out of buying the building but also to show Serena that I’m serious about my feelings for her. Yes, we’re showcasing my tech business, but we’re combining that with the small business owners in the area, too.
If the world gives you a platform to do good, then use it to do good.
Maybe this won’t do anything for me, but it could be huge for the small business owners.
I knew Serena wouldn’t go for my attempt to save her, at least that’s how she’d see it, so I approached it differently, hoping she wouldn’t slap me across the face when she got here.
"Great," I say, nodding to her. "Thanks, Grace. Make sure everyone’s ready for the opening speech. We’ve got one shot to make this work."
She squeezes my arm and heads off, leaving me with my thoughts. I run my hand through my hair, trying to calm my nerves. I’m not used to feeling like this—like I’m on the verge of losing something that actually matters. For all the business deals I’ve closed, all the boardrooms I’ve dominated, nothing compares to the knot twisting in my stomach now.
She’s coming. Grace received a text earlier, saying she would be here with our order, though Serena has no clue what’s actually waiting for her here. I can picture her reaction—arms crossed, brow furrowed, that fierce glare she has when she’s angry but trying not to show it.
She’ll probably hate me for this at first, for turning her private heartbreak into a public affair. But she needs to know that I’m not the enemy.
I check my watch again, even though I just looked at it a minute ago. Any moment now.
The crowd begins to grow, faces lighting up as they see the event unfolding. People are laughing, kids are running around with painted faces, and there’s an unmistakable buzz in the air. I want this to be more than just an apology. I want it to be a statement, a stand. This is not just for Serena but for every small business owner who’s been steamrolled by corporate greed. Levy’s not getting away with this without a fight.
My family isn’t going to get away with this without one hell of a fight.
I spot Serena entering with Lila and Emily, their heads turning as they take in the scene. Serena’s face shifts from curiosity to surprise, then to something sharper—anger, maybe. She pauses in the middle of the path, her eyes locking on the booth with her logo on it. She turns, scanning the crowd, and her gaze finally lands on me.
There it is, the fire in her eyes, the set of her jaw. She starts toward me, her steps quick and determined, and I brace myself for the impact.
“Logan,” she grounds out. “What is this? What are you doing?”
“It’s for you,” I say in an even voice. “For all of you.”
She glances around, taking in the booths and the banners. “I didn’t ask for this,” she snaps. “I don’t need you to swoop in and…”
“I know,” I cut in, trying to catch her eyes, but she’s looking everywhere but at me. “You didn’t ask for this, but you deserve it. All of you do.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, her stance defensive. “Is this your way of saying sorry? A grand gesture to make yourself feel better?”
“It’s not just about feeling better,” I say, stepping closer. “It’s about making it right. When I found out what was happening, I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. This is me trying to fix what I can.”
Serena’s gaze finally meets mine, and I see the hurt in her eyes. “You knew your company was doing this to us, to me, and you didn’t stop it.”
“No,” I say firmly. “I didn’t know. I swear, Serena, I was blindsided by this, just like you were. They took my idea and ran with it behind my back. They’re using my name, my company, to push you out, and I’m just as angry as you are.”
She shakes her head, looking like she’s struggling to believe me. “Logan, your name is all over this deal. Your company’s name. How could you not know?”
“My family’s company name is on it, not mine. I trusted the wrong people,” I admit bitterly. “I shared that idea with my brothers, thinking they’d help me build something good. Instead, they sold it out from under me. And now they’re profiting while you and everyone else are left with nothing.”
She’s quiet, processing my words. I reach out, tentatively, to take her hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t see it coming. And I’m sorry you got caught in the crossfire. But I’m here now, trying to make it right. You mean too much to me to let this go without a fight.”
She looks down at our joined hands, her fingers slowly curling around mine. “I don’t need you to fight my battles,” she says, but there’s less heat in her voice now. “I’ve been doing just fine on my own.”
“I know you have,” I say, squeezing her hand gently. “You’re strong. Stronger than anyone I know. But this isn’t just your fight, and it’s not just mine. It’s all of ours. And I want to stand by you, not because I think you need me, but because I need you. I need you to know that I’m on your side.”
She lets out a slow breath, her eyes softening. “This whole thing…it’s a lot.”
“I know,” I say. “But I’m not going anywhere. Not this time.”
There’s a long pause, and then she nods, her palm warm against mine. “Okay.”
I exhale, relief washing over me. “Thank you,” I say. “Thank you for giving me a chance.”
Before she can respond, Lila and Emily walk up. Lila raises an eyebrow at me. “So, Logan, what’s the plan here?”
I look around at the bustling event and the hopeful faces of the small business owners, and I turn back to Serena. “We’re going to make some noise,” I say. “We’re going to make sure everyone knows that these businesses are worth fighting for and that they deserve to stay. We’re going to put pressure on Levy to compensate everyone properly if they go through with this. It’s the least they can do.”
Emily nods, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I like that plan.”
We spend the next few hours navigating the event together. Serena’s still guarded, but she’s here, and that’s more than I could have hoped for. We talk to business owners, listen to their stories, and let them share their frustrations. People are engaged, moved by the collective effort to stand up against the corporate machine. It’s not a fix—not yet—but it’s a start.
As the sun sets, casting a golden glow over the square, Serena and I find a quiet moment near her booth. She leans against the table, scanning the crowd. “This…this is actually pretty amazing,” she admits. “I didn’t think you’d do something like this.”
I step closer “I’d do anything for you,” I say earnestly. “Anything to make things right...”
She looks up at me, her expression softening. “Logan…”
“I love you,” I say, cutting through whatever hesitation she might have. “I love you, Serena. I’ve loved you from the moment I met you—coffee spill and all—and I’m not going to let anything or anyone take you away from me.”
She blinks, her eyes wide, and for a second, I think she might pull away. But then she reaches up, her hand resting gently on my cheek. “You really are something, Logan Pierce,” she whispers. “You drive me crazy, and half the time, I don’t know if I want to kiss you or punch you.”
I laugh, leaning into her touch. “I’ll take whatever you want to give.”
She laughs, too, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”
“But you love me.” My grin grows.
She rolls her eyes, but there’s no hiding her smile. “Yeah,” she whispers, “Yeah, I do.”
I pull her into a hug, holding her close as the last of the sun’s rays cast a warm light over us. For the first time in a long while, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, by Serena’s side, ready to tackle whatever the world throws at us.
“Thank you,” I murmur into her hair, the words a promise and a plea. “For everything.”
She pulls back slightly, her eyes meeting mine. “You’ve got a long way to go before everything’s fixed,” she says, but her tone is light, teasing.
“I know,” I say, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “But I’m ready to start.”
“I heard that you went to dinner with Lisa and…”
“I did go to dinner with Lisa. I had a business dinner with all of the other owners. I was trying to come up with an idea, get their stories, and see if they even wanted to save their businesses.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“In hindsight, I should have. You keep telling me that you don’t want me to save you, but it’s not what I’m trying to do. I am trying to help, though. I didn’t think you’d see the difference, and I didn’t want to fight.”
“I’ve spent so long doing everything on my own that I sometimes forget that I don’t have to, you know?”
“I do. I’ve spent most of my life trying to prove that I’m different from my family, only to be exactly like them—in the way of being an asshole, that is,” I laugh. “You made me realize that I needed to take a break and look at things differently. You helped me pull my head out of the sand.”
“You’re welcome,” she smiles.
I reach both my hands under her hair and gently kiss her. When we pull apart, she leans her forehead against mine.
“I think this all went well.”
“You really outdid yourself, Logan. What you did with my booth, without any input from me…it’s like you finally get my vision and believe it too. The QR codes were really great, too. Thank you doesn’t seem like enough.”
“I will take kisses instead of thank you—or you can give me peanut butter fudge.”
She giggles. “I can handle both of those. The website is blowing up, by the way. My online orders are a lot to keep up with. I may need to look into hiring someone to help with packaging.”
“We can go back through your financials if you’d like, then we can make sure you’re ready for that.”
“I would appreciate that. Thanks for taking care of me, even when I fight you like a feral cat.”
“That’s a lovely analogy.”
“But it’s the truth. You’re so patient with me, and I appreciate it.”
“I have people cleaning all of this up. Can I take you back to my house and cook you dinner?”
“You can cook?” she teases.
“I know a thing or two,” I laugh. “My grandma wouldn’t allow a man in her family to not know their way around a kitchen. She was constantly preaching that a man should be well rounded and that it wasn’t just a woman's work.”
“Smart woman. I love to cook, but Emily burns water. But I’d never be able to stand in front of a courtroom and make people see my point of view like she does.”
“Brant is really impressed with her. He keeps raving about how smart and talented she is. That’s a high compliment coming from him.”
“If only he’d ask her on a date.”
“I’m surprised he hasn’t,” I chuckle as I lace my fingers through hers. “Maybe I’ll have to give him a hard time for that and see what happens.”
I lead her back over to her booth, where Lila and Emily are finishing up with a few stray customers.
“We’re going to head out,” Serena smiles.
“Is everything good then?” Emily asks as she looks back at me carefully.
“I think so,” Serena says. “I believe him anyway.”
“That’s a start. If you hurt my sister, I will hurt you,” Emily replies.
“We’re your worst nightmare,” Lila giggles.
“Not exactly scary when you’re laughing, Lila,” Serena jokes.
“It could also mean that I’m crazy,” she wiggles her fingers in the air.
“You are crazy…” Emily interjects as she laughs.
“I don’t hide it,” Lila smiles and makes a face at me.
“That you don’t,” Serena giggles.
“This was really great, Logan,” Emily adds. “Thanks for doing this for Serena.”
“Of course.”
We say our goodbyes and then walk to the car, hand in hand.
“Thank you for all of this again,” she says as we climb in. “It really does mean a lot to me.”
The second my driver pulls away from the curb, I lean forward and kiss her hungrily.
Maybe dinner will just be her tonight.