Chapter 50 - Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn
The whole town seems to be in the square tonight, which isn’t surprising seeing how we all want answers to an unknown amount of questions. The sea of people wraps around the gazebo, which is still decorated for fall from the festival.
A time that seems like forever ago, now.
The crowd—which had been full of nonstop anxious chatter—begins to quiet down as heads turned toward the gazebo.
Piper nudges my side and I follow her finger toward the side stairs leading to the platform. My breath catches in my throat as I take in Logan.
He’s wearing what I like to consider his signature uniform; navy blue slacks with a brown belt and a crisp white button down.
But there’s something different. It’s not in the way his brown hair is combed back or the smile on his face as he politely shakes hands with a man in the crowd before he ascends to the stage.
It's something I can't quite put my finger on.
I don’t dare breathe too heavily out of fear that I might miss a single word he says when he calls attention to himself.
“Thank you all for coming out tonight on such short notice. I didn’t want to delay this announcement.
There are already a few rumors swirling around,” he raises a brow around the crowd, eliciting a few chuckles.
“I want to make sure we are all on the same page. I meant it when I told you I wanted to be transparent with all of you. My father, Richard Spencer, has been arrested and effective immediately has been removed from his position as the mayor of Willow Grove.”
Chatter grows around us, but he quickly grabs everyone’s attention again. It was shocking to see that they listened, quieting down almost instantly when he raised his hand to slow them down.
“I can’t go into too much of the why as there is an ongoing investigation, but I promise to share as much as I can with everyone as I am allowed.
We are cooperating fully with the authorities to help ease the process and I hope that you will do the same, as that is something I wanted to give you a heads up on.
Some of you will be requested to come in for an interview.
I ask that you also cooperate with them.
Please be truthful with whatever information you can give them to keep the investigation as quick and painless as possible.
And if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask them. ”
A hand raises quickly in the air and Logan points to them to speak.
“What about Triton Resorts and the merger?”
Logan rubs his hand over his jaw, gathering his thoughts before speaking. His eyes scan the people in front of him while he does so. I wonder if he can even pick people out or if it’s just a blob of faces mixed together from there. At least I wonder until his gaze lands directly on me.
His entire body visibly relaxes like he had been looking for me this whole time. And now that he did, his anxiety begins to fade away. His lips lift on one side in a grin that sends a swarm of butterflies through my stomach.
“I am happy to report that, thanks to the dedication of some special people, the contracts have all been killed. The merger between Willow Grove and Triton Resorts will not be continuing as originally planned.”
The cheer that erupts through the square could probably be heard from the other side of the mountain. The ground beneath us vibrates as feet stomp and people jump around with excitement.
I’m jostled a bit while everyone celebrates around me, but my sight stays locked on Logan’s and his on me. My heart pounds in my chest and I can’t stop the smile that unfurls across my face. A mirror image of his own. When he hits me with a wink, I nearly melt into the ground.
I want nothing more than to run into his arms, to celebrate the good news with the one person I am realizing I want to celebrate all of life’s wins with.
Before I can bring myself to move from the trance his eyes have me under, the mass of people start to calm down.
Another hand raises into the air. Logan blinks from the stare down we were in and gives them his attention.
“Who will be taking his place?”
“At this time, I will step in as interim Mayor. I still plan to follow through with my plan to give you all a fair choice to vote for who you want to lead Willow Grove into a better future, one not tainted by what has been transpiring lately.” He places a hand over his chest and scans the crowd.
“I promise to take care of this town and the people within it for the rest of my days. There might have been a time when I thought I needed more outside of Willow Grove. I quickly realized everything I could possibly need was right in my backyard the whole time.”
With his final words, he had located me again and I know those words meant more than anyone around us realized. Well, everyone except Piper who elbowed me in the side a few times with a low squeal.
“And if we want you to stay Mayor?”
Logan chuckles softly. “Then I guess you better get out and vote when the time comes. For now, I’ll let everyone get back to their night. On behalf of my family, I am truly sorry for the way my father treated this beautiful corner of the world. And I promise to never let this happen again.”
Everyone disperses as he sheepishly waves at them. It was endearing to see him still be unsure after he just gave the second speech in a week that had the whole town talking about the incredible man he was.
A nudge into my side has me turning toward Piper. Reluctantly, I might add, as Logan was still in the gazebo and he wasn’t looking anywhere but me.
“Go get your man,” she nods her head in his direction. “This is some RomCom movie shit, Gwen. Get that happy ending you deserve.”
Looking back toward where Logan stands, his hands in his pockets as he stares back. Hope is clear on his face while he waits to see what I’m going to do.
When I take the first step in his direction, his lips tip up and he responds with one of his own toward me. We keep at it, matching each other step for step, until we meet in the middle.
“That was quite the speech, Mr. Mayor.” I smirk.
“Interim Mayor,” he corrects.
“I think you won over some hearts this week, so don’t be shocked when you inevitably win the election next year.”
“What about you?”
I point to myself with wide eyes. “I’m not running for mayor. That sounds like a nightmare.”
Logan chuckles, shaking his head in disbelief. “I meant what about your heart. Did I win it over?”
“You can’t win something that already belongs to you.”
The way his breath catches at my admission has me feeling bold. So I close the final gap between us. The toes of my boots nestle against his loafers. I lift my hands to his chest, placing them softly against his shirt before sliding them up to wrap around his neck.
The mix of colors in his hazel eyes dance. The yellow burning bright beneath the setting sun as they bore into mine. I open my mouth to say the words that are ready on the tip of my tongue.
“Wait,” he says before I can speak.
My brow furrows and I worry that I read too far into the moment.
“I just need to say something first.” He takes a heavy breath.
“I am so sorry. For everything. Hurting you will haunt me for the rest of my life. I know words can’t fix anything, but I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.
If you’ll let me, that is. Which I hope you will because, damn, if you haven’t turned my life upside down in the best way possible, Gwen.
And I know I haven’t been back long, but if the time we spent together and the time we spent apart taught me anything, it’s that I don’t want to do any of this without you by my side. ”
Tears prickle at the back of my eyes as I will them to hold on so I can respond. It takes me longer than I anticipated to get my voice back, though, because as the silence stretches between us I can see the strain in his eyes grow.
“You did hurt me, Logan. I felt so betrayed that you would keep so much from me. That you wouldn’t come to me so we could combat whatever is against us, together.
I understand why you did it on some level, though.
I don’t like it, but I understand. And being together means we have to trust each other.
We can’t keep secrets, no matter how much we think they might hurt the other.
The only way to have a healthy relationship is with communication. ”
“You want to be together?”
I roll my eyes with a laugh. “Have you not been listening, Logan?”
“Yeah, but I want to hear you say it again.”
Lifting on my toes, I look him straight in the eyes so he doesn’t miss a word that comes out of my mouth.
“I want to be with you, Logan Spencer. I love you.”
The wide smile he gives me makes me feel as if I’ve won the lottery.
I don’t see it for long as he grasps my cheeks and tilts my face to meet him.
His lips sink into mine. His arms wrapping around my midsection and lifting me off my feet.
I squeal into his mouth, laughter filling our messy kiss as I cling to him like a koala to a tree.
My feet locking behind his back to give me better leverage to angle him right where I need him.
Too soon, though, Logan pulls back.
“You stole my line,” he laughs.
“You can say it now.” I need him to say it now.
Leaning forward for one more soul searing kiss, he whispers against my lips the words that send my heart racing.
“I love you, Gwendolyn Prescott.”