Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Logan
I t was late morning by the time Logan and King flopped onto the gym floor. Logan handed a bottle of water to King, who took it with a grunt Logan took to mean thank you.
Even though he knew Harper was leaving with him, he couldn’t hate the guy. He was obviously as gone for Harper’s sister as Logan was for Harper.
“So,” King started in his slow drawl after swallowing half the bottle of water. “You and Harper.”
Logan shot him a look. “What about it?”
King’s expression didn’t change, he just blinked and kept watching Logan.
“You and Isla.”
King snorted. “Point taken.”
Logan smirked. At least King had half a chance with Isla. He wasn’t being separated from the woman he loved because of some stupid commitment to a deadbeat father. Logan’s lips turned down.
Best not to think about it.
“Logan?”
He sat up from where he had sprawled out on the floor on his back and grabbed his shirt. King groaned and struggled to stand.
“In here.”
Harper appeared in the open doorway, the setting sun casting a golden halo around her. Logan couldn’t breathe, she was that beautiful. He managed to drag his eyes away and pull his shirt on, tugging it over his sweat-slicked skin.
“It looks like you two have had a bit of a male bonding session.” Isla slipped past her sister to stand to one side of the gym, her hip cocked and arms folded across her chest.
It was obvious the two were sisters, but only once you knew. Harper was taller and much curvier than Isla, who was leaner and petite. But, to Logan’s eyes, Harper was far more beautiful. There was a hard glint in Isla’s eyes, like she’d been disappointed one too many times and didn’t trust anyone.
Logan pushed himself to his feet in time to see King scowl at Isla, who poked her tongue out at her bodyguard.
“Jesus, woman. Aren’t you ever going to grow up?”
Logan stiffened, but Isla just laughed at King and flipped him the bird.
“Oh, baby. I’m definitely all grown up.”
King just shook his head and stomped out of the gym.
“Do you always have to push him?” Harper asked.
Isla turned to her sister, her eyes softening as she smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about him. He’s had a stick up his ass for months.”
Harper frowned. “Poking the bear is one thing, but?—”
“Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”
Harper lifted an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, giving her sister a long look before turning to Logan.
“Is it alright if they stay tonight?”
Logan rubbed the back of his neck. “Not really anywhere else around to stay.”
Harper laughed softly. “Isla and I can take the bed, if you and King are alright on the couches? I don’t think any of us will sleep with those two in the same room.”
Logan frowned.
She really did want to get out of Cape Wilde as quickly as possible, didn’t she? Had it all just been an easy distraction for her? He was there, and she found him attractive?
“Sure,” Logan said.
He grunted, turning away to grab his own water bottle so she wouldn’t see the look on his face. He didn’t think he’d be able to hide his disappointment.
Isla said something about giving the bear some honey, and left.
Harper’s footsteps were soft as she approached. Logan didn’t turn.
“How’d it go?” He asked.
The plastic of the water bottle made a crunching noise under his fingers. He forced himself to breathe as he stamped down on the spark of hope that she might stay. That she might choose him over the promise of the bright lights of LA.
“Good,” Harper said. “And not good.”
Logan took a sip of the water, turning his head slightly to look at her out the corner of his eye. She was looking to one side, eyes unfocused and a frown on her face.
“Isla somehow got me added as songwriter for all her albums. Every one of them.” She shook her head as if not believing it was true. “And she wants me to come and record the next one with her. Both of us. Can you believe that?”
Logan could believe it. He’d heard Harper sing. She was just as talented as her sister, maybe more so in his opinion. She deserved this chance. She deserved to be recognized for her hard work. For her talent.
“That’s great news, princess.”
She beamed. “It is, isn’t it?”
Logan turned his attention back to the water bottle, taking another swallow.
Harper drew in a sharp breath. “You know what Isla told me?” She continued, not waiting for him to answer. “She said that dad always said I was the one with the talent. That she’d never get anywhere without me.”
Logan ground his teeth together in an effort not to curse the man. How could someone who was meant to love and protect his children say such awful things to them? His opinion of her father, already low, dropped to rock bottom.
“All while telling me that I could never perform my own work. He actually told me once that I was too fat to be taken seriously.”
“Jesus fucking Christ!” Logan couldn’t hold it in. “Fuck that. Anyone with half a brain can see you’re amazing. What an asshole.”
Harper choked on a startled laugh, her hand covering her mouth. “I did everything I could to make him happy. I thought I was helping my sister. I wouldn’t have written a word had I known what he’d been saying to her.” She scuffed the toe of her sneaker on the floor. “He’s been playing us off against each other for years, it seems. I can’t believe I didn’t see it sooner.”
Logan frowned, managing to bring his raging anger under control. “It’s not your fault you trusted him.” He shook his head and took a swig of water, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “You should be able to trust your parents. He’s the asshole here.”
“How could he do it?” Her voice was small and shaky, like she was trying not to cry.
When he glanced at her, her eyes were filled with tears and her bottom lip wobbled. Logan cursed and a moment later had her in his arms, the water bottle tossed to the floor.
“Princess, don’t cry.” He tucked her head against his shoulder and pressed his lips to her hair.
He breathed in deeply, closing his eyes and inhaling the scent of her. He wanted to find her father and do horrible things to him. What kind of lowlife exploited their kids like that?
He growled and squeezed his eyes shut, forcing himself to focus on the woman in his arms. She needed him right now, and being angry at something he couldn’t do anything about wasn’t going to help her.
Harper was soft and warm in his arms, and she clung to him like he was a life raft in a raging storm, her arms wrapped around his waist. In some ways he supposed he was. If she needed him to be strong for her right now, then that’s what he’d do.
He realized, with a start, that he’d do whatever she needed. Always. Even if it was exactly the opposite of what he wanted.
Was this the last time he’d hold her like this? The last time he’d get to touch her as if he had every right to?
What did it matter? She was leaving, but more importantly, she was upset. He hated seeing her upset.
His chest hurt.
“I don’t want to go,” she said, her voice breathy and gasping.
Logan rubbed small circles on her back and made soothing noises. She was getting what she had always wanted. He had to keep reminding himself of that. He remembered what it was like when he’d been accepted into college on a football scholarship. He’d not wanted to leave, but Mason had convinced him to go. He’d told him it was better to have had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and have made the most of it than to let it slip through his fingers.
“You won’t know if you can do it unless you try,” he said, repeating the words his brother had told him all those years ago.
If she didn’t try, if she didn’t make the most of this opportunity, she would always wonder. And wonder ate at people.
Wonder was the kind of slow death that killed hope.
Logan refused to be the death of her dreams. His lips twisted. Even if it tore him up inside, he’d let her go. He would watch her leave and cheer her on from a distance.
And his heart would break a bit more every day, but it would be worth it. She was worth it.
He pulled back, holding her by the shoulders and dipping his head to look into her eyes. She hiccupped, wiping her eyes with the backs of her fingers. Her eyes were red and her cheeks blotchy. Logan still thought she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
“Harper, you are amazing.”
She flushed and looked down, but he tilted her chin back up with a finger.
“It’s always going to be scary doing something big. And this is huge, princess. It’s normal to feel terrified.”
His hands cupped her face. He poured every small part of himself into that moment, hoping she could see in his eyes the things he couldn’t say.
I love you.
I want you.
I need you.
How could he ask her to stay? She had everything she had ever dreamed of laid out in front of her, if only she would take a step toward it and grasp it. Logan would not get in her way. He wouldn’t add to the hurts her father had caused.
Harper needed to spread her wings and fly.
“I’m scared, Logan.”
“I know, princess. I know.”
She smiled up at him. “I’m going to miss you.”
He forced himself to smile as if he meant it. He was happy they’d had this time together. It was the best few weeks of his life.
“I’ll miss you too.”
Every day for the rest of my life.