Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Harper
H arper’s heart pounded as she tried to control her anger. She pressed her hands on the table and stood, not meeting anyone’s eyes as she turned and stalked through the cafe.
Wilde Buns was now filled with people. There was something annoying about wanting to stomp from the room but needing to shuffle past tables and excuse herself with polite smiles as she asked to squeeze past people.
Harper huffed in annoyance when she finally made her way outside, scowling at the bell that jangled cheerfully as she jerked it open and strode onto the sidewalk.
The Main Street that had been so deserted when she arrived, was now packed with cars and people. Every parking space was filled, and the little gift shops seemed to be doing a roaring trade. She stepped backwards to make way for a woman pushing a stroller, a man following with a child on his shoulders.
She turned on the spot, searching for a place to have this conversation with Logan. With a huff of frustration, she took the few steps away from the doorway to wait for the object of her annoyance. She tapped her foot, hands on her hips.
There was absolutely no way all these people just turned up with exactly what she needed. Notebooks and pens? A phone?
A guitar?
She scowled and started pacing.
How dare he tell everyone? It wasn’t his secret to tell!
The situation was already a complete mess. Why did he have to go and make it so much worse? There was no way she could keep this under wraps.
The press would hear and then it would be all over. She’d have to find somewhere else to stay and lose precious time to write. It was all going to end badly.
Very badly.
And what would her dad say?
Harper stopped her pacing and pressed a hand to her chest, gasping for breath. The sun was warm on her skin, but the chill note in the breeze had her shivering. Harper wrapped her arms around herself as she sagged against the side of the building.
She had been given one chance to fix this. One chance to prove that she could be trusted. That things could go back to the way they were. But she’d done what? Gone and spilled her guts to the first person she’d spent more than five minutes with?
God, she was pathetic.
How was she going to fix this mess now?
She squeezed her eyes shut and took a shuddering breath. “What a disaster.”
The shop door opened, the happy little jangle of the bell breaking through Harper’s pity party. She glanced up, watching as Logan stepped out onto the sidewalk. He adjusted the ball cap that sat on top of his slightly too long hair. Hair that curled around the edges of the cap in a way that made her fingers itch to touch it.
She curled her hands into fists and jammed them at her sides, scowling.
Logan rubbed at the scruff on his jaw with one hand as he considered her with thoughtful green eyes.
Harper shifted from foot to foot, trying to find the words. She was so, so angry, but now she was out here with Logan she wasn’t entirely sure at who, or what exactly. She pursed her lips and paced past the glass window of Wilde Buns, stopping before she reached Logan.
He dropped a shoulder to lean against the wooden side of the building. His ball cap was pulled down low, and he kicked the ground with the toe of his boot before looking up at her.
“You’re angry,” he said.
She scoffed as she threw her hands in the air and took the final step toward him. She lifted her index finger and poked him in the chest.
“Damn right I’m angry!”
Poke. Poke. Poke.
He didn’t move, just watched her with steady eyes.
“You can’t just go around telling people my secrets!”
He pushed off the wall and leaned closer. Harper took a step back before she could catch herself.
“I didn’t.”
His words were said low and slow, as if he was barely holding back his own frustration. She wanted to believe him, she really did. But if experience had taught her anything it’s that actions were to be believed, not words.
People lied all the time, why should Logan be any different?
“Sure.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “Because that makes so much sense.”
“Don’t do that.”
She blinked. “Do what?”
He took his cap off and ran a hand through his hair before settling it back on his head. He sighed and shook his head slightly. “You’re better than that.”
She reared back, pulling her hand away to hug herself. “What are you talking about?”
He looked away. “The people from that world. The one with all the games people play? Where money and status means everything? You’re not like that. You’re better than that.”
Harper paused, her mouth open and a sarcastic retort on her tongue. How could this man who had known her for only a day see her in a way that nobody else did? Her carefully cultivated facade of the happy sister who faded into the background had been ripped away.
He’d ripped it away.
She rubbed at her sternum with the heel of her hand, trying to get rid of the ache that had settled there. She was reading way more into this than there was, that’s all. How could he possibly understand her after such a short amount of time?
“You don’t know me,” she said, but her words lacked heat. She was stating a fact rather than accusing him of anything.
He turned his head and leveled her with a look. A arched eyebrow. A twist of his lips. “Does anyone know you?”
She jerked. “Ouch.”
“Sorry, that was unfair.” Frowning, he, pushed off the wall and took a step toward her, his hand lifted as if he was going to touch her, but dropped it just as quickly.
She tried not to notice how his forearms flexed as he did so. His wrists were thick, and his hands were huge. She remembered what those hands had felt like as he had held her hand.
He’d held her hand.
He’d helped her into town so she could sort out her problems.
He’d given up time working on his home for her.
Logan had even called in favors from his relatives just to help her.
But why?
“Why are you doing this?”
His lips thinned into a line and he stared across the street. Harper bet he wasn’t looking at anything in particular, he was lost in thought. He rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. “You need some help. That’s all.”
Harper frowned. He might act like anyone would do what he’d done, but she knew that wasn’t the case. There was more to Logan than he was admitting. More to why he was helping her.
She just hoped it wouldn’t bite her in the ass.
“Harper?”
“Yeah?”
“I didn’t tell anyone who you are or any of what you told me,” he said. His eyes held hers steadily as if he was pleading with her to believe him.
“Ok.” She nodded.
“I asked. They helped. That’s it.”
Harper tilted her head to one side and considered him. “I still find that hard to believe. There has to be something in it for them.”
There always is a catch. People don’t just help for no reason.
“Not everything has a catch, princess. Maybe they just want to help.”
Something unfurled in her chest at the pet name and she couldn’t help the blush that heated her cheeks.
“Why is that so hard to believe?” He asked.
She smiled grimly. “Where I come from, people just don’t do that. A phone? A guitar?”
He looked at her with pity. “This isn’t where you’re from, Harper. People around here just like to help.”
She turned and looked down the street to the ocean. A seagull squawked as it flew overhead. Harper closed her eyes and breathed in the salty smell of the ocean air.
The anger she was trying so hard to hold onto had long since disappeared and she shivered as the breeze picked up, despite her sweater.
She didn’t realize that Logan moved closer until he reached out and tipped her chin up with one finger. Her eyes flew open at his touch and she swayed toward him slightly.
“Will you let me help you, Harper?”
Her tongue wet her bottom lip, and she nibbled at it with her teeth. What did she have to lose? She had already reached rock bottom. Less than three weeks now until her life was truly over.
Unless she could get that album written.
She nodded, and this time it was Logan who leaned in closer. They were so close that if she were to sway onto her toes her breasts would have brushed his chest.
What would it be like if he kissed her? What would his lips feel like on hers?
“Say the words, princess.” Logan’s voice dropped almost to a growl, his eyes fierce as he watched her intently.
Harper shivered. She could feel his breath on her cheek. His face was so close all she’d need to do was rise up on her toes and wrap her arms around his neck. She jerked herself from the daydream.
“Yes. I’ll let you help. I—” She swallowed. “I need my life back.”
Logan grunted and pulled away. “That’s what this is about, Harper. Helping you get back on your feet.” Logan’s words were clipped as he straightened.
As he pulled away.
She gave herself a mental shake, trying to sort out her thoughts. She was feeling a little more herself when Logan swore under his breath.
“What?” She asked.
He just shook his head and strode toward the door to Wilde Buns. She frowned and looked where he was staring through the window of the bakery.
To where his brother and sister stood watching them, sipping their coffee and smiling.
What were they grinning about?
Her and Logan? She snorted. Oh she was not falling in love with this flannel-clad mountain man type.
No way. Uh, uh.