Page 56 of The Secret Heir Next Door

“I did,” I laugh. “Why are you here?”

“Logan has been my best friend forever. His family is like mine. Well, honestly, I really only claim Dee, the rest of them are assholes.”

“Good to know,” I laugh.

I glance around, and my eyes lock onto Logan’s.

“I see things are going well between the two of you.”

“They are.”

“Good. You’re really good for him. I haven’t seen this side of Logan in a long time.”

“I keep hearing that.”

“Trust me, it’s a good thing.”

Logan is grinning goofily back at me. I notice his mother gripping his arm, so I turn around and busy myself, making sure everything is running smoothly with the party.

Sometime later, I feel a hand on my arm. I turn to find Logan’s mother, her expression cool and composed. “Can I have a word with you?”

There’s a hint of steel in her voice, and I nod, following her to a quieter corner of the yard. She glances around, ensuring no one is within earshot, before turning her sharp gaze on me.

“They tell me you’re the party planner?”

“Yes, ma’am, Serena Mitchell.”

“I don’t need to know your name,” she laughs as she looks me up and down. “This is not a party fit for a little girl of Abby’s pedigree.”

“This is what she wanted.”

“She’s four. She doesn’t know what she wants. This is childish, immature, and confusing. Why are there unicorns here? Why are they dressed as superheroes? She’s a little girl, not a boy.”

“Wow, that’s a lot to unpack,” I breathe out. “This is all what Abby wanted. It’s her party and she loves Unicorns and superheroes, that’s what she got. I won’t apologize for allowing a child to convey her personality on her big day. She deserves at least that.”

“How dare you tell me what my granddaughter deserves.”

I take a deep breath and nod. “If you’ll excuse me, there are things that I need to tend to.”

“I’ve noticed the way you look at Logan,” she calls after me. “And the way you interact with him. It’s inappropriate.”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

She arches an eyebrow, her lips thinning. “Don’t play coy with me, Serena. You’re the help. Logan is out of your league, and it would be best for everyone if you remembered your place. You don’t have a chance with him, so I suggest you stop looking at him, stop talking to him, and certainly stop thinking that anything could ever happen between you two.”

Her words sting, but I refuse to let her see that. Instead, I take a deep breath, straightening my spine as I meet her gaze. “With all due respect, my relationship with Logan is none of your concern. I’m here because I care about Abby, and my focus is on making sure she has the best birthday possible. I won’t stop being who I am or doing my job because you’re uncomfortable with it.”

Her eyes narrow, and for a moment, I think she will lash out, but then she simply nods, her expression turning icy. “Just remember what I said.”

She turns on her heel and walks away, leaving me standing there with my heart racing. I close my eyes, taking a moment to collect myself. The last thing I want is to let her words affect me, but they do. They hit a little too close to home.

We’re from two different worlds.

This is what I was afraid of.

I’m still calming myself when I feel a presence beside me. I open my eyes to find Logan standing there, concern etched on his face.

“Hey,” he says softly. “Are you okay?”

---