Page 22 of Her Mountain Rescuer

“I’m not just fucking her. I’m in love with her.”

It’s the last thing I say before Logan’s fist connects with my mouth. He hits me hard enough that my lip splits. Hard enough that I stumble sideways. But I don’t fall over. Fury flares inside me, burning a path up the center of my chest, but I push it back down. If I get angry too, we’ll end up talking with fists instead of words and it’ll only make things worse.

I straighten, touching my throbbing lip. My fingers come away smeared with blood.

“Feel better?” I ask, keeping my hands at my sides.

“No!” he shouts, his voice echoing off the walls of my house. “No, I don’t feel better. That’s my daughter, you son of a bitch!” Logan’s chest heaves, his breath coming in ragged bursts. “I stopped by Hailey’s last night. Saw your Jeep parked in her driveway. It all clicked. The looks at the party, the two of you disappearing together. You were at her place last night, weren’t you?”

I don’t deny it. There’s no point, and I’ve never been one for lying. “Yes. I was at Hailey’s last night because she and I are seeing each other.”

Logan’s fists clench again, his knuckles turning white. “How long, Beau?” His body language is all fury, but I can see the devastation in his eyes, too. We’ve hurt him. Didn’t mean to, but we have.

“Two weeks. But I’ve cared about her…that way…for some time now. And she feels the same about me. We’re in love, Logan.”

“You watched her grow from a kid into a woman. You did, Beau. You watched Hailey grow up. You were like an uncle to her.”

I take a deep breath, my voice calm but firm. “I did. And now I’m in love with her. My feelings changed about two years ago, when I realized what an amazing woman she’d grown into. I didn’t plan it, Logan. It just happened. Believe me, I tried to fight it. To ignore it. For two years, I tried. But I can’t anymore. She’s everything to me.”

Logan’s eyes narrow, his voice dropping to a growl. “I can’t decide if I should kill you now or wait until you break her heart so I have even more of an excuse.”

I shake my head, my voice low. “Better do it now, then, because I’m never going to break her heart. I’m keeping her forever.” He scoffs, so I stalk to the kitchen island and yank open a small, rarely used drawer, pulling out the small silver ring box I picked up yesterday morning. I flip it open to show him the diamond ring inside. “I want a future with her. I want to marry her. I want to have kids with her, grow old with her. All the good shit you have with Kaylee? That’s what I want with Hailey. This isn’t a fling. This isn’t some twisted, taboo hook up. I’m in love with your daughter. And she’s in love with me.”

Silence hangs between us, shattered when the doorbell rings again. “Come in,” I call, eyes on Logan as I put the ring away. I hear the door open and close, Hailey’s footsteps as she enters the living room. God, the sight of her is like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. She looks beautiful, her thick, dark hair woven into a messy braid, wearing a pretty red sweater and jeans.

“Dad?” she says, her eyes bouncing between the two of us. “Oh my god, Beau, you’re bleeding.” She rushes over to me, grabs a sheet of paper towel, wets it, and presses it gently to my split lip. “What the hell is going on? Did he hit you?”

“He deserved it,” Logan says, still seething.

Hailey glares at her dad. “Stop it.”

“He’s been lying to me. Sleeping with you behind my back—”

Hailey whirls, her shoulders squared. “So are you going to hit me, too? Because webothdid this.”

“Hailey, I—”

“No.” Her voice is quiet but commanding, and pride fills my chest. That’s my woman, right there. “I’m talking. You’re going to keep your mouth closed and your fists to yourself.” Hailey stands at my side and slips her hand into mine. She stands tall, facing her dad, her voice steady, but filled with emotion as she starts to speak. “I’ve been in love with Beau for years, Dad. This isn’t some fleeting crush or a silly infatuation. I know my own mind and my own heart. I’m not a kid anymore. I love him, and I’m not ashamed.”

“He’s twice your age. He’s my best friend—”

“He’s your best friend because you know what a good guy he is. Beau is loyal, and hardworking, and kind. He has a good head on his shoulders and a big heart. Why wouldn’t you want me to be with a man like that?”

Logan’s eyes flicker between us, his jaw tense, but I can see the wheels turning in his head. He’s listening to Hailey. Actually listening.

“I know you think you know what’s best for me, but you don’t. Not this time,” Hailey continues, her voice strong. “I want Beau. Truth be told, he’s the only man I’ve ever wanted. And he wants me, too. We’re not doing anything wrong. We’re both adults.”

Logan’s gaze softens slightly as he looks at Hailey. I can see the realization dawning on his face, the shift in his thinking. He’s seeing her not just as his little girl, but as a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to stand up for it.

“Dad, I love Beau,” Hailey says quietly, her voice full of conviction. “And he loves me. We’re going to be together, and nothing you say or do is going to change that.”

Logan’s shoulders slump slightly, the fight draining out of him. He looks at me, and then back at Hailey, and I can see the truth of what we’re saying finally sinking in.

“I don’t like it. I may never like it,” he says, glancing away.

“You don’t have to like it,” I reply. And it’s true. He’s allowed to feel however he feels about this.

“But you will have to accept it,” Hailey adds.

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