Page 91 of Wilde Secrets

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.

ChapterThirty-One

Harper

The festival was much bigger than Harper anticipated, and her nerves came back with a rush. Her fingers shaking, she stood to one side of the stage with Isla, her sister’s presence the only thing stopping her from turning tail and running.

It was one thing to sing karaoke in a half-full bar. This was something else entirely.

Where had all these people come from?

The stage was set up in the public park next to the water, with chairs and tables filled with people eating food from what appeared to be an entire fleet of food trucks.

The late afternoon sun was warm enough that people who couldn’t get a table and chairs were stretched out on picnic blankets. There were families with kids running between the chairs and blankets, couples on dates, and a crowd of people strolled around, browsing the wares at the plethora of market stalls.

She’d gotten so used to the relative peace and quiet of Cape Wilde that seeing this many people was a bit of a shock. When they’d arrived Harper had gawked as soon as she’d gotten out of Logan’s truck. She’d stood frozen on the spot, her guitar clenched in her fingers.

It was only Logan’s comforting hand on her shoulder squeezing gently that had her relaxing enough to make it to where she would perform. He hadn’t said anything, just given her a small smile and that had been enough to get her moving again.

And now she was about to get on stage and perform her own music. For the first time. Alone.

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