Chapter 47 Logan
Logan
My father was becoming more unhinged as the days went on after the town voiced their concerns.
How he ever thought it would go smoothly for him after breaking the news is beyond me.
The man was basically giving a big middle finger to the place he grew up—the place that has always had his back—so he can have an unnecessarily large retirement budget.
The days in the office this week have consisted of fielding phone calls from publications wanting the scoop and townspeople demanding answers, along with meetings with investors and lawyers who aren’t happy about the way Willow Grove is being painted in the media.
Because even though we are not talking to anyone right now, that doesn’t mean some of the more vocal locals haven’t talked to everyone that would listen.
A few good things have come out of this, though.
One being that Camila had to work for her paycheck this week and play her role as assistant instead of being another pretty face.
I don’t think I have ever seen her so ragged, hair not perfectly placed and makeup smudged, thanks to continually running her hands over her face in distress.
Another is that my father is getting a fat dose of reality, as his seat at the head of the table is threatened.
It’s not often that you get to see rich men get what they deserve.
Do I hate that it’s my own father? Sure, but I also believe that justice should be served no matter who you are, and if that means knocking my own flesh and blood down a few pegs because they are being selfish, so be it.
Not all lessons are not meant to be easy. If they were, we would never learn anything from them. And he was learning the hard way right now.
In a way, so was I. I was also learning as I take charge to handle damage control and be the voice of reason when all my father wants to do is throw everyone to the wolves.
It took a bit of trial by fire to realize I enjoyed the role.
I enjoyed leading and taking charge, and a big part of me was looking forward to what the future could hold after all of this settled.
I still stood by my words that I would give the town their choice, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to fight for this role.
That was on the other side of this mountain of chaos, though, and I didn’t want to dwell on that too much right now. My energy was needed in the present.
Except for the part of my brain that was always thinking about Gwen.
About the fiery passion that was lit within her as she also took charge in her own way.
I’ve wanted nothing more than to reach out to her.
Attempt to fix what I broke between us so we could start moving forward.
There was so much going on right now that I knew I needed to handle it first. Then I could focus on her.
The silence of my apartment is welcome, for once, after the last few days of nonstop questions and decision making. I immediately fell onto the couch as soon as the front door was shut, my eyes drifting shut out of sheer exhaustion—only to fly open when a knocking sounds on my door.
I stay in my position, willing myself to have supersonic hearing at this moment so I can decide if it’s worth me getting up at this late hour. When it stays silent for another moment, my body sinks further into the cushions. My heavy lids drooped slowly.
Only to fly back open when I hear another knock. This time accompanied by a sweet voice I almost think I conjured out of thin air.
“Logan,” Gwen calls. “I need to talk to you.”
I’m jumping to my feet without a second thought, almost tripping over them in my haste to get to the door. Yanking it open quickly, so she doesn’t think I’m ignoring her, but also so I can see her face again.
“Hey, hi, Gwen. What are you doing here?”
Smooth, Spencer. I know it’s the wrong set of words when the lines between her brows deepen further.
Her eyes skip over my shoulder before returning to mine. “Is it a bad time?”
“Not at all,” I rush out.
“You seem a little flustered. I can come back.” She makes a small move toward her side of the hall. The thought of her walking away right now, especially with that sad expression on her face, has my chest pinching painfully.
I reach out, grasping her hand in mine. Light enough so she can pull away if she wants to, but with just enough pressure to let her know how much it means to be back in her orbit again. Even if only for a moment.
It’s true, because even if it’s a quick conversation, I’ll take whatever time she is willing to give me.
She stares down at our joined hands and I resist the urge to puff my chest out at the slight flush overtaking the apples of her cheeks.
“Do you want to come in?” I ask softly.
Gwen raises her face back up to me, tilting her head with her eyes roaming my face. She must see the eagerness I’m feeling, because she nods her head and moves inside the room as I gently guide her in, shutting the door behind her.
She fidgets with the strap of her bag, standing awkwardly at the island in the kitchen, looking anywhere but me.
“Can I get you something to drink? Wine, water, I can run out and get some ice cream if you want something sweet.”
A smile plays on her lips, though it doesn’t stick around for long. “No, I won’t be here long. I need to tell you something.”
A small part of me has hope that it has something to do with us, something good. I could use goodness right now, especially at the hands of Gwen. I know it’s nothing of the sort as she bites down on her lower lip, reaching into her bag to retrieve a folder.
“What’s this?”
She stares down at the item in her hands for a beat, then squares her shoulders and looks back up at me. The worry in her eyes almost brings me to my knees, and I can’t stand still any longer.
Closing the distance between us, I cradle her cheek with my hand, applying slight pressure to lift her face up.
She leans into my right palm as I brush my thumb over her skin.
Later, I’ll obsess over how good it felt to have her back in my reach again, to touch her softness, but right now all I can think is why she was reaching out to me?
What could have happened to bring her here with worry etched into her face.
“Baby, what’s wrong? You’re scaring me.”
Gwen’s intake of breath is sharp as a knife, and it fans across my skin on her exhale.
Her hand reaches up to mine still holding her, turning her lips into my palm to give it a chaste kiss.
The feeling of that featherlight kiss sends my heart into overdrive, only for it to race even more as she removes my hand and takes a small step back.
It feels like my heart is trying to jump out of my chest and reach her itself.
Not that it’s my heart anymore anyway. It’s hers and always will be.
“There’s some news about your father that is going to come out tomorrow and I need to tell you before it breaks so you can prepare yourself.” She lifts the item in her hand up, slightly waving it for emphasis. “Actually, it might be best to show you.”
Handing over the folder, she tucks her hands in her jacket pocket when I take it.
I flip it open, scanning the first page which shows screenshots of text messages.
A quick scan shows it’s clearly two people planning to meet up at a hotel a few towns over.
The next page is a bit of the same, only with promises to take care of the other person.
There are a few more pages of text messages obviously between lovers, but I stop when I reach copies of bank statements and I’m more confused than ever.
Until I see my father’s name on the account right above my mother’s.
“Why do you have my parents’ bank statements? And… Are these their private text messages?” I glance up to Gwen, finding her thumbnail between her teeth. I reach out, gently tugging it free, but she refuses to look up. Her eyes remain glued to the paper in my hand.
“Your mom gave them to me.”
“This doesn’t make sense. Again, why do you have these?”
Taking the front page, she flips it back up for me to see the first texts again. “These aren’t texts your dad sent to your mom. Look at the name.”
It takes a second of staring at the top of the page to register exactly what I was seeing.
Camila.
I reread the texts again with this new development, quickly realizing what was happening.
“My dad and Camila? What? How?” I look at Gwen, who is staring at me with wide eyes. “I don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but again, why do you have these?”
My voice is harsher than I intend, and I instantly feel bad for the flinch that crosses her face, but my head is spinning and I can’t stop my racing thoughts long enough to calm down.
“The lawyer looked over the contracts and, while they were a mess, Triton was careful to place a clause that if your dad is caught in a scandal or his name is tied up in something they can’t fix, then they have the right to cut ties.
” She points at the evidence. “This is exactly what they don’t want to come to light and it’s exactly what will keep Triton from coming in where they aren’t welcome.
Your mom gave me these for that exact reason. ”
Stepping back, I fall into the stool next to the island, laying the papers out to see them all on the counter. Gwen walks closer, though staying on the opposite side.
“She doesn’t want this merger anymore than the rest of us do, but she was too scared to go against your dad.”
“Then why is she doing this now? Seems a little late. Why didn’t she come to me about this?”
One slender shoulder pops up and back down. “I think you’ll have to talk to her about that. But, Logan, I need you to tell me you understand that I have to release this information. Your dad isn’t going to stop and it’s our only chance.”
I shake my head. “Give me some time, please. I’m trying to sort this out, but it’s taking longer. I’ve got the lawyers combing through it.”
“You mean the same lawyers that work for your dad?” She sighs. “Logan, there is no other way. Trust me, we already tried.”
“This will destroy him.” I whisper.
“Then he shouldn’t have been doing bad things.
He has been cheating on your mom for years with your ex!
The same girl he kept pushing in your direction, for some fucked up reason.
Not to mention,” she tugs the bank statement out so it’s in front of everything else, “he’s been transferring money to her.
Anything that came through the town, he was skimming off the top and wiring it to her.
This right here is from the festival. The money we worked hard to raise for this town, he gave a portion of it to his mistress! ”
“This can’t be real,” I mutter.
“This is insane, but it’s absolutely real.
” She places her hand over my, squeezing until I give in and lock into her captivating green eyes which are pleading with me to listen to her.
“Logan, your father is taking a huge payday to destroy your home, which he had full plans for you to be left to pick up the pieces.”
“But my mom—”
“Already knows what’s coming. She was waiting for this day to come and is ready for the fallout and whatever may come.
I wanted to tell you first, though. Because this is going to blow it all up.
And, while I’m not going to stop it, I want you to be prepared.
This is going to usher you right into his spot. ”
My mouth goes dry at the thought. It was one thing to play with the idea that I could possibly see myself stepping into the role, but it was another to know that there was no way tomorrow would come and go without me having to make a big decision.
How could he do this to my mother? To me?
He made me feel like I was crazy for going against him and for not being one hundred percent on his side. He was forcing me to choose between my dreams and his, just so he could set everything on fire and walk away unscathed.
I’m staring down at the pages in front of me while every scenario plays in my head of what could and would happen when this comes out.
Unsure how long I’m silent, I don’t break out of my thoughts until I feel Gwen squeeze my hand again.
This time when our eyes connect, she removes her touch and I instantly feel the loss reverberate through my soul.
“Say something, please.”
I swallow against the lump forming in my throat.
“Do what you have to do, Gwen. I understand.” Stacking all of the papers together again and placing them back in the folder, I slide it back to her side of the counter.
“You’re not mad at me, right?”
Her voice is small and the pinch in her face has me physically ill.
I slide from my stool and take slow steps toward her. She straightens from where she was leaning against the counter, turning as I approach her, only stopping when we are a breath away from each other.
I want to make sure she hears every word coming from my mouth so there is no question where I stand right now.
“Listen to me, Gwen. I think I’m incapable of being mad at you. You just told me my father is a bigger piece of shit than I could have imagined, and not once did I think to be mad at you over it. None of this is on you. It’s him, my mother, and me that I’m mad at now.”
She parts her lips to say something, but I need her to hear what I have to say before she decides what she needs to respond with. I place my finger on her lips to stop her, letting my finger trace the lower one before dropping my hand again.
“You are doing more for this town and its people than he ever did. Probably more than I will ever do in the future, as well. I am so fucking proud of you, baby. And I hate that this happened. I hate that you have to deal with this. But I’m glad we all have you to fight for us.
You are… incredible. That word doesn’t even feel like enough, but for now it’ll have to do.
You do what you need to do with this information.
I’ll deal with whatever comes my way from it. Can you promise me one thing, though?”
Until this moment, I wondered if we would move forward with anything between us. If she felt something for me even after the lies and drama, when I feel everything for her.
Her words ease a bit of that worry when she looks me directly in the eyes and says, “Anything for you.”
“Promise me that after the dust has settled, no matter when that is, that you let me prove to you how much you have changed my life. And that we see if we can give us a chance again.”
Her lips purse and I think she’s going to tell me I’ve read this all wrong, until she nods her head. The side of her lips tipping up as her body visibly relaxes.
“Will you promise me something, too, then?”
I smirk. “I think you know the answer to that.”
“Don’t take too long.”